Unai Emery: Adios

[Penn_]

He’s a perfect transition manager/coach after the debacle we witnessed in the last couple of seasons under Wenger. We’re building new foundations banking on academy products and young talent, whoever comes after him will be getting a young squad with drilled fundamentals of modern football.

He’ll get us top4 and maybe even Europa but I’m not sure he can lead us to another level.

What about us would you say is well drilled?

 

[Mark Tobias]

Saying ‘one point off City’ who are in turmoil at the moment is basically


What about us would you say is well drilled?

Allowing the opposition to run at us?

 

[ChefMan21]

He’s a perfect transition manager/coach after the debacle we witnessed in the last couple of seasons under Wenger. We’re building new foundations banking on academy products and young talent, whoever comes after him will be getting a young squad with drilled fundamentals of modern football.

He’ll get us top4 and maybe even Europa but I’m not sure he can lead us to another level.

I don't think you should have a transition manager if our future is based on youth products. Get they guy/gal in who is going to see those youth products come to fruition.

 

[celestis]

This actually is quite a disconnect from what we showed in the first half. The only real issue during the first half was failure to get a second goal when we were well on top, but we had a penalty that should have been given (Pepe blocked off, bad VAR review), some other chances, and not scoring the second goal when on top is nothing new compared with Wenger's latter years at the Emirates.

Better energy, better shape, better pressing, i.e. improvement. Wasn't sustained in the second half, but more fitness work and conditioning as the season progresses will make it more sustainable over the whole 90+ minutes.

Really ? because I'm watching it again there's long periods where the game just drifts and that's in the first half . Not sure that is what you call being on top .

The bulk of the fitness and conditioning is done mate . With games coming thick and fast it's mostly recoveries and tactical work.

 

[say yes]

Raul deserves much of the credit for it, but the next manager is going to inherit a significantly stronger, and more balanced, squad than Unai did.

Recruitment has been very good, a lot of the dead wood has been culled, and he’s really brought through a lot of youth. Actually quite excited for the next few years, even if I’m not sure that Unai is the right man to take us on our next steps. Agree with @Beksl that he’s been a good transition manager, if nothing more.

 

[Beksl]

I don't think you should have a transition manager if our future is based on youth products. Get they guy/gal in who is going to see those youth products come to fruition.

Doesn’t work like that. As @bingobob pointed out managers are usually brought in for 3 to 4 seasons and than moved on.

 

[Beksl]

Saying ‘one point off City’ who are in turmoil at the moment is basically


What about us would you say is well drilled?

I’d say intensity, tracking back, targeted pressing and the defensive shape are all being methodically worked on in the training ground. That is the reason why Emery talks so much about how important physical aspects are and how it all starts on the training ground.

Whoever thought that with new manager we’ll be playing nice, tidy football all while winning and getting points on the table when we were dreadful for years under Wenger (majority of AM as it seems) is kidding himself.

Emery got an extremely unbalanced squad that was neglected in certain areas for years and people want him to play beautiful football after a season. Madness.

 

[Preacher]

People who demand beautiful football are idealists and dreamers, but people who want to see better drilled team off the ball are realists. We are shambles off the ball more often than not. We aren't controlling games enough. These are the things, which Emery is preaching for a long time now, but I don't see any positive results on the pitch playing and controlling games wise.

 

[celestis]

I’d say intensity, tracking back, targeted pressing and the defensive shape are all being methodically worked on in the training ground. That is the reason why Emery talks so much about how important physical aspects are and how it all starts on the training ground.

Whoever thought that with new manager we’ll be playing nice, tidy football all while winning and getting points on the table when we were dreadful for years under Wenger (majority of AM as it seems) is kidding himself.

Emery got an extremely unbalanced squad that was neglected in certain areas for years and people want him to play beautiful football after a season. Madness.

Dreadful for years mate ? Our record at the Emirates in his last year 2nd only to the top two , also there was a FA cup trophy we won after playing CIty and Chelsea . Our away record away in his final year was ****ing awful defiinitely .Not sure anyone envisaged at the start of Unai's tenure that we would be playing this way after a year .

 

[Iceman10]

Really ? because I'm watching it again there's long periods where the game just drifts and that's in the first half . Not sure that is what you call being on top .

The bulk of the fitness and conditioning is done mate . With games coming thick and fast it's mostly recoveries and tactical work.

We're just seeing different games right now Cel, just as with the stuff on Özil. From my perspective it just seems like you are being influenced by the mob nowadays, but maybe I am wrong, and we will just agree to disagree.

 

[TornadoTed]

Joint 6th most goals scored
Joint 8th least goals conceded

Those aren't good stats at all and suggests that 3rd in the league flatters us a bit.

