When Arsenal went on a 22-game unbeaten run between August and November, fans believed that the new manager, Unai Emery, had finally figured out the winning formula. However, since the defeat to Southampton at the end of November, the team has only won two of its seven away games, against lowly Blackpool and relegation-bound Huddersfield Town.


Source: Arsenal by davidhc via Flickr (CC by 2.0)

In Arsene Wenger’s final season, Arsenal struggled to win away games in the Premier League. The team could only manage four away wins throughout the season, resulting in a 6th place finish for the first time under Wenger. Eventually, the Frenchman retired, paving the way for Unai Emery. His main task? Taking Arsenal back to the Champions League. Currently, the bookies list favourable football betting odds for the Gunners, at 3/1 to qualify for Europe's elite club competition.

At his first press conference as the Gunners’ head coach, Emery indicated that his team would try to be proactive against opponents. Specifically, he mentioned that he would want his players to play a high tempo and press aggressively when they lose possession. True to his word, you could clearly see the team’s newfound energy against champions Manchester City in the season’s opener at the Emirates. By mid-November,Arsenal had run a league-best 1,376 km. One thing, however, was outstanding - the team had failed to establish a ead at half time in any of the league matches it had played. There were two possible explanations to this oddity – either the team had a remarkable ‘second wind’ trait, or Emery simply picked the wrong starting lineup and rectified it with a couple of the changes in the second half. The performances were not that good and the pressing had become lacklustre. But, because the team was winning, nobody was really concerned.

At the end of November, Emery failed in his quest to extend his unbeaten streak to 23 games at the hands of new Saints manager, Ralph Hasenhüttl. This was followed by a defeat to local rivals Tottenham in the cup, a draw against Brighton, and a 5-1 thrashing at Liverpool. Out of nowhere, the nasty atmosphere that prevailed in Wenger’s last days was back.

The drubbing at Liverpool raised the most questions. What has Emery improved? Is he any better than Wenger? Some said he needed time to transform the team, while others openly criticised the manager for the abysmal performance at Merseyside. Although the derby win against Chelsea silenced the critics, losses against Manchester United and West Ham raised further questions over Emery’s impact at Arsenal.

He might have been in charge for only 9 months, but Emery has already divided the Arsenal fan base. Lately, the major talking point has been the ostracising of Mesut Özil, arguably the best player in Wenger’s last team. Despite the evident struggles in creativity, particularly in the attacking third, Emery has continually left out the playmaker for ‘tactical' reasons. The standout incidences were the match against Bournemouth, where Emery said that the match was too demanding for Özil, and the game against Brighton, where he substituted the German at half time even though the game was at 1-1.

For now, the jury is still out regarding Emery. Credit to him for scrapping wins even with poor performances. Whether or not he will take Arsenal to the Champions League, only time will tell.