Three positives Arsenal can draw from Unai Emery’s reign
Arsenal were expected to go through a prolonged transition period after their long-serving manager Arsene Wenger announced his decision to step down, thus marking the end of an era than reigned supreme from Highbury to the Emirates for a period of twenty-two years.
Expectations rocketed sky-high amongst the fans when Unai Emery was entrusted with the job of taking the club forward in the right direction. The Spaniard came to the Premier League on the back of successful managerial stints at Paris Saint Germain and Sevilla, winning three back-to-back UEFA Europa League titles with the latter from 2013 to 2016.
However, few would have expected him to have hit the ground running in such an emphatic manner as he has done so far in the Premier League this season.
After a tough start to the season with back-to-back losses against Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal have enjoyed an unbeaten run of ten games in the Premier League. To go with their heroics in the Premier League, the Gunners have also excelled in the Europa League, winning each of their first four games.
As Arsenal try to close the gap on the likes Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City to remain within striking distance of the Premier League crown, let us take a brief look at some of the positives that the Gunners can take from Unai Emery’s reign so far.
1. Positive Transfer Activity
Emery set the ball rolling in the transfer window and splashed the cash to bolster his options in midfield to comply with his high-pressing philosophy.
Consequently, Arsenal made headlines with the signings of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi and both the players have proven themselves to be tailor-made for Emery’s style of play.
Torreira deserves a lot of plaudits for his performances so far, robbing the opposition of the ball with his tenacity and tackling and controlling the proceedings in midfield with his immaculate distribution.
The Uruguayan has also brought the best out of someone like Granit Xhaka, thus contributing to the overall stability of the team. Xhaka and Torreira’s midfield masterclass against Liverpool made Arsenal look like a dominant force and showed that they are not far behind Manchester City in terms of quality and organisation.
Someone like Sokratis, who was signed by the manager in the summer to bolster the backline, has been one of the brightest sparks for the Gunners at the back.
2. Tactical Flexibility and Fearlessness
It hasn’t always been so easy for Unai Emery, particularly when he had to contend with injuries to several of his key players. However, the Spaniard did not hesitate to deploy Granit Xhaka to fill in the role of a left-back in the Premier League.
Emery has relied on flexibility and squad rotation, particularly in the attacking third, where he has chopped and changed the players to give everybody a bite of the cherry. In other words, his man-management has been really impressive.
In his earlier days at the club, Emery found it difficult to accommodate both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the first-team. However, that problem was solved just four games into the season and Arsenal have reaped the fruits of two high-quality strikers working in tandems.
Emery has also brought the best out of several players in the squad, including the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi.
Ramsey, who was deemed as a central midfielder by Wenger, has done exceptionally well in his new No.10 role behind the striker, forcing someone like Mesut Ozil to play down the right. However, the manager has not denied Ozil from playing in his preferred position by balancing their playtimes perfectly.
Alex Iwobi has taken significant leaps towards fulfiling his potential as a wide forward and Danny Welbeck has also chipped in with valuable goals under the new manager.
A teenager like Emile Smith Rowe has been allowed to showcase his talent in the Europa League and Carabao Cup games and he hasn’t disappointed his manager.
3. Change of Attitude and Mindset
Even though Arsenal have tasted glory in the FA Cup and the Community Shield in recent years under Wenger, it has been ages since the Gunners have had their hands on the Premier League trophy. However, there has been a marked change in mentality at the club and the way that the players have approached the game since Emery has taken charge.
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In other words, Arsenal have sent a clear statement of intent to their rivals that they are back in contention for the Premier League crown under their new manager, something that hasn’t been the case for quite some time.
