ARSENAL EVERTON SURRENDER Emery: A first 11 is no good to me ...I need a first 20
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UNAI EMERY admits he still doesn’t know his best Arsenal XI.
But ahead of today’s clash with Everton that is just the way Arsene Wenger’s replacement wants it.
His side go into this afternoon’s game at the Emirates on the back of three straight Premier League successes.
Throw in Thursday’s comprehensive victory over Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League and it’s four on the spin for Emery’s men.
Yet that last outing only added to his selection headache with Danny Welbeck and Lucas Torreira, in particular, stating their cases to be included from the start against Marco Silva’s visitors. That is pleasing for Emery. And ahead of his seventh game in charge of the Gunners, the Spaniard said: “As we go into the matchday, I have doubt about who to choose for
the first XI.
Happy
“And when I have this problem I am happy because it means many players are putting in good performances. “I do not want to have a first XI. “I want 20 players who are performing.” Arsenal began the season with two moralesapping defeats at the hands of Manchester City and Chelsea. And while their three wins have come against teams who have started poorly – West Ham, Newcastle and Cardiff – they have at least lifted the spirit in the squad. Importantly, they have also settled the nerves, however temporarily, of Arsenal fans who were beginning to fear nothing was going to change quickly from the dying days of Wenger’s reign.
Emery knows they need to keep moving forward and that an Everton side with the pace of Arsenal old boy Theo Walcott and Richarlison, back in the team after suspension, will provide a real test of his team’s top-four credentials.
He added: “Walcott is one player for us to work on.
“Finding a performance is how we find a way to win against Everton.
“What is clear to me is that it is very competitive for any team to get into the top four. But I am confident in my team. There are 38 matches for the Premier League season and, at the end of it, that’s when we will find out who has shown the most quality.”
Emery is under no illusions about how much work there is to be done, although he is still eyeing the biggest prizes on offer to the north Londoners.
He added: “I want to win both the Premier League and the Europa League.
“The Europa League is very important because it is one title and every title is good for us. To play to win it is the best way. That is correct.
“But the Premier League is the first competition for us – this is the big one.”