What can Arsenal supporters expect from Unai Emery?

Add as preferred source on Google

There has been much speculation about who would be the manager tasked with following Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

Former player Mikel Arteta has been the bookmaker’s favourite for a long time, but BBC Sport report that Unai Emery is set to become the new boss at the Emirates Stadium.

There has been a widespread search for the next manager, with the Arsenal hierarchy keen to make the right appointment and avoid the deep that Manchester United suffered after Sir Alex Ferguson.

The report goes on to say that Emery was the unanimous choice and an official announcement and press conference could take place as soon as the end of the week.

Emery arrived after leading PSG at the end of the French season.

Although it will be remembered as an underwhelming spell in Ligue 1, he did manage to win a league title and four domestic cups.

His performances in the Champions League weren’t great and he struggled to manage a squad full of big characters.

However, the club from the French capital are now part of Europe’s elite and no coach has managed to be a total success there.

The job at Arsenal seems more suitable to Emery and comparable to the situation he found himself in at Sevilla. He wasn’t in charge of one of the biggest clubs in the league, but he was expected to challenge for Champions League qualification and trophies.

During his time with the Spanish outfit, he oversaw impressive recruitment and won three successive Europa League trophies.

Considering the strength of the Premier League, it could be that the second European competition could be Arsenal’s best route into the Champions League.

In Emery, they will have one of the most successful coaches in the competition’s history. That can hardly be considered a bad thing.

There won’t be a tactical revolution at Arsenal after Wenger, with Emery likely to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation that the former manager used for the majority of recent seasons. That bodes well for Mesut Ozil, as he isn’t a great fit for other formations.

Although the formation won’t be a huge change, Arsenal are likely to be more functional under Emery.

He is less likely to produce scintillating attacking football, with the focus being on control and small margins. That especially plays strongly in cup competitions and his record reflects that.

The Gunners are currently at a low ebb after finishing in 6^th without a trophy, but the incoming manager looks to offer hope for a better future.

There is a desire for instant gratification in football now and there will be a lot of Arsenal fans that will be wanting to see immediate progress on the pitch.

Considering the size of the job that Emery is inheriting, it would be unwise to expect the club to be challenging for major honours next season.

This needs to be seen as a long-term project and time needs to be given to the 46-year-old.

His success with Sevilla bodes well and he will be stronger for the experience at PSG, even if he didn’t fare as well as he would have expected.

Emery looks to be a safe appointment and is capable of getting the club back to challenging for a top-four finish.

In addition to that, Arsenal will be a bigger threat in cup competitions with improved game management.

It may not be the most exciting appointment and Arsenal fans will be disappointed to be giving the job to a manager that has just failed with PSG.

However, considering their current position, he looks to be the best man to lead the club forward.