Ray Parlour: What I really think about Unai Emery at Arsenal
Ray Parlour insists that new Arsenal boss Unai Emery needs to be given time at The Emirates
Ray Parlour insists that new Arsenal boss Unai Emery needs time to get his innovative ideas across at the Emirates.
Emery succeeded Arsene Wenger this summer, becoming the club’s first new manager in over twenty years. He has so far endured a difficult start to life in North London, losing two of his opening four matches at the helm.
Wins against West Ham and Cardiff City before the international break eased the early pressure on the Spanish coach, but with a trip to Newcastle United up next, the tough games keep coming for Arsenal FC.
What has been evident on the pitch so far is that Emery is trying to install a new way of playing, favouring building attacks from the back and pressing the opposition high up the pitch.
It is very much a new style of play for Arsenal and ex-club stalwart Parlour believes that the squad needs time to adapt to the changes.
He told Goal over the weekend: “We’ve just got to trust the manager, it will take time. We’ve got lots of new players and new formulas they want to play.
“The standards he is setting are very high, we’ll have to wait and see if players can adapt to that, but hopefully they can.”
Arsenal have finished outside of the Champions League places for two successive years now and it is absolutely vital to the club’s progress that they quickly make a return to the top table of European football.
If Emery cannot mastermind a top-four finish then he will be at the very least expected to guide the club to glory in the Europa League, which is another route to ensuring qualification to the Champions League for next year.
