Lauren rates Unai Emery’s first season at Arsenal
Former Arsenal defender Lauren has endorsed Unai Emery's positive first season at the north London side
Lauren says he has been impressed with Arsenal’s improvements in their first season under Unai Emery’s management.
The Gunners finished in fifth place in the Premier League table following a top-four battle that involved Chelsea FC, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal’s poor run of results at the end of the campaign ultimately cost Emery’s side a top-four place for the first time in three seasons.
However, the north London side can still end the 2018-19 season with silverware if Arsenal manage to beat Chelsea FC in the Europa League final in Baku on Wednesday night.
Emery’s men will start the European showpiece as slight underdogs given that Chelsea FC finished two places above Arsenal in the Premier League table.
Former Arsenal defender Lauren believes reaching the Europa League final alone proves that Emery has enjoyed a great first season at The Emirates.
“It has been a success,” Lauren told AmericanGambler.com. “For his first season in the Premier League, when you don’t know too much about the league as English football is very different to Spain or France; it’s a special league.
“Taking a side to the Europa League final in his first season shows that it has been a great season and fantastic for Unai Emery.
“It’s not easy to be there fighting with Liverpool and Manchester City but I think it’s been great so far.”
Arsenal have never won the Europa League and they crashed out at the semi-final stage last term following an aggregate defeat by Atletico Madrid.
The Gunners lost 2-1 to FC Barcelona in the Champions League final in Paris in 2006 to suffer disappointment in their last two European finals.
Arsenal will be hoping Emery can help them to end their title drought in the Premier League given their last top-flight crown was back in 2004.
