MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford to face a weakened Manchester United on Monday night. Here are five things we learned from the 1-1 draw.
On Monday night, Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford with one point in mind: precisely that, one point. Unai Emery again showed his conservative colours away from home, implementing a defensive gameplan to contain Manchester United’s counter-attack and thrust the creative onus onto Ole Gunnar Solkjaer’s workmanlike midfield. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and VAR combined for an equaliser after Scott McTominay’s first-half strike, but neither side created little else.
Here are five things we learned from the drab, quality-poor 1-1 draw.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal walks off the pitch at half time during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
5. Not Unai Emery out, but not Unai Emery in either
There has been a growing argument surrounding Arsenal head coach Unai Emery in recent weeks. With his team putting in several lacklustre performances, despite some good results, an increasing number of fans have been calling for his sacking. Those shouts will only intensify after this defensive display.
I think the calls for him to be fired are stupid, rash and unfounded, knee-jerk and illogical. Expecting a manager to lead the club out of the Arsene Wenger era in a little over a year is outrageous and utterly futile. But at the same time, there are few positive signs that fans can point to in support of the underlying work that Emery is implementing.
This leads me to tread the middle ground: I am most certainly not in the ‘Emery out’ camp and I think anyone who is is not accurately analysing the situation. However, I am also not in the ‘Emery in’ camp either. Rather, the jury is still out, and if that is still the case after a second season in charge, it could spell trouble for the impassioned Spaniard.
Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford with one point in mind: precisely that, one point. Unai Emery again showed his conservative colours away from home, implementing a defensive gameplan to contain Manchester United’s counter-attack and thrust the creative onus onto Ole Gunnar Solkjaer’s workmanlike midfield. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and VAR combined for an equaliser after Scott McTominay’s first-half strike, but neither side created little else.</p>
<h2><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pain-in-the-arsenal-podcast-on-arsenal-fc/id1314514440?ign-mpt=uo%3D4%26amp%3Buo%3D4&mt=2%22>Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Welcome to the big time, Bukayo Saka</a></h2>
<p>Here are five things we learned from <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/49211414">the drab, quality-poor 1-1 draw</a>.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal walks off the pitch at half time during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>5. Not Unai Emery out, but not Unai Emery in either</h4>
<p>There has been a growing argument surrounding Arsenal head coach <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"https://paininthearsenal.com/?s=unai+emery%22>Unai Emery</a> in recent weeks. With his team putting in several lacklustre performances, despite some good results, an increasing number of fans have been calling for his sacking. Those shouts will only intensify after this defensive display.</p>
<p>I think the calls for him to be fired are stupid, rash and unfounded, knee-jerk and illogical. Expecting a manager to lead the club out of the Arsene Wenger era in a little over a year is outrageous and utterly futile. But at the same time, there are few positive signs that fans can point to in support of the underlying work that Emery is implementing.</p>
<p>This leads me to tread the middle ground: I am most certainly not in the ‘Emery out’ camp and I think anyone who is is not accurately analysing the situation. However, I am also not in the ‘Emery in’ camp either. Rather, the jury is still out, and if that is still the case after a second season in charge, it could spell trouble for the impassioned Spaniard.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 4. Saka, Aubameyang only bright spots </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal embraces Calum Chambers of Arsenal after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>4. Saka, Aubameyang only bright spots</h4>
<p>There were very few positives for Arsenal on Monday night. Even the result was a little disappointing, considering the state of the Manchester United team and the injuries they were dealing with. But if there were any bright spots to focus on, it was the performances of <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"https://paininthearsenal.com/?s=bukayo+saka%22>Bukayo Saka</a> and <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"https://paininthearsenal.com/?s=pierre-emerick+aubameyang%22>Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang</a>.</p>
<p>Saka started for the second-straight Premier League match on the left side. He utterly outperformed the £72 million man on the opposite flank, looked like Arsenal’s most likely threat throughout his time on the pitch, and provided the crucial pass for the Gunners’ only goal.</p>
<p>The scorer of that goal, predictably, was Aubameyang, who dinked a beautiful finish over David de Gea. He is routinely rescuing Arsenal, having now scored seven goals in seven league games, including failing to score in just one, the away trip to Anfield.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 3. A missed opportunity? </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Scott McTominay of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>3. A missed opportunity?</h4>
<p>Manchester United are not very good. But no one apparently told Unai Emery.</p>
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<p>Their midfield consisted of Scott McTominay, who was, depressingly, the best player on the pitch, Paul Pogba, who floated through the match and did not look fit, and Jesse Lingard. Throw in Andrea Perreira on the right-wing and two reserve full-backs, as well as an unfit Marcus Rashford leading the line with Anthony Martial on the bench and you are left with a highly unconvincing side.</p>
<p>But Arsenal played extremely conservatively. Emery used three industrious, defensive central midfielders to shield the back four, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was left wholly isolated, and possession seemed like a rare gift, not something to be prioritised and worked towards.</p>
<p>This was a real chance to make a statement in the top-four race. Arsenal had superior players available. Emery had the chance to be aggressive, play on the front foot, and prove what this squad is capable of. And he purposefully squandered it. More than anything else, that is extremely disappointing.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. What happened to the high press? </a>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Ashley Young of Manchester United battles for possession with Bukayo Saka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>2. What happened to the high press?</h4>
<p>When Unai Emery arrived at Arsenal, in his very first press conference, he was asked what his footballing approach would be. He replied with two main tenets: for his players to play offensive football, being protagonists on the ball, playing with bravery and creativity; and to implement a high press. Well, both are difficult to find at present, especially the latter.</p>
<p>Arsenal often set up as if they are going to press the ball. The striker closes down the centre-back. The midfield pushes up. The initial passes are seemingly cut off. But there is no intensity in their execution, the backline is too deep, leaving vast spaces in the midfield, and they are ultimately far too easy to play through. And there is no actual pressing.</p>
<p>While the players may be stood in a position to press the ball, they never actually get close to the opposing players. They never actually put pressure on the ball and force errant passes, touches or shots, as displayed by Scott McTominay’s opening strike. So, I ask one fairly simple and depressing question: What happened to the high press? Because at present, I cannot see one.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United embraces Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)</p>
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<h4>1. The top four is still on</h4>
<p>This was a tiresome game, a dour performance, and a rather dull night altogether. But for all of the doom and gloom that is looming over Arsenal at present, at the end of the season, one point earned at Old Trafford is not the worst thing in the world.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>Yes, Manchester United do not exactly strike fear into opponents at present, and yes, it would have been nice to see Unai Emery take the bull by the horns and make a statement as his side looks to reclaim that top-four finish and break that dreaded run on the road to top-six teams. But this could be an important result come the end of the year.</p>
<p>Remember, Chelsea were spanked 4-0 at Old Trafford to start the season. And with this point, the Gunners moved into the top four, one point above Spurs and Chelsea, their two direct rivals for those third and fourth positions.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Arsenal Vs Manchester United: Player ratings" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-player-ratings-thank-god-pierre-emerick-aubameyang/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-5-things-learned-unai-emery/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2019/09/30/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-player-ratings-thank-god-pierre-emerick-aubameyang/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Arsenal Vs Manchester United: Player ratings </a> </div>
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<p>This was uninspiring, dull, rather depressing and, ultimately, a dour expression of the irrepressible conservatism of Unai Emery. But it might be a good result at the end of the year. The top four is still very possible, although that perhaps says more about Arsenal’s rivals than it does themselves.</p><!—pageview_candidate—></p>">
