abdulaziz1

Regarding League, FA or Conference. I think it’s too early to ask, there are no Conference games until March so until then nothing to worry about. For FA Cup it’s lesser games but tougher than the Conference, for me as we have easier fixture (and we haven’t been ale to qualify since I’m not when). Just win that, we don’t play many in January and it’s not a midweek game anyway. Win that and see who we draw with. The schedule until March won’t have many contradictions. Until then we’ll hopefully add some players to the squad, Buendia hopefully back. So we might be able to rotate more. Also we can decide depending on our league place, if we’re up there we’d give it the best team but we shall also do what we’ve done in Europe so far, rotate and see were it takes us. FA cup are 5 games or four which takes you to the final. I think 2 or 3 of them are before March. FA and Conference finals should be after the league finish.

Tough tests without Kamara, I’ve been worried because of that. Usually Emery and our players handles pressure well. Dendonker playing after long time (well he did job against Arsenal and last season our best games were with him). I’m just worried about playing the same way with him, even Kamara kept mistaken until learning. Youri would have been a good choice to have as well, hopefully Lenglet will do a good job as he’s a good player going forward (direct replacement for Pau).

I had some concerns since he came back, but against Brentford I saw more improvement to suggest he’s almost there. Very encouraging performance from him.

I would definitely not. Not many games to begin with, which with some good draws I think we can manage. Boro are in semi final so I suggest they’d focus on that more. Then we don’t play UECL until March. I’d try and stay in all competitions until then. Then it comes one at a time, and manage home and aways for Europe. If we can manage Kamara absence and win our next 3 added to Boro. Then I think we shall think more about adding two players possibly to help us on our three competitions. Hopefully with Buendia being integrated at March. Just imagine they start asking Emery: Congratulations Don Unai winning league, it has been a very successful season. Then he answers, the season hasn’t ended yet, as much as I’m happy with the league but we’ll only celebrate tomorrow as we still have two (semi finals) or two important finals coming up which we should keep focusing in.

I think the other way round is better, against Sheffield we’ll be expected to attack and there is a big difference offensively. Against Utd it will be different especially without Kamara.

He was good today, I had some concerns from his performances since he came back but against Brentford we could see the Ramsey we knew. With Luiz I think we’d see a much better Ramsey.

But yesterday wasn’t a PL game. Although they closed well. Diaby clearly has the ability, he’s just different to Bailey and sill utilized differently. There were times when Bailey looked helpless, right now he’s unstoppable. Once Diaby get to that point I’m sure we’ll see a different player. Although his number are still really good especially for a new signing. The Brentford game is so important, hopefully if we win that, the belief will be there especially away form, then it would give some of our underperforming players a chance to up their game next home game.

Same here He did ok though.

From what I can remember, Leicester, Liverpool and Chelsea at home, Arsenal, Fulham, Utd, City and Palace away, So Chelsea, Arsenal, Fulham and Palace were all under Gerrard. Leicester and City were on our worst run under UE. Liverpool was on our beginning, Utd last was bad after a great run.

Exactly, the most thing I hate is reading about the next couple of fixtures. Just think of next game as a cup final and hope other results goes our way. Enjoy the ride. For me I’ve done this during the promotion season, staying up season, last season and finally this season. I’ve been laughed at almost for all, especially when I used to discuss other teams results (I was targeting Bournemouth during the staying up season, and Spurs were one of my targets last season but people didn’t care just because they were far…and go on). This season, each team from 1 to Brighton, then added Chelsea losing points its a benefit for us. If Chelsea woke up and it’s late, they’ll help taking points of teams (they’ve already done to the four teams around us). If we won next game, Brighton and Utd won aswell, we go first while keeping distance with them. We have to look up but also look down just incase. Take it week by week. We also need to put the other two competitions in our mind, how to rptate without having an issue. Emery dealt really well so far, I think the only decision that could be arguable was playing Zaniolo at Bournemouth, Dendonker could’ve been better assuming Ramsey isn’t ready. Now I think Ramsey has to start against Brentford, without Luiz it will be really difficult. We have to find ways to play away. Our approach against City and Arsenal could be the way to do so. Treat each game week as if it was the final week (unless when players fearing yellows, has to be adjusted with schedule, same with rotation).

I think we have to be clever again this winter, we’re in a position were it’s not easy to upgrade, and we’ll need to improve the squad. Not many will come knowing they won’t feature. If we continued our form and became at the top end of this month. We really need to push for it (while not forgetting ECL or FA cup). How to do that without affecting our future plans? We still need to be sustainable. If Emery can get his players knowing how he’ll give them minutes then great. We’ll probably need a backup for Luiz and Watkins (assuming Dendonker stays). People might not like what I say, but getting someone like Martial on loan from Utd could really work. We shall use loans properly, this would mean sending Zaniolo back. Who can be someone like Martial? Wether as a striker or 8. Will Barca leave Ferran Torres to come? I doubt that especially with Lenglet limited time. Until then, I’d hope Emery to give Tim a chance to see if he’s ready for the current system or not.

