Arsenal

[spud_gun]

I’ve done that after a few interviews myself.

'didny want the job anyway'

[Chris]

Sack Wenger to appoint someone who underachieves in the league but does well in Cups. Okayyyy.

[Fosterbloke]

At both Valencia and Sevilla he had a bit of a reputation for playing cowardly football which ended up losing points. So starting a game with electric intensity going up a goal or two, then letting his team sit back and ending up conceding with the game resulting in a draw/loss.

That sounds familiar!

[Darkon]

I think Emery is a very good appointment for them. He get's a "free" season to build something, he continues a style of interesting to watch football and he's got in a good place between experience and a young manager. I like him as a manager, and if given time could end up doing well there.

[Buzzo]

[ame]https://twitter.com/abdule_10/status/998646159139901440[/ame]

[Buzzo]

Ian Wright seems pretty psyched.

Opinion

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright on BBC Radio 5 live

What's going on at Arsenal? Where's Unai Emery come from? I can't get it out of my head.

You'd have thought that by now they would have known exactly what's going on.

Emery has had loads of money to spend at Paris St-Germain and now has to come to Arsenal with £50m with a bunch of players who have been playing in second gear.

His coaching ability will have to get going instantly and he will have to find some gems instantly.

I wouldn't be disgruntled as an Arsenal fan about Unai Emery, I think the fact he's come out of left field when everyone's thinking 'it's going to be Arteta', that's the only problem. If we do see a difference in intensity, drive and consistency everybody will get onside and that's all Arsenal fans want to see.

Dom's little toe was unavailable for analysis or opinion despite having his analytical skills massively talked up by the large bag of bones attached to it.

[dom9]

I wish the BBC would stop using the word Analysis when it comes to these articles, and just call them Opinion, like newspapers do.

I have more analysis in my little toe than all of these pundits put together.

[dww]

Couldn't think of a more polar opposite to Rafa than Unai. His teams are all over the place. When he was young he was dubbed the next Wenger and gave a presser at Almeria saying that he preferred to draw 4-4 than 0-0. I remember posting years ago that I wouldn't mind taking a punt on him or Valverde after Rafa left, I'm very pleased that we didn't. He's head and shoulders above Woy mind.

He did do well in the Europa League consistently with Sevilla but he's never impressed in the league where he had a fantastic squad at both Valencia and Sevilla, particularly the former. Even last season Monaco won Ligue 1, which is a bit of a disgrace for me given what's been thrown into PSG. Just had a look and his league finishes at Sevilla were 9th (only half a season), 5th, 5th and 7th. Pretty poor considering the quality of squad. His best league form was to take Valencia to 3rd in 3 consecutive seasons, but they had a great squad and he was uncompetitive in big games, I know their fans didn't care for him.

At both Valencia and Sevilla he had a bit of a reputation for playing cowardly football which ended up losing points. So starting a game with electric intensity going up a goal or two, then letting his team sit back and ending up conceding with the game resulting in a draw/loss. He clearly hasn't learnt a thing if you look at the 6-1 loss to Barca last season. I was semi expecting it.

Also, Moreno did him a huge favour by donating one of those Europa League wins to him. Pretty fortunate with the first one too, close game on pens and in the semi against Valencia I remember Sevilla were down and Mbia scored the away goal in the 5th minute of stoppage time when only 4 minutes were issued. Wouldn't be at all concerned if Arsneal signed him. Above average manager, huge reputation, nothing special.

He did finish 3rd a few times with Valencia didn't he? Which given Barcelona and Real are there is a decent achievement. Most people describe him as detail oriented and with good attention to defence. That doesn't seem like a terrible idea in a coach going to Arsenal.

Apparently Monchi rates him as the best manager he has ever worked with. Which may be a clue to the type of things they want given their new structure.

I think it would be hard for any manager to break Arsenal into the top four next season unless multiple teams regress.

