Emery ready to ‘adapt’ to Cardiff tactics and fix woeful away form

Unai Emery wants to create a “new present and a new future” for Arsenal on the road as he looks to reverse the terrible away form that blighted Arsene Wenger’s final season.

The Gunners had to wait until the final game of last season to claim their first away win of 2018, after losing seven consecutive matches on their travels from January onwards.

The club face Cardiff City looking for their first away points under Emery, who went an entire season without a league victory on the road in his final season as Sevilla manager in 2015/16.

“My thoughts are only on how we can win,” Emery said. “It is not to think about the past. My concentration with players is the next match, focus only to work for the next match and how we can win. It’s clear, the data, but I want to write a new data, a new present, a new future with Arsenal and players.”

Emery will be ready for Cardiff ’s long-ball approach, saying he has regularly set his teams up to play direct football in the past. He added that he wants his side to “control” the game.

“We need to adapt to their idea,” the Arsenal head coach said of Neil Warnock’s side.

“But all the respect from me for this idea. In Spain I played it often in moments like that because I thought it was the best way for us to win. It depends on the squad, the players.”

On Warnock’s combustible touchline demeanour, Emery added: “He is very competitive and I like it. I like this spirit. I think in football you need to be competitive, you need quality, you need to be organised and to push. His career is a good career for that.”