Arsenal: 5 Things We've Learned From Unai Emery and What He Must Fix

Arsenal have won nine games in a row in all competitions under Unai Emery
Arsenal have won nine games in a row in all competitions under Unai Emery

#3 High-intensity pressing game

Arsenal press intensely to win the ball back under Emery
Arsenal press intensely to win the ball back under Emery

Wenger's sides rarely pressed as a team. Time and again, one would see only two or three players put pressure on an opponent with the ball before they bypassed the press. Hard working players such as Alexis Sanchez would sometimes be visibly frustrated as a result.

On the other hand, Emery's Arsenal play a high-intensity game where they press in packs by closing down passing channels. This is where his high-intensity training sessions also pay off for the Gunners so that they are in shape to play that kind of game for 90 minutes.

Arsenal were even leading the total sprints this season with the players coming together to win the ball back all across the pitch. These short bursts have also helped them mount attacks of their own with 15 goals coming from open play as a result (second only to Manchester City's 16).

What was also surprising to see was the remarkable improvement in the team's work ethic. Wenger's teams were quite subdued but Emery's team seems to be playing with a new lease of life which has reflected in the results too.

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