After Monday night's abject 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United, plenty of Arsenal fans were questioning their side's shocking lack of verve and creativity.
The dissenting voices in north London are growing louder and Unai Emery's tactics have come under the microscope.
There are worrying parallels with the 47-year-old's tenure at PSG, problems that grumbled under the surface and then burst into the spotlight with 'La Remuntada' (The Comeback) when Barcelona famously battered Emery's side 6-1 (6-5 aggregate). Maybe the scars remain.
Emery landed in the PSG hotseat as one of Europe's most forward-thinking and exciting managers.
But after steering Sevilla to three successive Europa League titles, his methods were met with resistance in the star-studded Parisian dressing room.
Thiago Silva, his club captain, is understood to have led the rebellion and key players such as Blaise Matuidi and Javier Pastore were among the more vocal critics of Emery's 4-2-3-1 formation.
The manager had two choices. He could persist with his tried and tested set-up and approach that had brought him so much success in Spain, or bow to player power.
The 4-2-3-1 was abandoned for a 4-3-3 and the French press claimed Emery had been 'bullied' into it.
PSG then tried a number of different tactics after the fallout, leading to confusion and a lack of confidence. It infamously came to a head on March 8, 2017, when Barcelona overturned a 4-1 first-leg deficit with a 95th minute goal at the Nou Camp.
The French side were dumped out in the Champions League last 16 and Emery looked a broken man.
At Arsenal, he returned to the 4-2-3-1 but away from home in particular, the system is failing miserably and his team selection has been negative.
The Blades rarely looked in trouble on Monday. Arsenal's timidity, caution and pussyfooting attack was crying out for something fresh.
But Emery's policy has been reactive rather than proactive. He prefers to make dramatic in-game changes or provide an impetus from the bench rather than set-out with attacking intent and Arsenal are paying for his tentative starting point.
They are yet to win on the road in the Premier League this season and have had 43 total shots in those games, placing them 13th out of all teams.
Newly-promoted sides also have a superb recent record against Emery's men, with the Gunners losing four of their last seven away to teams coming up from the Championship.
His midfield of Joe Willock, Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi enjoyed 69 per cent of the ball at Bramall Lane without ever really threatening and the lack of guile in the final third is a massive problem.
Aaron Ramsey's departure continues to sting and some suggest Arsenal lack the creative forces to make a difference. But that argument falls flat when you look at the difference between the team's home and away form.
Mesut Ozil, while pilloried by many, would no doubt help unpick stubborn defences but the German playmaker remains out of favour.
When asked about it on Monday, Emery was hardly forthcoming. 'He can help us, yes', was all the manager offered.
Since making his debut for Arsenal, Ozil has created 522 chances for the team, that's a staggering 250 more than the next best player, Ramsey on 272.
Clearly there is a major issue behind the scenes but Emery must decide whether to use or lose Ozil for good.
With Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the ranks, Arsenal should strike fear into opposition defences and their counter attack on the road could be blistering.
Dani Ceballos would also be a far more positive selection and the Real Madrid loanee showed how effective he can be at the start of the season.
But Emery refuses to throw caution to the wind and pressure is cranking up.
If he fails to break free of his own fear, be bold in his tactics and team selection, then those Nou Camp demons could continue to haunt him.
miyacknopu
472
Enough is enough! Under Arsene Wenger, we had defensive problems, but at least we had some sort of coherent attacking plan. Under Unai Emery, we have defensive problems, but don’t have any kind of game plan in terms of attacking or creating chances. It is now time to admit that Ivan Gazidis’s choice as Arsenal manager has failed, and time to move on. There are a plethora of good managers available. Jose Mourinho, Massimilano Allegri, Laurent Blanc, Luciano Spalletti… the list goes on. We have no game plan, no identity, no idea on the pitch…. this is just ridiculous now. We’ve spent big money on bringing players in, and it’s the same old story. Actually, it’s not the same old story – this is actually worse. Unai Emery is literally making things up as he goes along. He persists in Granit Xhaka, which will end up being his downfall, he has failed to address our defensive issues (and although our defence has always been suspect, it’s actually got worse) and I’m sure he has his own ideas but whatever they are, they are clearly not getting through to the players. I don’t know what else to say… I’m so angry, frustrated and quick frankly, pissed off. It will be a miracle if Arsenal finish in the Top 4 this season, and the Arsenal hierarchy need to have a real, hard think about the future because if they continue with Emery as Arsenal manager, then we will fail to get Champions League football next season, and risk losing our best players in the summer.
zobbckopsy
355
Arsenal is eventually going nowhere under Emery and you don't need a Rocket Scientist to tell you that this Spanish is a midlevel coach. The man is a slave to his tactics and unsuccessfully believes. I got nothing personal against this guy accept that his managerial tactics are not working properly and he's seem to be out of innovation. He always looked confused and waiting only to react to setbacks instead of being on top of his game. No one knows his goal or plans for a team that needed rebirth. Till now , I am still trying to convince myself why redundant your highest pay employee? Ozil isn't alone, this man also hate Lacazette and almost all the things players that Wenger cherished, excluding his Spanish fashion designer. Even Torira has fallen out of picking favoured at Arsenal under Emery. Saka isn't mature to become an Arsenal first team regular. The host deserve last evening game from lots of perspectives and the sooner we show this midlevel divisive team breaker Manager of ours the sooner we will celebrate.
Nocdekmprt
167
Emery will finally destroy Arsenal unless something happens drastically and immediately. The fans must take their fate in their hands and start booing out Emery. The fans have to start boycotting Arsenal games. The #EmeryOut campaign has to commence in earnest. If Arsenal fans could afford to do it to Prof Wenger, the man that transformed the EPL, then who's Unai Emery? Arsenal are playing their worse football under Emery since Wenger turned things around. They're no longer exciting. They've lost everything that drew millions and millions to the ckub: flair, beauty, tip-tap, creativity in midfield, character, attack mindedness, brains... Nobody respects Arsenal anymore, not even Championship sides. Emery couldn't be the Saviour of Arsenal. Emery is a manager who can only waste resources. He doesn't understand how to use big players. He failed to do so at PSG. No wonder he can't utilise what is arguably the most devastating attacking side in the EPL and one of the top 5 in European club football. It's better the fans rise up and send Emery away before it's too late because Kroenke may not do anything about it on his own.
PrinceTaiwo
140
I strongly believe Unia emery is too convenient with is job at Arsenalfc, he prefer to be either reactive than proactive, he prefer correction than preventing a problem. Areter and Freddie Lundberg will surely do better, under arsen Wenger, we all know he does not have the right players and when he does he actually won some trophies then. But unia emery is just clueless and short of ideas about arsenal football club, the painful part is that he did not care about his failure. He is just too stubborn and stupid. You can be stubborn and stupid at the same time. He is too sentimental with his team selection. Believe me Arsenal is coming down and again. The worse is yet to be seen at Arsenal if unia emery is not sacked