Unai Emery knows he doesn’t have a squad capable of beating the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, United and Liverpool to the crown this season, but he’s not in it for the short term. A successful campaign for the gunners this season will be a top 4 finish, just so they have a foundation to build on for next season. A top 4 finish will ensure they have a place in the Champions League next year and it will almost certainly be more of an attractive place to play if Emery is to strengthen next summer with a couple of world-class additions. For now, however, what will Emery change to ensure the Gunners start firing?
Better Shape
Wenger went all out attack when he was in charge and they are one of the most vicious counter-attacking teams in world football. However, Emery might want to consider the shape of Arsenal so they not only score goals, but they also stop conceding on a regular basis. They’ve had a couple of tough games in terms of Chelsea and Man City, but they weren’t exactly brilliant against West Ham, who they should have pushed aside without conceding. Clean sheets are going to be a real problem for Emery this season, but if they are to get back into the top 4, he will need to have a look at his shape and ensure they are more compact at the back. This Premier League Smart Statistics tool from OddzWizz is an effective way to gain information on Arsenal’s shape against their upcoming opposition. You can see how they’ve performed in previous games and the statistics of future games too, which is a great way to improve your betting strategy.
He Will Look to Bring Free-Flowing Football Back
One-touch counter-attacking football is what the gunners are known for, but it has been missing from their game for a while now. You do see glimpses of their passing and free-flowing quality, but Emery will need to ensure it’s much more consistent throughout the 90 minutes and not just in dribs and drabs. The club isn’t shy of quality players, so that’s no excuse, and he’ll need to look at more passing training and maybe mixing the squad up a bit to see who best fits his free-flowing football plans. Wilshere is long gone now but they still have passing quality in Mkhitaryan, Ramsey and Ozil – all players who can take defences apart with simple and creative passes.
January Transfers are Imminent
The January transfer window could make or break Arsenal’s season. Emery will need to consider his options at the back and decide which players can be replaced for much better quality. For Arsenal, it doesn’t seem like they need much more help going forward, but they could benefit from another midfielder and certainly an experienced defender or two to give Emery more options. The Arsenal owners have already stated they have a £200 million chest available for Emery to work with and, although the prices of players have skyrocketed in recent years, he still doesn’t have any excuse to bring in some quality with the money he has at his disposal.
Player Freedom
Arsenal have a good squad with excellent individual players, but they are all players who could benefit from a bit of freedom on the pitch. Freedom could prove to be the difference when they are looking to implement that free-flowing football we all know they can. Players have the experience and quality to make decisions for themselves so it could be something Emery changes in the upcoming fixtures.
Arsenal have a lot to improve on if they are to make the top 4, especially given the attacking/defensive qualities of other rivals. However, if Emery takes things slow and starts to implement the above changes, we could all benefit from watching the old Arsenal we know and love.What Will Emery Change to Ensure Arsenal Make the Top 4?
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