Arsenal manager Unai Emery hints at tactical preference for back four next season

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Arsenal manager Unai Emery has said his ‘first objective’ is to work with a back four next season, although he plans to keep the back three as an option.

Speaking to Arsenal’s official website after the 2-2 draw and subsequent penalty shoot-out defeat to Real Madrid in America, Emery gave his thoughts on how his defence is shaping up.

He said: “We want to use two systems but our first objective is to play with a back four. We are continuing working on that and, above all, feel that we defensively get stronger with a back four with Sead, with Ainsley, with Jenkinson and with Hector when he comes back.

“But we can take the performance with two systems and I think it’s rich for us tactically to use two systems and have two options.”

Being tactically flexible can be an asset but it also hinted that Emery didn’t quite know his best team last season and was also trying to cover up defensive deficiencies at times.

With a fuller pre-season behind him, the Spaniard will hope to have his first choice system ironed out ahead of the new campaign.

That said, he faces going into the new term with the likes of Carl Jenkinson starting, which was likely not part of his Gunners vision when he took the job.