Our goals scored was similar last season, we had the 9th least goals conceded but only Liverpool and City outscored us. Our attacking play really needs to improve, we need to start creating more chances and scoring more goals.

 

[Preacher]

Emery:
Our style with the ball is to be protagonists, to do things with combinations, to control the match with the positioning of the ball. And then when we have the space, to be aggressive going forward. Defensively: first it is to be organised, recover the ball quickly.

I don't see much progress in those things since his appointment.

 

[Beksl]

Dreadful for years mate ? Our record at the Emirates in his last year 2nd only to the top two , also there was a FA cup trophy we won after playing CIty and Chelsea . Our away record away in his final year was ****ing awful defiinitely .Not sure anyone envisaged at the start of Unai's tenure that we would be playing this way after a year .

Obviously you can nitpick stats to prove you point, I get it. Take the dreadful comment in a more broader sense as in transfer dealings, away form, lack of defensive scrutiny, embarrassments on the international scene and in big domsetic games. We looked like we were in free fall just a year and a half ago. Out of top4 with big old squad on CL wages, Özil just extorted a ludicrous wage that opened the door for others to try the same, what else did you expect?

We were in such a predicament back then no one was envisaging the style of play, all we wanted was someone to stir the ship and show some conviction in what he's doing. The snobbery I'm seeing now, how we should be playing beautiful footbal because this is our identity (even thou Arsenal was known for ages for it's dull football) was nowhere to be seen when we sacked Wenger, such was the state of the fanbase.

 

[scytheavatar]

He’s a perfect transition manager/coach after the debacle we witnessed in the last couple of seasons under Wenger.

Transition into what? Newbie manager Lampard is doing a much better job drilling the "fundamentals of modern football" into Chelsea than Emery has for us.

And playing academy players is whatever, Wenger played plenty of academy players throughout his Arsenal career too. Our academy players isn't that good compared to Chelsea/City, so expect plenty of them to not be able to make it with us over the next few seasons.

 

[OnlyOne]

Transition into what? Newbie manager Lampard is doing a much better job drilling the "fundamentals of modern football" into Chelsea than Emery has for us.

And playing academy players is whatever, Wenger played plenty of academy players throughout his Arsenal career too. Our academy players isn't that good compared to Chelsea/City, so expect plenty of them to not be able to make it with us over the next few seasons.

Just depends what you want in your transition though really. For me all I want is to see us back in the CL and build a very good squad ready for the next manager, which we may achieve this season.

Sure Lampard has Chelsea playing nice footy, but the next guy who comes in may have a different approach so it could be all for nothing plus it's possible they miss out on CL when maybe a more experienced manager may of been able to achieve it?

Emery gets a lot of stick which he is due, but never really gets praised when he does things well. For example his use of the youth so far this year has been lovely, sure Freddie helps but he doesn't get to choose Saka to start huge PL game consecutively and give minutes to guys like Martinelli, Willock and others.

You look at Guendouzi as well, probably first name on the team sheet these days and other top talent will look at that and it makes Arsenal more attractive.

Emery has been given a 2 year contract to get us CL, we may not do it in style but this year we may finally get it. Added to that, the integration of youth to the team and the reshaping of the squad in the window would make him a good transitional manager in my opinion.

CL was always the goal, if he fails we've wasted two years, if he gets it then hopefully we move on and it's not been a waste. Let's see.

 

[krengon]

Remains to be seen if he's a good transition manager.. No top4 and no trophies for 2 years would be a big failure.

 

[Toby]

I’d say intensity, tracking back, targeted pressing and the defensive shape

Are you watching Arsenal de Sarandi?

 

[Mark Tobias]

I’d say intensity, tracking back, targeted pressing and the defensive shape are all being methodically worked on in the training ground..

Literally haven't had a game where any of this is visibly on display. We still have players jogging back, we're a absolute mess in the press and I see very little to suggest the shape we are using is a well drilled defensive shape.

 

[celestis]

We're just seeing different games right now Cel, just as with the stuff on Özil. From my perspective it just seems like you are being influenced by the mob nowadays, but maybe I am wrong, and we will just agree to disagree.

Hey could be... but it's been troubling for awhile now 6-7 months . Fwiw I agree we pressed better and I did mention that in the match thread , I am more talking about our intent in attack we are just too slow and static when it comes to giving options .

 

[Penn_]

I just don’t see any of this well drilled aspects people talk about, which after over a year with the squad should be pretty evident.

No ones demanding classic Wengerball, just an idea of what we might be working towards.

Not sure the strategy of grinding out results is going to benefit us long term either.