5 things we learned from Unai Emery’s first game in charge of Arsenal

On Sunday, for the first time since September 1996, an Arsenal side took to the field in the Premier League under the management of someone other than Arsene Wenger. That man was Unai Emery, who made the move to the Emirates this summer to replace the Frenchman, after successful spells with PSG and Sevilla.

This is a massive change at Arsenal. For 22 years, it was a team built in Arsene Wenger’s image, with players who played the way he wanted them to play, and had got used to his management.

There have been large changes to the coaching staff, as well as changes to the playing staff this summer. At least ten key men behind the scenes have left Arsenal, with Emery bringing in a number of coaches who he has worked with in the past, and know his footballing philosophy.

On the field, there have been both incomings and outgoings. Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla both left the club, with Per Mertesacker retiring from football. Among the incomings have been the experienced pair Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Stephan Lichtsteiner, as well as the up and coming duo of Bernd Leno and Lucas Torreira.

Despite the changes, Emery will not have been happy with what he saw from his side on Sunday against Manchester City. His side were totally outclassed, and here are five things Arsenal’s new manager may have learned from his first game in charge at the Emirates.

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#1 Matteo Guendouzi needs time in midfield

Guendouzi had a decent game on his Premier League debut

There weren’t many bright sparks for Emery in their opening day defeat to Manchester City, but one of them was certainly the performances of young Frenchman Matteo Guendouzi. The young midfielder looked to get off to a nervous start, but he grew into the game as it went on, and put in a promising display. He wasn’t afraid to get on the ball, and had 72 touches, the most by an Arsenal player.

Obviously, there is still a little bit to work on. He has very little experience, and the game with City was in fact only his ninth in top division football anywhere in Europe, with the last of those coming in 2017. He is still learning the position, and that was clear at times given his positioning. However, he certainly has the potential to be a top player. If Arsenal invest time and patience in him, he will be a crucial player for them.

#2 Lucas Torreira must start

Torreira was just a substitute on his Premier League debut

It has regularly been a criticism levelled at Arsenal that they have never replaced Patrick Vieira, and they have constantly lacked someone prepared to do the dirty work in midfield. It was hoped that when they signed Granit Xhaka two years ago that they had finally done this, but 70 Premier League appearances later, we’re still not quite sure what he does.

Against City, Arsenal really lacked a presence in midfield, and it was too easy at times for their opponents to find room in behind the midfield.

Torreira made the move to the Emirates from Sampdoria this summer in a deal worth £26 million. He may not be as technically gifted as some of the other midfielders Arsenal have available to them, but he is at least someone who isn’t afraid to put his foot in an make a tackle. He is just the player they need, and will be able to act as a shield for their defence, and would certainly strengthen the team.

#3 Passing out from the back won’t work immediately

Cech looked uncomfortable in possession on Sunday

There has been a lot of talk about Unai Emery’s ‘football philosophy’, and how he wants his side to play. It was clear within minutes that one thing that he wanted Arsenal to do was pass the ball out from the back.

Every time they got a goal kick, the centre-backs split, and dropped deep to receive the ball. However, something else we saw was that this Arsenal side to not have the qualities to be playing out from the back, and they regularly put themselves in more trouble when they gave the ball away.

In goal, Petr Cech made some superb saves, but he looked wholly uncomfortable trying to pass the ball out. In this respect, Cech is quite an old-fashioned goalkeeper. He spent much of his career at Chelsea, where he often played with a target man in Didier Drogba or Diego Costa, so had the option to kick the ball long.

In front of him, Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi aren’t exactly the most technically gifted centre-backs. Emery needs time to bring in the players he wants to play his system, and he hasn’t had that yet.

#4 His side is seriously lacking width

Ozil struggled to make an impression against Manchester City

One thing that Arsenal don’t really have when going forward, is variety. There are an awful lot of technical players in the squad, but there isn’t much else. The closest they had to something a bit different was Olivier Giroud, but he was sold to Chelsea in January. On Sunday, Arsenal understandably packed the centre of the pitch when defending, trying to limit the effect of City’s best midfielders.

However, going forward, they stayed very central, and it was often far too predictable. Starting in what appeared to be a 4-3-3 formation, Emery had Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil on the two flanks, but both of them only wanted to come inside and create from more central areas. In his squad, there are no real out and out wingers, so this is something he may wish to address in future transfer windows.

#5 He needs a lot of time to make this team his own

Emery still has a lot of work to do to make this team his own

There have been a lot of changes at the club since Emery joined earlier this summer, but it is still very much Arsene Wenger’s team and players who were used to the Frenchman’s tactics. Many believe that at times, the players were far too comfortable under Wenger, and they knew that even if their performance levels dropped, they wouldn’t be left out of the team. Emery’s job is to try and change that mindset.

He will also want to bring in players to suit his philosophy, but given the transfer budget that he was given in the summer, this will take time. He does have some quality players at his disposal, but he needs them to adapt to his style, and this won’t be easy.

As we saw at Manchester United when Sir Alex Ferguson left, it is very difficult to come in and replace someone who built the club in their image for so long. Emery needs an awful lot of time to make this side his own. Not just until the end of this season, but two or three years.