Why Some Fresh Thinking From Unai Emery Is Good News For Arsenal

Why Some Fresh Thinking From Unai Emery Is Good News For Arsenal
11:35, 18 Jun 2018

Two words summed up best what Unai Emery would bring to Arsenal when he replaced Arsene Wenger at the end of last season; intensity and efficiency. The Spaniard had just left Paris Saint-Germain, having won seven trophies in two years, and he headed into a club that, despite Wenger’s beliefs, is in desperate need of a new direction. When Wenger arrived in 1996, he changed the football culture in England with his forward-thinking approach; 22 years on, now Emery must change the culture at the Gunners, and he has already made a good start.

Wenger’s reign could be split into three different sections; the first was all-conquering, yielding two Premier League and FA Cup doubles, including the 2004 ‘Invincibles’ season. The second, from 2006 to 2013, was tougher, but the experience of the manager was key to guiding them through an era without trophies as they paid off the debt plunged onto them by the brand new Emirates Stadium. Thirdly, and finally, from 2014 until this summer, when money was there to be spent again; three more FA Cups were won, but failure in the league and European competition brewed a frustration among the fan base. Constantly making the same mistakes on the pitch, and failing to be more proactive in the transfer window meant Wenger, once a pioneer, began to fall behind the times.

He loved his players too much; giving them too many chances on the pitch and more shelter than they deserved off it. Emery must be stricter and much more productive, and early signs are that he will be exactly that, with one new signing already through the door. Experienced Switzerland defender Stephen Lichtsteiner has signed on a free transfer after leaving Juventus; not only will he bring leadership, which has been an issue over the last few years, but also healthy competition. Too many players in the squad have been unchallenged when it comes to their places; Hector Bellerin had a mixed season at right-back, and Lichtsteiner’s arrival could provide the push he needs.

It is just the start of Emery’s revolution, though. Petr Cech ended years of debate around the goalkeeping situation when he joined in the summer of 2015, but it has taken the new boss just weeks to replace him with a younger, more agile stopper who, perhaps most importantly, is more able to build from the back; Bayer Leverkusen’s Bernd Leno, who was unlucky to miss out on Germany’s World Cup squad, is all set to join before Sampdoria’s talented and technical midfielder Lucas Torreira; a £26.4million deal is agreed to bring the 22-year-old to North London, all before the end of June.

The collective realisation that quality can be added to the squad quickly could help the club challenge at the top of the Premier League again soon. Contrary to popular belief, Wenger was not afraid to spend big and neither were the Arsenal board; Mesut Özil, Alexis Sanchez, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are proof of that. But his big problem was that while he would sanction one or two major signings at once, their rivals would move for four or five, increasing the gulf in class until, over the last two years, they failed to qualify for the Champions League. Arsenal are going about their business well, and when the players will return for pre-season training, they will notice the difference immediately; most clubs want to help a transition by continuation and evolution, but the Gunners are already benefitting from the contrasts between Emery and Wenger. Crucially, signings are made as a collective decision; Emery is not a manager, but a head coach, a role he has excelled in, particularly at Sevilla. The united front is helping everybody move forward; this season is already shaping up nicely.

Next up on the to-do list is Aaron Ramsey’s contract; dealing with existing players’ futures was certainly one of Wenger’s weak points and another example of his inability to act quickly. Far too often under his management would speculation grow over the cream of his crop, with new deals often not signed before the power in the situation switched. Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri were both sold as a last resort in order to avoid losing them for free, just like Sanchez this season. Van Persie and Sanchez joined Manchester United, while Nasri moved to Manchester City; the former and the latter went on to win Premier League titles in their first seasons. English clubs will undoubtedly circle for Ramsey if Arsenal are not careful, and the last thing they need is to be strengthening a rival yet again; but early signs are that this is a new, more aware club that will make sure that doesn’t happen. Only time will tell.

Next to a Maximiliano Allegri or a Luis Enrique, Unai Emery does not have much star quality; but he is already proving to be exactly what Arsenal need. He has been a catalyst for change, and that will only continue as the players realise they cannot rely on the trust of the previous regime to protect them from failure like it has in the past. Arsenal are acting like a club on a mission, to get back into the conversation at the top of the Premier League; they may not have the money of a City or United, but the first step is to copy their efficiency and professionalism, and that is exactly what they are doing.

x
Suggested Searches:
The Sportsman
Manchester United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Premier League
Sportsman HQ
72-76 Cross St
Manchester M2 4JG
We will not ask you to provide any personal information when using The Sportsman website. You may see advertisement banners on the site, and if you choose to visit those websites, you will accept the terms and conditions and privacy policy applicable to those websites. The link below directs you to our Group Privacy Policy, and our Data Protection Officer can be contacted by email at: [email protected]

All original material is Copyright © 2019 by The Sportsman Communications Ltd.
Other material is copyright their respective owners.