Language barrier making life tough for new boss Unai
UNAI EMERY faces a major task in trying to get his message across at Arsenal.
Starsport understands the Spaniard’s poor English has not helped as he embarks on a major shift in the way the Gunners play.
Former Sevilla and Paris St-Germain boss Emery wants the team to move the ball quicker and be prepared to keep possession at the back – with their keeper expected to be constantly involved.
But within the Arsenal camp there is understood to be concern at the demands this made on Petr Cech, 36, on Sunday as they lost their first competitive game under Arsene Wenger’s successor.
Cech is reasonably comfortable with the ball at his feet but has never been expected to be such a pass master.
And at one point in the 2-0 defeat by Manchester City he almost sliced into his own net as he tried to play a square ball, being lucky to see his mishit effort go for a corner. Former Gunners favourite and TV pundit Martin Keown picked up on the difficulties the team are dealing with as they try to adapt to the Emery way.
“One of the features of the game was that Arsenal were hell-bent on trying to pass out from the back, whatever the situation,” he said.
Touches
“That was despite having a 36-year-old goalkeeper in Cech who is vastly experienced but has never played that way to the same extent before, not even under Wenger.
“Cech made 42 touches – many more than he normally does, because the ball kept on being played back to him, rather than being passed up the pitch.
“Although Arsenal were set up with those three players to get the ball from Cech, the rest of the team did not seem to want to come and get it off them.” Eyebrows were also raised over Emery’s decision to make Cech skipper with long-term captain Laurent Koscielny out injured.
With Wales star Aaron Ramsey selected to start – even though he had trained very little during the week – it was thought he would be given the armband.
Emery also opted to throw in rookie French midfielder Matteo Guendouzi – signed from Lorient in his country’s Ligue 2 – and he was at fault for City’s opener from Raheem Sterling.
Although the atmosphere in the Arsenal camp is believed to be quite positive at this early stage, it appears Emery’s poor command of language has seen players and some backroom staff struggle to understand his requirements.
Ironically, when City scored their second goal, through Bernardo Silva, their boss Pep Guardiola made a big point of turning to embrace his assistant Mikel Arteta. Despite denials from Arsenal, Starsport believes Arteta was the main candidate to replace Wenger once Massimiliano Allegri decided to stay at Juventus.
But, as we revealed at the time, he was unhappy at the prospect of having little or no say in transfer targets, something which also put off another ex-Arsenal midfield star, Patrick Vieira.
With Arsenal visiting Chelsea on Saturday, Emery, whose English seems no better than when he was unveiled in May, is facing a baptism of fire in the Premier League.
Wenger was given 22 years but the fans eventually hounded him out.
Another pundit, Gary Neville, claims Emery requires three or four transfer windows to revive Arsenal’s fortunes.
That will take him into 2020. You can guarantee the Arsenal supporters, who were quick to turn as the new approach stalled on Sunday, will have long run out of patience by then.