So far so good for Unai Emery as he has Arsenal not only playing good football but rejuvenated a club who appeared lost.
We are almost halfway through the season and Arsenal, under Unai Emery, have been a pleasant surprise considering the questions for the Gunners coming into this season. Despite fans and pundits alike agreeing that it was long overdue for a change in manager, no one was certain how things would turn out post-Wenger. The last manager to last as long in one club as Wenger was Sir Alex Ferguson with Manchester United and we’ve all seen how things have gone for them.
Unai Emery was a bit of a surprise appointment as the belief was that Mikel Arteta was going to take over the helm. Emery was a candidate but not seen as the favorite. When he was announced, the hesitancy had to do with how things went for him in his stint with PSG.
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Arguably, a one team league, he failed to win the title in his first season and was in charge during their collapse in the Champions League against Barcelona. But so far with Arsenal, Emery has proved some of his doubters wrong and has brought new life to Arsenal.
He currently has his team sitting near the top four in the table and all but through to the knockout stage of the Europa League. After losing his first game against Chelsea, everyone’s first thoughts were “same old Arsenal.” But their comeback win against Spurs is another indication that, no, this isn’t the same old Arsenal. This isn’t the Arsenal we’re used to seeing the past decade or so. Not under Unai Emery.
As Jonathan Wilson writes, “Late-period Arsène Wenger would have bemoaned his luck, made arch comments about the disputed penalty, and everybody would have wondered just how Arsenal could end up losing so disappointingly having started so well.”
Unfortunately, that’s true. For all the good the French manager did for Arsenal, his last years were just replicating the seasons prior. A change in manager, and culture, was necessary.
Perhaps no player represents the change in culture and attitude at Arsenal than the Uruguayan, Lucas Torreira. Torreira, alongside Emery, symbolizes the new Arsenal side. For a long time, Arsenhasave desperately needed someone in midfield who was a fighter.
A player who could not only protect the defense but also start plays. Torreira has proven to be both those things. His ability to quickly adapt to the Premier League has also freed up Granit Xhaka who has been criticized for his indiscipline and positioning on the field. With Torreira, he looks a new player as any errors are cleaned up by the Uruguayan.
Credit to Emery who waited to implement Torreria into the starting eleven. Once he did, Arsenal really started to get going. While Arsenal isn’t going to win the league, that wasn’t the expectations heading into the season. The goal was to get back into the Champions League and finish inside the top four. A couple of points behind Tottenham, Arsenal are on the right path.
Another example of the change surrounding the club is the reaction to their draw against Manchester United. Arsenal was the better team in that match but defensive mistakes cost them. If this had happened under Wenger, we’d hear things like “same old Arsenal” and fans would be in an uproar calling for the manager’s head.
This time around, yes, it was disappointing considering where Manchester United are at the moment but it wasn’t the end of the world. Emery has gained the trust of the supporters and it’s something we haven’t seen from the Gunners in a long time.
Emery has managed to integrate new players and keep players who aren’t starting happy. He’s revived Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and found a more than capable second striker/back-up in Alexandre Lacazette. They still have their defensive struggles but that should be improved once Laurent Koscielny returns from injury.
Both Arsenal and Emery came into the season looking for vindication and a fresh start. So far, things are looking up for both sides.