When Arsene Wenger resigned as the club manager in 2018, many Arsenal fans thought that was the end of the club’s problems. Even though the Frenchman was loved, his last years at the club were nothing to be happy about as he took the club from a bad state to worse.
His resignation ushered in the beginning of a new era, seeing Unai Emery take the wheel at the Emirates in a bid to steer the Arsenal ship forward with his ‘attacking football’ but we have yet to really see this. It is sad to see Arsenal, a club which is used to taking possession in every situation, now playing defensive football as opposed to what Emery claimed.
As it stands, faith in Unai Emery has started to fade – if it hasn’t faded totally – and the manager does not seem to realize the spot he is in. He doesn’t seem to be helping himself either with the decisions he’s making at the club. One of such big decisions which hasn’t sat well with most fans is making Mesut Ozil, Arsenal’s biggest chance creator so far, sit on the bench while the club needs a creative midfielder to coordinate attack.
We might be going towards the end of his reign at Arsenal even faster than we had expected as he has now failed to win either of back-to-back home games with Crystal Palace and Wolves, a development that is worrisome considering the fact that he was brought in to give the club a top-four finish.
Reasons Emery should be sacked
We can all agree that he is new in the club and might need time to adjust but at the same time, we also need to understand that two seasons is enough to test the waters. Patience is starting to run out with the fans and one can tell it would be so with the club management as well. With Arsenal not playing in the Champions League, it definitely affects Arsenal’s financial standing and the club’s overall image in the footballing world.
If the manager brought in to solve that problem is only making it worse, it is only fair to let him go.
Not connecting with fans
The language barrier is a major problem and it has been a big block between the manager and the fans. When in a fix like this, the fans want to know what is going on with their club. Is their manager a pressing manager? Does he like taking possession instead? Does he prefer to play on the counter? What is his tactic? What is he doing? We just don’t know, and that’s enough reason to be worried.
When the Spaniard was hired, he did his interview in Spanish with a translator helping him out. 18 months on and he still hasn’t mastered English to any reasonable level.
Currently, he has the right squad to finish in the top four and his failure to do so will show the problem is not with him and the fans alone, but also with the players. There are enough quality players in his squad but if he doesn’t know how to use them to get better results, then he shouldn’t even be in charge.
The Ozil issue
Mesut Ozil remains an integral part of the Arsenal squad. Apart from him being our highest-paid player, he is a brilliant player that has an impact on the team’s game whenever he is in it. He is a playmaker, creative with the ball and a big chance creator. You don’t make players like that sit it out without a tangible reason to back it up. Where Emery went wrong is making him sit on the bench and making it obvious that it was for no reason.
You don’t simply bench our highest-paid player as part of your strategy. You make him fit into it.
Conclusion
Arsenal missing out on the Champions League means a lot and we can agree the club is desperately trying to get back in. To do this, we need a manager whose vision is aligned with that of the club and as it is, Emery does not seem like that person.
A progressive manager who is hungry for winning is what we need right now and if Emery can’t show that hunger, it’s best he leaves before plunging the club into deep waters.
