Opposition View: Arsenal
It was all change at the Emirates Stadium in the summer as after 22 years in charge of Arsenal, Arsene Wenger departed the club.
Replacing such a colossus figure who has bestrode over a club for as long as Wenger did is no easy task. Manchester United have found that out the hard way, their serial decline since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 showing no signs of abating.
The Gunners seem to be making a better stab at post-Wenger live than United have post-Ferguson. Unai Emery seems to have injected new life into the squad and they’ve just seen a 22 match unbeaten streak ended, a run that was unheard of in the final throes of the Wenger reign.
Ahead of the Albion’s first meeting with Arsenal without the Le Professeur at the helm, we spoke to Stuart from A Cultured Left Foot to find out what Gunners fans think of Emery, their hopes for the season and if finishing above Tottenham Hotspur means more than winning a trophy.
Arsene Wenger departed Arsenal in the summer. Do you think it was the right time to go or should it have been done earlier?
I thought it was too late. The ideal time was 2014 after beating Hull. Twice he renewed his contract immediately after winning the FA Cup; twice it was the wrong decision. Quite simply, the game had overtaken him. The changes at a coaching level for a more tactical game was almost the antithesis of Wenger’s outlook. He worried more about our game rather than countering opponents. That was a legacy from having the likes of Henry, Bergkamp and Vieira in the side. Those players could be told to go out and play; their heirs were nowhere near as good individually or collectively, and needed more instruction than they were given.
What are your initial impressions of Unai Emery? Is he the right man for the job?
After a 22-match unbeaten run, it’s hard to have a bad opinion of the man! There are some quirks and cracks which he needs to iron out but with essentially the same squad, he is coaxing, cajoling and demanding better performances from them. The real assessment of him comes only when he has his own squad in place, the ones he’s brought in or promoted and the achievements that come from them. Probably a couple of years before we’ll know if he’s the right man for the job, but he doesn’t look a wrong ‘un!
What are the most notable differences at Arsenal since Emery came in?
Mainly, the focus on tactics. The half-time substitutions are a revelation compared to the previous 60 minute subs. The energy in the players. And Lucas Torreira. He is an archetypal Wenger player that the Frenchman didn’t sign. Everything we needed; combative with a fantastic range of passing.
What would represent a good season for Arsenal this campaign?
A top four finish or winning the Europa League. Either of those two.
Is finishing above Tottenham more important than winning trophies?
No, not by a long way! However, winning trophies at Tottenham to win is possibly the best feeling in the world.
After Boxing Day, both sides we’ll be halfway through the season. Who do you think is going to win the title and who is going down?
City to be crowned champions. I think Liverpool will bottle it when the pressure is on. As for relegation; Fulham, Huddersfield and Cardiff. Although Newcastle will be in trouble if they carry on being so bad at home.
What did you make of your performances against Brighton last year, especially the game when we surprisingly won at the Amex?
At home, Arsenal’s 2-0 win was a laboured victory but expected nonetheless. From what I recall, Chris Hughton drove the bus onto the pitch and parked it very effectively until we got the first. At the Amex? We were abject, possibly even beyond that. Even the board knew it was going to be a dire performance and stayed away, ostensibly using the weather as cover but we knew better.
I wrote this in our post-match review:
“Brighton deserved their win and it feels like any criticism of Arsenal diminishes their performance. That ought not be the case. They were the better side, showing more determination, more…just more of everything a professional footballer needs.
“Two goals to the good inside thirty minutes, it should have been more yet the woodwork saved them from going into the interval level. Even the football gods are against Arsène, it seems.”
“As per usual it was shambolic defending which did for us. Petr Cech was the architect of our downfall with two errors but the back four were significant contributors as well.”
Sums it up for me. We were terrible yet could have salvaged the a result and had we gone in level and not hit the woodwork, we’d would have fluked a win.
If you had to give Chris Hughton one piece of advice for beating Arsenal this time around, what would it be?
A fortnight ago, I’d have struggled. Now, it’s get at the defence. Strangely, we’re proving less vulnerable in the air – famous last words – than in previous years. If Emery goes with a back three, there is plenty of space behind the wing-backs to exploit.
Arsenal have to sign one player for Brighton. Who do you pick?
To be honest, we’re screaming out for a central defender so Lewis Dunk probably. Or Gaeten Bong. I can only imagine the fun of having players with those surnames when it comes to headline writing.
Finally, a prediction for Boxing Day please?
2 – 1 to Arsenal.
Thanks to Stuart for answering our questions. Don’t forget to check out A Cultured Left Foot (it is worth it just for the images they use with their articles). You can also follow them on Twitter and remind them of their prediction of an Arsenal win in the unlikely event that the Albion pick up all three points.
