Derby victory last term the blueprint for Emery’s style

Manager wants intensity of come-from-behind win over Tottenham every week, writes Sam Dean

What is Arsenal’s “identity” under Unai Emery? It is both a question that is frequently asked of the Spaniard and the basis for much of the criticism he has received during his time in north London. There is a simple answer, though, and a single match that perfectly encapsulates what Emery is trying to do at the Emirates: last season’s 4-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

Anyone wondering what “Emeryball” looks like should find the

footage of that derby and settle down in front of their screen. They will note the ferocity of Arsenal’s players, the intensity of their attacking play and the flexibility of their system.

They will see how Lucas Torreira careered into tackles like a turbocharged dodgem, how substitutes Matteo Guendouzi and Stephan Lichtsteiner triggered a touchline brawl and how Emery screamed at his team for more, pumping his fists towards the sky, after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had scored a second-half equaliser.

Privately, Emery believes the match to be the finest performance of his first season in England. Statistically, it is hard to argue. By almost every relevant measure, Arsenal excelled that day, winning considerably more tackles and creating more chances than in other matches. On that crisp December afternoon, they reached a level of performance that they have struggled to replicate since.

Against Tottenham at the Emirates, Arsenal had more shots (22) than in any other Premier League game last season. They regained possession in the final third of the pitch, a key measure of Emery’s pressing obsession, twice as many times as their season average. They won 16 tackles, compared to a season average of nine. They won 59 duels, compared to a season average of 50. It goes on: their “expected goals” measure in that fixture was almost twice as high as it was for the rest of the campaign.

For many observers, Emery’s constant changing of his team’s shape is a sign of him struggling to nail down a defined approach. He was criticised again, in the wake of last weekend’s defeat by Liverpool, for using a midfield diamond in an attempt to shut down Jurgen Klopp’s attack.

Emery, however, does not see it like that. If his first priority is intensity, a close second is versatility. Famously, Arsenal always adopted the same style under Arsene Wenger. Emery wants his team to be more fluid or, as he describes it, more “tactically rich”.

The Arsenal boss likes to be able to flit from a three-man defence to a four-man defence, from a single striker to a forward duo. He did all this against Tottenham last season,

lurching between three formations across the match.

“Last year we worked and used different formations with good performances because the players here have worked on different systems,” Emery said. “Also, they have the habit of playing in different systems. We are more rich tactically with different formations and tactics and can change in each match and each moment in the 90 minutes.”

Emery’s hyperactive approach to games – not just in his tactical decisions but also in his actions on the touchline – have made him one of the more entertaining coaches to watch in the Premier League.

Arsenal have even begun filming him during matches this season, with one clip showing Emery’s frenzied reaction to a Joe Willock recovery tackle gaining around three million views on social media.

So much of the discussion in English football is centred around the personalities of the managers. It is not something with which Emery is entirely comfortable, but equally he is not likely to tone down his touchline behaviour any time soon, and especially not in a match as tense as the north London derby.

“I am not the protagonist,” he said. “The most important thing is the camera on the team.

“Maybe after the match on a Monday there can be a camera for the supporters to look at me, and other things. But I really, really want the focus to be on the players until after the game.”

But Emery knows that, win or lose, the attention will soon come back to him. He also knows the questions about “identity” will not go away until Arsenal are more consistent. And there lies the heart of the issue for the Spaniard: it is not so much a lack of identity that is the problem rather than an inability to show that identity week in, week out.

Emery has been clear on what he wants his Arsenal side to look like, but he has not yet been able to impose that style on a regular basis. Today’s match would be a fine place to start, and the blueprint has been set by last year’s explosive, fluid and intense performance in this very fixture.