The team is now in 6th place in the Premier League, with 17 points, 17 behind League leaders Liverpool, 8 points out of 4th place and qualification for next season's Champions League, and only 9 points above the relegation zone.
It is, statistically, the worst 12-game start to a League season for Arsenal since 1982.
An Arsenal fan asked me, "How did it come to this?"
Here's how: A small, very stupid minority of the Arsenal fanbase abused manager Arsène Wenger, until even his great patience ran out, and he decided he should no longer have to take it, and he quit. The team's board of directors finally did what they'd been asked to do many times, and hired a flavor of the month.
Those idiot fans always wanted Wenger fired -- or "sacked," as they tend to say in England. They kept saying some "Flavor of the Month" would be a better manager than Wenger. Jurgen Klopp. Thomas Tuchel. Andre Villas-Boas. Martin O'Neill. David Moyes. Owen Coyle. Eddie Howe. Sean Dyche.
When Arsène quit, in April 2018, the Flavor of the Month was Unai Emery. Now, the month is over. Or, if you prefer, his 15 minutes of fame are up.
He has already alienated Aaron Ramsey, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Danny Welbeck, Carl Jenkinson and Alex Iwobi to the point where they wanted to be transferred to other teams, and have been. He has already alienated Mesut Özil, normally a very patient man and the best player Emery has ever managed, to the point where, when subbed off during the disastrous loss to Chelsea in last season's Europa League Final, he yelled at Emery, "Wallahi, you are not a coach!" ("Wallahi" is an Arabic word, effectively meaning, "I swear to God!")
And Emery appears to be alienating his 2 world-class strikers, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (whose goals have turned draws into wins and losses into draws, and have basically saved Emery's job so far) and Alexandre Lacazette. And alienating his 2 good central defensive midfielders, the veteran Granit Xhaka and the young Matteo Guendouzi.
Before even turning to her studio pundits after yesterday's game, NBC Sports' Rebecca Lowe said, "What progress since Arsène Wenger left? Any? One thing I can tell you: Arsenal have won 87 points in their 1st 50 Premier League games under Unai Emery, 1 fewer than they won in their last 50 under Arsène Wenger."
"Give him time," said the people who hated Wenger so much, and didn't want to look like idiots by not standing by his replacement.
Emery has been given time. He needs to be given his walking papers. There is an international break now. Now is the time to do it (if the day after the Europa League Final was too soon), and let assistant manager Freddie Ljungberg, a former Arsenal star, manage until a more experienced manager can be hired. If Freddie does well, keep him. If not, someone else should be available soon.
But the decision has to be made now. Never mind the £6 million that firing Emery would cost the organization. Failing to qualify for the Champions League will cost £40 million.
Fire him, Josh Kroenke. Do it now. Before the Master of Alienation finishes the job.
*
Days until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 5, on Friday night at 7:00, against Canada, in CONCACAF Nations League play, at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, home of MLS' Orlando City SC, hoping to avenge their 1st loss to Canada since 1985. Four days later, they play away to Cuba.
Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 6, on Saturday, at noon, home to... oy vey... The... Ohio State University. Oh well, at least they beat Jerry Falwell's Liberty University.
Days until Arsenal play again: 13, on Saturday, November 23, home to Hampshire team Southampton.
Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State football game: 20, on Saturday, November 30, at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. Under 3 weeks.
Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: 20, on Saturday afternoon, November 30 at 1:00, against the New York Rangers, a.k.a. The Scum, at the Prudential Center. The next game against the New York Islanders will be on Thursday, January 2, 2020, at the Barclays Center. The next game against the Philadelphia Flyers, a.k.a. The Philth, will be on Thursday, February 6, at the Wells Fargo Center.
Days until my 50th Birthday, at which point I can join AARP and get discounts for travel and game tickets: 38, on December 18, 2019. Under 6 weeks.
Days until the premiere of the final Star Wars film, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker: 40, on December 20, 2019.
Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 72, on January 21, 2020. A little over 10 weeks.
Days until the 1st Presidential voting of 2020, the Iowa Caucuses: 85, on Monday, February 3. A little over 12 weeks. The New Hampshire Primary will be 8 days later.
Days until the New York Red Bulls play again: Unknown. They washed out of the MLS Cup Playoffs, blowing a lead and losing to the Philadelphia Union. Going by recent history, the 2020 MLS season would probably begin on the 1st Saturday in March, and the Red Bulls would play the next day, which would be March 8, which would be in 119 days. A little under 4 months.
Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": See the previous answer. It is unlikely that their opener will be against one of their regional rivals: The Union, New York City FC, D.C. United and the New England Revolution.
Days until the Yankees' 2020 Opening Day: 137, on Thursday, March 26, away to the Baltimore Orioles. Under 5 months. And it's going to be a very long, hard, cold 5 months.
Days until the Yankees' 2020 home opener: 144, on Thursday, April 2, against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Days until the next North London Derby: 167, on Saturday, April 25, Arsenal's 1st visit to the new Tottenham Stadium, adjacent to the site of the previous White Hart Lane. A little under 6 months. It is currently scheduled to be on the 16th Anniversary of the 2nd time that Arsenal won the League at White Hart Lane -- but also the last time Arsenal won the League anywhere. Of course, for TV reasons, the game could be moved to another date, probably the next day.
Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series begins: 180, on May 8, 2020, at Yankee Stadium II. Under 6 months.
Days until Euro 2020 begins, a tournament being held all over Europe instead of in a single host nation: 215, on Friday, June 12, 2020. A little over 7 months.
Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 257, on July 24, 2020. Under 9 months.
Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: Unknown, as the 2019 season is over, with a 4-5 record, and the 2020 schedule has not been released yet. Most likely, the season opener will be against arch-rival Old Bridge, on Friday night, September 11, away at the purple shit pit on Route 9. That's 306 days, or 11 months.
Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge football game: See the previous answer.
Days until the next Presidential election, when we can dump the Trump-Pence regime and elect a real Administration: 359, on November 3, 2020. Under 1 year, or under 12 months.
Days until a fully-Democratic-controlled Congress can convene, and the Republicans can do nothing about it: 420, on January 3, 2021. A little over a year, or under 14 months.
Days until Liberation Day: 437, at noon on January 20, 2021. A little over a year, or under 15 months. Note that this is liberation from the Republican Party, not just from Donald Trump. Having Mike Pence as President wouldn't be better, just differently bad, mixing theocracy with plutocracy, rather than mixing kleptocracy with plutocracy.
Days until the next Winter Olympics begins in Beijing, China: 817, on February 4, 2022. A little over 2 years, or under 27 months.
Days until the next World Cup is scheduled to kick off: 1,107, on November 21, 2022, in Qatar. A little over 3 years, or just over 36 months. The charges of corruption against Qatar may yet mean that they will lose the tournament, in which case it will be moved to a nation where it would not be too hot to play it in June and July.
Days until the next Women's World Cup is scheduled to kick off: As yet unknown, but probably on the 2nd Friday in June 2023, which would be June 9. That would be 1,307 days, a little over 3 1/2 years, or under 43 months. A host nation is expected to be chosen on March 20, 2020. Since 2 of the last 3 host nations have been in Europe, North America (Canada) hosted in 2015, and Asia (China) hosted in 2007, my guess is that it will be in either Asia (Japan, possibly Korea, but not China) or Oceania (Australia, possibly a joint bid with New Zealand).
2 comments:
What's your thots on the Astros apparently being like the Patriots? Personally I don't know what to make of it.
There are thots on the Astros? So that's why they cheated, to attract easy women?
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