Evaluating Unai Emery's Start at Arsenal
When Arsene Wenger stepped down at the end of last season he was leaving a gigantic hole for his successor to fill. Arsenal chose Unai Emery to fill that hole.
His first six months have had some highlights, such as the 22 game unbeaten run, and some low-lights, such as the 5-1 beat down at the hands of Liverpool. More than halfway through the season the honeymoon period is over, so it is time to start evaluating the work Emery has …
Premier League Transfers This January: A Tepid Window So Far
The January transfer window is like an annual second chance for all football clubs – but more so for the clubs from the top leagues like the Premier League. The pressure in the top leagues is so intense that if a manager or a transfer committee blundered in the summer transfer window then by December all seems lost. Case in point, Manchester United this season. But the January window provides an opportunity to set the mistakes right and aim for …
Cautious Liverpool Scrape Through with a 1-0 Win at Brighton
January has been a terrible month for Liverpool in the recent seasons and with two losses in last two games, one to Manchester City in the league and then to Wolves in the FA Cup, it seemed that the Reds were just following the annual pattern. However, Jurgen Klopp’s rested but depleted team managed to hold on to a narrow 1-0 win at Brighton today, stretching their lead over Manchester City back to seven points, at least for two days.
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The decision to sell Dembele could derail Tottenham's season
Mousa Dembele is closing in on a Tottenham exit as he is set for an £11 million move to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan. Although he was set to leave on a free at the end of the season, this is a bitter blow for Spurs and questions will be asked if a replacement isn’t brought in. There has been an emphasis on Mauricio Pochettino to trim the squad, but this is a key player departing the club.
Since …
Christian Pulisic to Chelsea: A transfer that highlights the club's flaws
Chelsea made the first major move of the January transfer window, as they announced the arrival of Borussia Dortmund attacker Christian Pulisic. However, the USA international will remain at the Bundesliga team for the rest of the current campaign. This clause seems odd on the face of it, as he has struggled for minutes this season. If he was to move this month, it is much more likely that he would be given substantial game-time at Stamford Bridge.
The deal …
Liverpool Batter Newcastle United to Extend Lead at the Top of the Table
Liverpool hosted Newcastle United on the Boxing Day afternoon. Both the teams were in relatively safe positions. Liverpool were 4 points clear at the top of the table and Newcastle were 5 points clear of the relegation zone teams. As the afternoon games ended, Liverpool stayed at the top but increased their lead to 6 points, while Newcastle’s position did not change with respect to the relegation zone teams, as both Burnley and Huddersfield lost, while Fulham’s draw with Wolves …
When the Skies were Grey: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Debut as Interim Manager
“Football is easy if you have good players", stated Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after an emphatic 5-1 win - as Manchester United scored five goals in a Premier League game for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson's final game in charge of the club.
And between the two events, United have gone through a myriad of changes - in personnel and personality, not only losing an awful lot of football matches but also some of their identity in the process.
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Unai Emery Has Come at the King: He Best Not Miss
Unai Emery left Mesut Ozil out of Arsenal's League Cup squad against Tottenham on Wednesday. Leaving a star player out of a League Cup squad may not sound like a big deal, but when Emery was asked why he left the German out he stated it was a "tactical decision."
He further elaborated saying, "I thought the players that were with us today the best choices for this match." Considering Emery played a full strength team, this seems to be …