NEW BOSS MUST FIND TEAM’S NASTY STREAK

WHAT stood out listening to Ivan Gazidis was how he was won over by Unai Emery’s passion and competitive energy — qualities Arsenal have been accused of lacking. Gazidis spoke of the instant chemistry between himself and Emery. Arsenal’s chief executive clearly feels he has found his man to take the team forward. The Arsenal players have not been at boiling point since last year’s FA Cup final. Not since that victory over Chelsea have we seen the determination, hunger and drive that you need to be consistent winners. To expect that Emery will transform this team into champions overnight is unrealistic. Arsenal has been run Arsene Wenger’s way for 22 years and, given the sheer spending power of the Manchester clubs, the competition is fierce. Emery inherits a side that can do damage in the final third but lacks a steeliness and a nastiness, particularly away from home. If he can restore these ingredients, then Arsenal can at least challenge in the Premier er League. The fans want to see a team th that t can dig in, battle and scrap. Emery needs to bring in a player like Marco Verratti, who he managed at Paris Saint-Germain, to instil those qualities in midfield. You cannot fault Emery’s credentials. He has just won the French domestic Treble and it is only PSG’s relentless quest for greatness that has seen him lose his job. I would love to see a former Arsenal player in charge but appointing Patrick Vieira or Mikel Arteta (above) would have been a huge leap of faith given neither has managed in Europe. Gazidis was also impressed by Emery’s analysis of every player and I am intrigued to see how he tries to cure Arsenal’s defensive ills. When I played under Wenger, his philosophy was you should never make a player watch footage of their errors as it damages their confidence. While I understood that approach, I felt I learned better when I was shown my mistakes. Emery will have studied the Europa League semi-final first leg when Atletico Madrid played a ball over the top to Antoine Griezmann and the Arsenal defensive line was nowhere to be seen. Emery should show that tha video to his new defen defence then work with the them on the training pit pitch to find a solution. Fo For many players, it will feel like they have signed for a new club. It will not be easy to adapt but they must d do so quickly if they ar are to survive. The fans have been eager for change but there wi will be pressure on E Emery tdli to deliver instant results. Had it been Arteta or Vieira taking over, you feel the supporters would have been willing to give a less experienced manager time to rebuild. The task remains the same for Emery, regardless of pedigree. That is why the message from Gazidis must be one of patience. There was a real warmth at the Emirates when Arsenal said farewell to Wenger. It was like being back at Highbury. Gone was the toxic atmosphere, replaced by unity and togetherness and the players thrived in that positive environment. The Arsenal fans should show Emery the same warmth to give him the best possible chance to succeed.