Just looking at footage of PSG over the last two seasons I am wondering what Emery will do with this Arsenal squad. His last system was heavily reliant on Motta's defensive midfield role. When out of possession the team would set up like this.. (Basically a 4-3-3). ----Neymar--------------------Cavani-----------------------Mbappe---- ---------------Rabiot--------------------------------Verrati------------------ -----------------------------------Motta---------------------------------------- Kurzawa---------------------------------------------------------------Alves ---------------------Silva----------------------Marquihos------------------- -----------------------------------Areola--------------------------------------- However when they had the ball the system would shift and Motta would drop back into defence while the fullbacks got forward. The centre backs would spread wide allowing Motta to slot in.... -----------Neymar--------------Cavani----------------Mbappe---------- Kurzawa----------Rabiot--------------------Verrati----------------Alves ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------Silva--------------Motta------------Marquihos------------- ------------------------------------Areola-------------------------------------- When you look at this system we dont currently have the personnel. Xhaka or Elneny are nowhere near defensively good enough to play the Motta role in this kind of system. Of course he may not adopt the same shape at Arsenal but either way I hope we address the DMF issue and sign a proper defensive midfielder. It's going to be Interesting for sure to see how we line up next Season.
I don't know about Xhaka not being good enough. He is one of the hardest working midfielders in the Premier league this year in terms of distance covered, and if he got a little more help, I don't see how he wouldn't be good enough. Given that he can pass the pall as well, I honestly don't see what is wrong with him. He is certainly a linchpin in the over-performing Swiss team, and definitely helped Borussia Monchengladbach while he was there. I know you don't like statistics, so I don't know what you are judging him on. This is what I was meaning by giving players a chance. If it was Wenger's fault and Arsenal were right to sack him, then why blame the players as well? Particularly if their stats are good. Anyway, I don't think PSG were a good indication for what Emery will do. I think you should go back to Valencia or Sevilla for a better indication. Here is an article on his tactics I found: http://outsideoftheboot.com/2015/07/23/tactical-philosophy-unai-emery/ And you will be unhappy to see that he tends to play without a well-defined DM. He tends to play with wingers for pressing full-backs, and a very flexible 3 in the middle.
We really have to hold our horses and see what Emery does over the summer period with the players. I'm sure he will assess them individually and see whether they fit his vision. I do hope he is a little ruthless with this and not try and shoe horn players that he's not sure about. He has large resources at his disposal and time on his hands to build his own team. But the players he wants to keep, it will be interesting to see what he does with the same players Wenger had and whether he can coach a different outcome.
I said 'defensive' he isn't good enough. He's a poor tackler and is more of a CM playmaker than a DM. You really think he could slot into the CB position and be successful? .. the way in which Emery typically uses his DM's. Also cant you see the difference between a player like Matic//Nzonzi and a player like Xhaka? I have stated on here that I think Xhaka could be a player who blossoms under Emery as he's a talented footballer. He's just not a true defensive midfielder. I like stats alot. Goals conceded with Xhaka in midfield. There's a stat you should look at. Some of the players in our squad are either 1. Not good enough or 2. Not going to be successful in this league you are just going to have to accept that. Except for Wilshere you seem to think our entire squad should be free of criticism. Xhaka has not been good enough - but I rate him as a player, Elneny is nowhere near good enough and Mustafi is a mediocre third-rate undersized defender. He will end up at mid-table Club. (Just my opinions) Ive read plenty of articles on this already. The DM role is very important to Emery's system at PSG and Seville. As I already stated he often required the DM to fall back into the CB positions where the back two becomes a back three. He has done this at numerous Clubs. (Krychowiak, Nzonzi and Motta) You need a player defensively minded enough to do this and in the EPL they also have to be robust enough.
Gonna be hard for him to assess the squad with the WC happening. He's not going to get alot of time with the players at all before the next Season starts.
It is rather unfortunate that he won't get the usual amount of time to prepare. I hope it doesn't set him back too much.
I think this summer he will look at the obvious areas CB, GK and DM and then take it from there. There's no way he's going to be able to assemble his final vision for this team this summer. It's going to take him at least until Christmas to get an overview of the whole squad and who fits and who doesn't.
I reckon longer than that, at least an entire season and 2 years to get near a first team he wants. Around 3 years to assemble an entire squad. We have to remember that this is Wengers team which took him years to cultivate. He needs a decent amount of time to create his own vision and change the existing culture to fit that.
Yep probably right about needing a whole season to make a proper assessment. I think he'll have a good idea by Christmas though, but he won't be able to do a great deal about it until the following summer and as you say, probably 2 years to get the team on the pitch that he wants.
I agree he'll probably work it out fairly quickly but won't have the opportunity to change things due to lack of time and focusing on making the team play. I'm fascnated by what he will do with our team. All we've known is Wenger for so long that it's hard to imagine anyone else managing our team. Exciting times ahead!
Yep, it's going to reveal so much about this squad. Is it the players, was it the manager, was it the coaching etc. Interesting times ahead indeed. And I'm really looking forward to it. I like what I've heard from Emery so far. I think he will be the sort of manager that won't leave any stone unturned
Reading articles on him and it's exactly the thing a lot of us were looking for in a post-Wenger Arsenal. Those areas you mentioned will be the areas (DM, CB/defensive areas) i think he will focus on, but it's the whole culture which he will look to change. Like Wenger came in and changed the culture to great effect, Emery too will have a similar impact and change the whole mentality of how we approach games and play in them.
It's very encouraging to hear him talk about us pressing teams when we don't have the ball, and ensuring that every player works their socks off to get it back. That is probably the one area that hurt us the most over the last few years. When we had the ball, we were fine. But we played some games with 70% possession and got hit on the counter and lost. Oppo teams cut through us like butter at times, one or two passes and they were in. I think addressing this one area alone will make a big difference, but like you say Emery is looking to change the mentality at this club, and not before time
I'm worried he isn't going to buy a CB or a DM and the fans are going to turn against him before he has managed a single game. Arsenal are one of the hardest working teams in the Premiership, and our players are statistically right up with the best, except for the two statistics that matter the most, goals scored and conceded. This isn't as simple as just making everyone work harder. It may be making them work less, or just getting a better balance of players. Man United were bottom of the distance covered table, didn't press, played ugly, and did better than us, so anyone that starts a sentence with "It's obviously..." when talking about Arsenal is just talking out of their ass.
I can kinda agree with that. But also there's a problem with the players available and the style of play you choose. For example Mourinho has assembled a very good squad based on power and athleticism. Lets say Pep inherited that squad he would probably get them playing 'better' football but he would never turn them into a successful tikka takka side because the personnel arnt right for that kind of system. The point is I worry with players like Ozil wether they will work in Emerys system. He's going to have next to no time to evaluate this squad because of the World Cup.
Just hope Emery is cut from the right cloth, smooths out our rough edges, and that we can file him under 'success' on our board.
