Arsenal: Is Sam Allardyce trying to say he is more impressive than Unai Emery?

Arsenal’s new manager Unai Emery hasn’t had it easy, but why is Sam Allardyce trying to downplay his work?

Unai Emery has picked up zero points since he took over at Arsenal. It hasn’t been easy for him, but nobody expected him to go out and beat the two former Premier League champions. Manchester City is hard enough as it is, let alone a full of confidence Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge – a place in which Arsenal haven’t won in seven years.

It’s easy to criticize Emery for his opening campaign, and I’m by no means saying he’s been impressive – that would be wrong of me. But how many critics would call it a ‘fluke’ should Arsenal have picked up six or even four points? My money’s on a lot of them.

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And Sam Allardyce has been a big critic recently. According to Manchester Evening News, big Sam hit out at Emery by saying he ‘thinks he’s always right’. Gary Neville then criticized Allardyce by saying Emery’s not trying to avoid relegation by ‘lumping the ball long’, but instead trying to build a team with style.

And in many ways, Neville is right. Arsenal didn’t show many positives, but one of them was the work in which the team has gone through behind the scenes. There’s definitely potential there.

But obviously, Allardyce didn’t take Neville’s comments very well, as reported also by MEN.

"“(Gary Neville) talks about me having to win five games to save a club from relegation, I never got five or six weeks (like Emery). If I don’t get a result in five weeks, the club I take over is relegated – so I have to do it in days.” – Sam Allardyce"

Of course, Allardyce is right in saying this. To criticize a manager for avoiding relegation is silly. To avoid relegation takes immense improvisation, which is why many managers dream of managing the top-end clubs. What Allardyce has done throughout his career is impressive, and Neville is wrong for speaking about his achievements like that.

But at the same time, Allardyce is unfair to judge Emery based on two games. Let’s face it, if he played Pep Guardiola and Maurizio Sarri in his first two weeks, he would get hammered. Most managers would.

It’s important we give Emery time, because it’s still very much Arsene Wenger’s team. It’s not going to change overnight.