Mkhitaryan eyes fresh ideas from new man at the Gunners’ helm

HENRIKH Mkhitaryan hopes new Arsenal head coach Unai Emery will bring some fresh “tactical ideas and spirit” to the club.

Spaniard Emery has succeeded Arsene Wenger, who was manager for 22 years, and set out his positive vision for the future yesterday.

Attacking midfielder Mkhitaryan joined the Gunners from Manchester United in January as part of the deal which saw Alexis Sanchez head to Old Trafford.

The Armenian feels Emery, who left Paris St Germain at the end of the season having won the French domestic treble, can make a real impact at the Emirates Stadium.

“I still haven’t had an opportunity to meet him,” said Mkhitaryan.

“We didn’t have time to talk with each other. I hope he will bring new tactical ideas and spirit to Arsenal, and I hope he will succeed.

“I haven’t talked to my teammates about him. I would like to meet him.

“Everyone at the club is a professional. Everyone knows what he should do and what he is expected to do.”

Mkhitaryan admits it will be a different club he heads back to for the start of pre-season training, with Wenger having been in charge for so long.

“Not only the players, but the staff overall were sad,” he added.

“It’s not that easy to handle the exit of a man who was managing the team for 22 years.

“You can’t imagine how everyone was amazed with the atmosphere he had created. If he decided to stay for 10 more years, “As far as I’m aware, I can see “He is a very confident young no one would have been against himit).”playingforanothercoupleofman.( years at least.” “He has a lot of energy ... and khitaryan feels Emery’s Ar

England have been able to bank seems like he is really clear about senal — who will compete in the on Cook for the past 12 years, in what he wants to do in the game Europa League next season — which he has racked up 154 Test and how he is going to approach must target a swift return to the caps. this week. elite of European football.

“He’s such a big part of our “That is all you can ask of some“Our priority (last year) was dressing-room,” added Root. body going to make his debut, qualification for Champions

“When he scores runs, it correwhich is really exciting for me as League, but unfortunately we lates with us doing well.” captain.” didn’t manage that,” he said.

At the other end of the age Stokes’ presence has a simi“We wanted to do it and we scale, Bess is about to become lar effect on an England team fought for it, but everything can England’s youngest spin debutant which, without and then with happen in football, so we should since 1931 — and the captain has him, endured a sequence of seven focus on next season and return been struck already by his irrewinless Tests in Australia and New to the Champions League in two pressible demeanour. Zealand. years.”

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