Decision Made
So, there it is. The news is in. The new manager is on his way. Unai Emery is the successor to the best manager Arsenal have ever had. There has been a mixed initial reception to his appointment, but Emery is a manager who, at a relatively young age, already has a hefty trophy cabinet.
Emery is joining from PSG, where he has just won his first league title as a manager. He arrived there from Sevilla, where he clocked up three Europa League wins, consecutively.
For a club that is entering its second season in the Europa League, a head coach with such pedigree in the competition could be a masterstroke from the board.
Player Coach
What’s more exciting, however, is Emery’s two years of experience managing some of the most exciting players in the world, and some of the biggest egos too.
Notably, Neymar and Cavani were the players who could not see eye to eye early doors. But, Emery dealt with it, and took PSG to their second highest points tally since the club takeover in 2011.
Considering the recent history that Arsenal players have in terms of contract situations and player demands, this is a useful trait for Emery to have.
Emery also took PSG to the club’s highest ever goal tally, racking up 108 goals in a dominating season. While he won’t have the luxury of Neymar and “French Farmer” opposition, Emery has a healthy attacking line-up at his disposal at Arsenal, and clearly knows how to point them towards the opposition goal.
Gung Ho
Emery isn’t someone who is going to come in and sort the defence, however. In his time at Sevilla, they conceded plenty, often reaching strong goal difference numbers through the goals scored alone. He managed a 7th placed finish with the Spaniards and a Europa League win, with only one player scoring more than ten goals in all competitions (Gameiro).
Emery is a coach who will take our attacking flair and send it into hyperdrive. With players like Lacazette, Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, Ozil and Ramsey at his disposal, Emery will have no problem sticking goals away (even away from home).
This means that, defensively, players need to be brought in that can do a job themselves. With early rumours of Papastathopoulos joining the club, this might be the way the Arsenal recruitment team are thinking too.
So long as the team, players and fans get behind him, and more importantly don’t turn on him after the first loss, Emery is sure to have a solid first season as Arsenal boss. And the most important stat of all: Emery won three trophies last year. As many as Tottenham in the last 30 years.
