Why 'pragmatic' Emery is exactly what Arsenal need

The Spanish tactician coached Sevilla to three consecutive UEFA Europa League successes but has his work cut out at Emirates Stadium.

Ever since Arsene Wenger announced his decision to step down as Arsenal manager at the end of last the season, club CEO Ivan Gazidis has been the cynosure of all eyes in the football world. After 22 years of Wenger at Arsenal, that encompassed both, the initial brilliance and subsequent regression that sees the Gunners in their present position, the onus was on Gazidis to make a really good appointment. An appointment to usher in a new era at the club, to make up lost ground among English football's elite elite.

As the speculation about Wenger’s successor grew, a number of names in the top echelons of management were bandied around like Carlo Ancelotti, Joachim Low, Luis Enrique and so on.

But, out of nowhere, news of PSG’s outgoing boss Unai Emery emerged and in a couple of days, he was installed as the new head coach at the Emirates. There have been many who were quick to dismiss this move from Ivan Gazidis and Co. as ‘eleventh hour’ and ‘panicky’. But, whatever was the story behind the scenes, the appointment of the 46-year-old is a really positive one for the club and Gunners all around the world have good reason to be excited about the future.

Emery cut his teeth as a manager in the lower tiers of Spanish football with Lorca Deportiva and then Almeria.  The tactician managed to get both clubs to punch much above their weight.

Emery had a successful time at Sevilla

He cemented his reputation with a successful seven-season long spell at Valencia and Sevilla. Although financially limited, he made the clubs competitive. With Sevilla, he won the UEFA Europa League three times in a row. Then came PSG, where he won five trophies in two years, but couldn't deliver what he was bought in for – the prestigious UEFA Champions League.

Watch: Pre-season friendly highlights of Arsenal Vs PSG

In Paris, where managers like Ancelotti and Laurent Blanc have faced the sack, Emery too couldn't avoid it due to the hierarchy's obsession with the Champions League. He had to change tactics and formations to accommodate superstars in his team, which ultimately backfired.

The key to Emery’s eye-catching success at Sevilla was that he had all the players on board with his philosophy. Though, it has been seen that he struggles to deal with big egos, Emery can expect a much more malleable, responsive dressing room at Arsenal, in contrast to the one he stewarded at PSG.

Also unlike in Paris, the Spaniard won’t have the overbearing pressure to deliver right away in his new job. He will be entrusted with getting the club back to the stability of the top four in the league, a realistic target for the club considering the quality of players in their stable.

There is no denying the fact that Wenger was a fantastic manager. He revolutionised the game in England, along with former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, but with the influx of money into the game, everything changed. Wenger set out his teams in the same manner week-in and week-out. He designed the gameplay according to his team’s strengths, to impose their game on their rivals. This dogged the later years of his regime, as teams exploited the Gunners predictability, especially away from home.

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The Frenchman expected his players to be their own masters, to find the answers on the pitch themselves with their creativity and intuition. But, that is only fair to expect in a team where there are outstanding players in every department, which has not been the case for Arsenal in recent years. It had become increasingly apparent that the players really needed help with instructions.

This is where Emery can set a lot of things right at the club. The man from Spain’s Basque region has made a name as a tactical master, a manager with great attention to detail. He is well-known for his extensive preparation ahead of games and how he analyses the opposition. He is a great fan of video aids, going through up to 12 hours of video footage before every game. Joaquin, a winger who once played for Emery at Sevilla joked about his manager’s obsession with the video watching exercises, ”Emery put on so many videos I ran out of popcorn,” he once remarked.

Hector Bellerin, Granit Xhaka and Alex Iwobi could benefit from Emery's work

Emery will look make Arsenal a more organised team. He will have clear roles and responsibilities for the players, something that wasn’t to be seen in the side in recent years. At 46 years of age, he is still a young manager, who knows well the demands of the modern game. He has an intensive training regiment in place, which he wishes to transmit into games.

There may be a few who might not come on the same page with this new approach. But, the ones who want to step up for the club would get on board with the new manager. Emery is a hard-working tactician known for a very hands-on approach with his players. The players at Arsenal are a talented bunch, but have looked under-coached in respect to their rivals. With better preparation, these players can be expected to come good in the same Arsenal shirt. It would be interesting to see the effect of the new manager’s work on the likes of Granit Xhaka, Alex Iwobi and Hector Bellerin and other next season.

Watch: Pre-season friendly highlights of Arsenal Vs Chelsea

Under the new regime, a number of positive developments are already afloat at the club. Emery has been addressing key areas of the squad and has identified players who can really help the team. The Arsenal boardroom has admirably complemented the new manager by being ruthless in the acquisition of these players, making five signings well in advance of pre-season, a far cry from the days under Wenger, when the club's indecisiveness in the transfer market meant they had to lose out on players of the ilk of Luis Suarez and Antoine Greizmann.

Arsenal's bane over the last few years has been their defense. In this department, the new tactician has bought in experienced Swiss international Stephan Lichtsteiner and Greek Sokratis Papastathopoulos. These two are on the higher side of the age bracket at 34 and 30 respectively, but have tons of experience at the highest level, are first-team ready and can really help the club's young defenders. Bellerin especially, will benefit immensely with some competition for his place and learn from the wily Switzerland captain.

New man Lucas Torriera could be a revelation this season

The arrival of Sampordia's Lucas Torriera has bought in the missing protection for the backline. The 22-year-old Uruguayan has all the requisites to bully opponents in the middle of the park, with his passing and pressing skills.

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Emery ticks all the boxes for Arsenal and looks like a great fit for the club, considering the current scenario. If the team plays to the Spaniard’s strengths and the players buy into his philosophy, then the fortunes of the Gunners could turn for the good.

The fan-base on their part, can stop waging wars against each other and get behind the new boss and the players so as to stay true to the motto of the club: ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’ – Victory through harmony.