Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CECH: EMERY HAS TAUGHT PRETTY BOYS TO WIN UGLY
PETR CECH says Unai Emery has given Arsenal back a winning mentality after admitting they had become football’s answer to Tiger Woods.
The Gunners keeper confessed his side had forgotten how to win major trophies as it has been 14 years since they last won the title and often put style over success.
But Emery has led Arsenal to five straight wins and Cech says the Spanish boss is “more demanding in every way” after revealing some players had got used to living on easy street.
Cech said: “For any club winning titles in recent years, you need a team with the know-how to finish it off.
“This club hasn’t won the league for over 10 years so obviously you need to get back into knowing how to do it. Look at Tiger Woods – it’s five years since he won a major tournament and the longer it goes, the harder it becomes.
“We started with the new manager from scratch and we’re trying to get this mentality of winning every game, progressing every game, working every day and hopefully we can build this up and win the title sooner rather than later.
“Sometimes you need to make sure you win an ugly game. This is what we lacked since I arrived, over the last three years.
“It comes from the preparation, the everyday work and from the manager’s way of playing the game as well.
“We work very hard to give ourselves the chance to compete with everybody and hopefully it will be working even better.
“He (Emery) is very demanding and this is how you improve.”
The Gunners are tracking Rennes winger Ismaila Sarr.
The 20-year-old Senegal ace, who has also attracted interest from Inter Milan, went to the World Cup and has made the shortlist for the Golden Boy award as one of Europe’s top prospects.