Now we’re starting to see his best, more and more to come hopefully.

We’ve seen much worse from Bailey, McGinn (under Gerrard), Youri (before last month) and more, all are part of our new progress. Well the first two were the key players who won us our last two. I think with more time, we’ll see the best out of Diaby, he’s having issues with physicality, Bailey used to have but right now he seem to have improved a level in that aspect.

Wolves been tough against most teams that visited them. Bournemouth finally turned the table to what is expected from them, their form i good. They won 4 and drew to us. We can’t go to that conclusion yet, we feared our games against top sides because of what happened in Newcastle or Liverpool, but in reality we seem to get through that and now getting clean sheets again. We shall only take it game at a time. Brentford will be a tough game, win that and it would give us a boost. Before that we have to make sure we qualify 1st in Europe so we’re sure we can focus on the league until January. During our last 4 games we had some good things: Winning away after conceding first. Getting back twice while being bad and drawing instead of loss. Winning away against a top side (as some people won’t consider Chelsea at the moment) Continue our winning streak even though we had arguably the toughest two home fixtures. After we forgot what is clean sheet, we come back and get two in row in those toughest games. Attacking City the way we saw (and beginning of Arsenal game) shows our identity. Winning while not playing good (understandable because of the tough game against City and no rest). I think this run will help us a lot, even Emery will know that we still have an issue at home and will try to find a way. With Emery I don’t think there is a big worry about getting carried away. Keep winning, trying to qualify in Europe and Cup while adjusting the squad and see where it takes us. We’ve been smashing some records, we need a win at Brentford which hasn’t happened for a long long time. It will be challenging without Luiz, Dinge is easier but I’m not sure we’d want to start using Moreno for full games yet. This added to their tough stadium regardless their form.

I guess we should’ve played some long balls against Bournemouth when he played, it’s one of his attributes and it was clearly a physical game. He almost scored though, I think he’s developing well sometimes try hard to impress but generally he’s improving.

For me, Win FA Cup and UECL would definitely be than a CL qualification. But won’t mind a treble as well.

I don’t think there is a confirmation of how many games, it’s more of speculations.

I don’t think we’ve done good in that aspect at the beginning, but being conservative and progressing is the good part lately. Some went angry on selling our young players yet that gave me an idea about how our board are acting and knowing how to sell and when. I think we’re progressing financially (which a lot of teams are getting into bigger mess with regressing as a team). So I agree with you on the timing, but again we can’t gamble. We just have to continue our clever progress. Well ofcourse if January came and we’re first with a chance of winning the league, I won’t mind getting two upgrades that would help us, but with a view of benefiting out of them in the future. Otherwise clever loans can help us.

I’m not talking about set pieces or so, I mean, well not crossing high balls in particular but sending dangerous one. With Moreno you could see the difference. I’m not sure what it’s called but similar to Bailey’s assist to Watkins the other day. Most of Dinge and even Cash aren’t good ones. Some are actually bad. Wether it’s ability or decision making or both I’m not sure.

It’s a concern yet could be in our favor that we still have a room for improvement. I think Tielimans gives us more balance than Zaniolo or Bailey (Especially going to the next tough games). That should help us defensively and offensively. Last season we were conceding much until our 10 games run only conceded 2 or something like that. Now we’re more adventurous but we still not have last season organize because of players adapting to the system (Moreno was perfect offensively while Young had more awareness than Cash). With Ramsey as well we were balanced. All of that with being more cautious.

I didn’t imagine how it looks like in Europe after those years let alone CL.

Dinge is good but he lacks something attacking wise. His shots are ok but most of his crosses aren’t good. Moreno adds a different dimension to our game. But at certain games Dinge would still be very important. Good to have both.

I think Newcastle and Man Utd going to Europa could be in our favor, no one goes out because of the PL ranking, and them having something to play for in Europe so they don’t only focus on the league. Then we depend in ourselves to win the conference, City and Arsenal to go far, then 5 teams in Europa going far with hopefully a Liverpool win for that cup. That would probably make 5th goes to CL while all Europe teams keep playing and not only focused on the league.

I think we have a good chance to improve even without spending big in January. We’d know more where are we by then, with hopefully Ramsey and Moreno being back to action. We could improve in different areas, but what could be our priorities? A right back could be a good idea, then not sure what? Possibly a potentially good talented winger, who might be as Duran getting some minutes. If we made it in the FA cup and won our first game, and hopefully won the group, we’d still need more rotations.

As much as he put good work, but attacking wise we’re missing a lot. He gets the ball in dangerous areas but most of the time doesn’t have a clue what to do. It’s a real shame as he’s a very good play. I think we’re really missing Moreno and Ramsey (Dinge will start and play some game’s especially when we’re expected to defend). But games when we play the whole game in opposition area we definitely need Moreno. Hopefully he’s back soon. As much as I thought we needed him to feature before our draw, as much as I thought it would be a needless risk, as we have a break which could help him more.