[Buzzo]

I wish the BBC would stop using the word Analysis when it comes to these articles, and just call them Opinion, like newspapers do.

I have more analysis in my little toe than all of these pundits put together.

That isn't really where I was expecting this decision to go

However I have amended

[Darkon]

I wish the BBC would stop using the word Analysis when it comes to these articles, and just call them Opinion, like newspapers do.

I have more analysis in my little toe than all of these pundits put together.

So what's your opinion?

[dom9]

So what's your opinion?

That pundits aren't analysts.

I'll tell you what would be interesting though. Getting those backroom guys who do the research and help to prep the teams to write some articles or do podcasts.

That could provide some actually interest content rather than having these rent a quote Up And At Them people hogging the bandwidth.

[Zapater]

Hi did finish 3rd a few times with Valencia didn't he? Which given Barcelona and Real are there is a decent achievement. Most people describe him as detail oriented and with good attention to defence. That doesn't seem like a terrible idea in a coach going to Arsenal.

Apparently Monchi rates him as the best manager he has ever worked with. Which may be a clue to the type of things they want given their new structure.

I think it would be hard for any manager to break Arsenal into the top four next season unless multiple teams regress.

His best league form was to take Valencia to 3rd in 3 consecutive seasons, but they had a great squad and he was uncompetitive in big games, I know their fans didn't care for him.

IIRC he was quite effective at beating the smaller teams but I think they lost every game against Barca and Madrid and the majority against Villarreal and Sevilla who were the other good teams at the time. A lot of Spanish teams were rebuilding at the time and as I say, I know that Valencia fans wanted him gone. He released a coaching tactics book and they thought he was delusional.



The title roughly translates to 'winning mentality' which was ironic due to their terrible mentality in big games. And Ricardo Costa writing a eulogy is just embarrassing.

I'm not saying he's an awful manager, because he's clearly not. He's just done nothing to prove he's good enough. He's consistently had great opportunities and excluding the Europa League hasn't done anything that you wouldn't expect from any other manager.

Obviously Monchi knows a lot more about football and managers than me but I just don't see it. I'd rate Juande Ramos, Joaquin Caparros and most definitely Marcelino better than Emery. It didn't work out for Marcelino at Zaragoza and Sevilla and his reputation took a hit, but his revival of Villarreal and what he's doing now at Valencia is fantastic.

[Buzzo]

Any coach that releases a book called 'the winning mentality' whilst they are still actively coaching is on a hiding to nothing.

[dww]

IIRC he was quite effective at beating the smaller teams but I think they lost every game against Barca and Madrid and the majority against Villarreal and Sevilla who were the other good teams at the time. A lot of Spanish teams were rebuilding at the time and as I say, I know that Valencia fans wanted him gone. He released a coaching tactics book and they thought he was delusional.



The title roughly translates to 'winning mentality' which was ironic due to their terrible mentality in big games. And Ricardo Costa writing a eulogy is just embarrassing.

I'm not saying he's an awful manager, because he's clearly not. He's just done nothing to prove he's good enough. He's consistently had great opportunities and excluding the Europa League hasn't done anything that you wouldn't expect from any other manager.

Obviously Monchi knows a lot more about football and managers than me but I just don't see it. I'd rate Juande Ramos, Joaquin Caparros and most definitely Marcelino better than Emery. It didn't work out for Marcelino at Zaragoza and Sevilla and his reputation took a hit, but his revival of Villarreal and what he's doing now at Valencia is fantastic.

Why would you exclude the Europa league though?

[Zapater]

Why would you exclude the Europa league though?

Because it's counter productive to my argument.

Just joking, just thinking of when I analyse/assess his performance otherwise in relation to his standing in the game. Obviously though his standing in the game is what it is partially due to that success and rightly so.

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Hopefully Wenger will recognise him now if he's doing some media work at the world cup.

Arsene Wenger thought Croatia’s doctor was Unai Emery, asks about PSG