Premier League Top Team Struggle Mightily
Arsenal and Manchester United are ranked respectively 8th and 9th in the Premier League table. A gap of seven points has been created between top 4 teams [26 points] and Arsenal [19 points] and eight points with Manchester United [18 points].
Any of the top bookmakers such as come on betting could have predicted such a poor first third of the season by two legendary clubs in the League.
Arsenal just sacked head coach Emery during the week and appointed former player Freddie Ljunberg in charge. Is it temporary and for the long run? The club has not commented on the Swedish club legend.
Yet, he was able to see the blatant defensive woes as the Gunners barely salvaged a point from Norwich City 2-2. Both Arsenal and Man United only won 4 of their first 14 games this season.
The head coach highlights the problems Arsenal are currently facing:
If we look at the game, we started really well. I thought we dominated totally and found pockets and created chances. I would probably expect us to take the lead and go for that.
The problem I think is that everyone can see that we had problems in transitions while we had possession. That’s something that’s easy for a coach because we know what we need to work on. That’s to lock and not get countered on in those ways.
After that, I’m extremely proud of the players because they came back twice from one-nil down and especially when they get 2-1 just before half-time. Normally as a coach the morale goes down and we came out fighting. Maybe at the end of the game it became a bit too open for my liking.
I saw my players getting tired, but in the end it was a draw. Of course, I was hoping Lucas was going to put it in the back of the net in the last second, but that’s how it is.
I haven’t had a word with the players but for me that’s how it works. Last year I was the manager of the under-23s and I saw every game for the first team. So I have an opinion about how we can play and what players to use. I try to see things like that. everybody has a fair chance. What I see in training and in games is what I will judge them on.
A couple hundred miles north of London, another legendary cub is struggling under coach Solskjaer. The Ref Devils drew at home against Aston Villa 2-2 and drop points again at Old Trafford.
The Norwegian head coach comments:
“We’re disappointed with the first half especially, because I think after we conceded the goal we didn’t get to grips with the game. We didn’t get our heads together as a team.
Sometimes, when you concede at Old Trafford early, you get a kick up the back side but you’ve got plenty of time to get those goals. To be fair, we did get the two goals, we went 2-1 up, and we’re disappointed again to not hold on to the lead for longer than we did.
it’s been quite often this season that we’ve either turned a game around or had the lead and not been able to see it out. But we don’t just want to see it out, we want to go for 2-0, 3-0 or – like today – 3-1. Then again, they got a corner straight away and they are a big side, and worked a few different, clever ones. Today we just couldn’t get up and play them offside quick enough.”
Next for Manchester United are the Spurs and a reunion with former coach Jose Mourinho. Then comes Manchester City for the derby, a tough week ahead.
