Unai Emery says Arsenal must pay Huddersfield respect when David Wagner’s side visit the Emirates and then they’ve got to secure three points.
After a very poor start to the season, the visitors pulled clear of the relegation zone with two wins and a draw in November, however, that upturn in form has been curtailed this week by consecutive defeats to Brighton and Bournemouth.
Having watched the Terriers beat Wolves, just days after Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had drawn with his side, Emery remains wary of their eagerness to spring a surprise on Saturday.
“I’ve learnt in the Premier League that every team has good players, good organisation, good possibilities in the 90 minutes against every team,” said Emery at his pre-game press conference on Thursday.
“On Saturday, the first thing is a very big respect, more than Manchester United, more than Tottenham, because we need a high level in our performance to win against them.
At the beginning, sure we need a high level individually and collectively. On Tuesday against Bournemouth, they [Huddersfield] played a very good match.
“Also they won at [Wolves] in the last match away. On Saturday, they are going to push a lot and [will want] a surprise. We are very convinced in our way – work, prepare, respect, push with our supporters at the Emirates and feel the spirit with them.”
The Gunners, hit by new injuries to Rob Holding and Aaron Ramsey, have had a tough week themselves, although four points from matches with Sp*rs and Manchester United mean the vibe in the camp is positive.
“This is a very big challenge this week,” he added. “We are going to finish Saturday against Huddersfield. At the moment we have a good feeling after a good result, but we need to close with a victory on Saturday.
“It’s important first that the supporters feel a good situation in the games against Tottenham and Manchester United, away it’s a big challenge for us.
“We drew back and we worked to win and, with a little more luck, we could have won the match.
“Now our focus is all on Huddersfield and the three points. It’s a team that is very well organised. They played in Bournemouth, they lost but played well. They won at [Wolves] and every team has good players and organisation here in the Premier League.
“We need the same spirit as on Sunday. Every supporter needs to feel that with us, and push like they pushed against Tottenham. The draw yesterday is only good if we win against Huddersfield.”
We need to get the victory this weekend, with all due respect to Huddersfield. Otherwise the momentum built up in the last week will be undone.
I suppose Emery will be rotating a little and rest some of the tired bodies. However hopefully sufficient firepower and defensive stability to get the win.
With 2 teams from the top-4 clashing it’s an opportunity for us to climb up the table.
Win whichever way….just win
My fondness for Unai grows the more I hear from him.
Even with his limited English I always love what I hear from Unai he is always talking about improving and where we can do better. We know it, he knows it and you can bet the players know it as well. But he also seems like a fair and decent guy as well. This guy has taken a team almost devoid of confidence and given them a spirit unlike anything I have seen for years at Arsenal. And this is before he has had a season to adjust, or get his own players in. It took Pep longer to get… Read more »
“The draw yesterday is only good is we win against Huddersfield “
Yes coach… and Chelsea play City this wkend so we must capitalise
Media story “Emery: I have more respect for Huddersfield than ManUtd and Tottenham”
A reasonable comment.
Nothing wrong with his comment…I have more respect for Huddersfield than Sp*rs and Man Utd.
Mourinho’s reply: “I have won more trophies than any manager that moves. respect guys, respect guys respect guys”
“respect guys, respect guys respect guys”… makes him sound like a bloody dalek. Very apt.
OT:
They say some of our players partied with laughing-gas.
Supposedly big news.
meh.
The media will bring out their Arsenal guillotines now.
I hope this doesn’t destroy the feel-good factor around the club that has been so refreshing this season.
I’d expect a little rotation this weekend after a busy week, before a full swap around for the europa league.
We’ve got one of the easiest run of fixtures over Christmas up to the Liverpool game so hopefully we can get to that point without dropping too many points
We must win this match it doesn’t matter how we play. Three points is all what we need to move ahead of table.
I bloody well hope so.
I hope he can motivate them accordingly for this very different challenge on Saturday.
It’s not easy to keep the commitment up over such a long run. Players will feel mentally and physically tired and I hope they can push themselves once more before most of them get some rest during next week.
Come on Arsenal!
I don’t think the issue was fatigue against Manure.
I think it was complacency.
Not switched on.
I believe being mentally and physically fatigued results in lapses in concentration.
However, I don’t think that was the case against Man United since we pushed until the end.
On the other hand I don’t really know how to explain the two goals we conceded. Especially the first one where everyone was sleeping and afraid to stick a leg out still bugs me…
I feel a real buzz about these games. They’re like conversion points. We picked up 4 difficult points and now we can put the cherry on top. Yet Unai treats it as baking a whole cake! Wonderful.
I really hope the squad can avoid any more serious injuries. We have seven matches left this month. SEVEN.
Kos is coming back at just the right time. my instinct says that he might wait to start in Europe on thursday?
Is it just me or he has a great sense of humour? The “I respect hair too much” is hilarious.
We need to thrash Huddersfield
I think laca will start and score a hat trick
I really hope he starts Laca…in the same fixture last season he scored in the 3rd minute.
I really hope he rotates quite a bit. Gotta stay hungry. Özil in training today, should start. Xhaka should be fresh. AMN should be eager to make a mark, start him maybe? Nacho is back. I’d probably limit Iwobi to a sub appearence (he looked a bit fatigued against manure). Laca should start (can’t afford auba to break).
Back for most definitely? esp. with Nacho back and Holdini out.
back four* heh
We are with y you and your boys Emery
We ned to be ruthless, get as many as we can like City does. BTW, if you are an Arsenal fan, please refrain from buying the Sun newspaper for the rest of your life. Our boy’s messing around with laughing gas made the front page! Yeah I know they have to set an example but just think how old they are and its the same stuff they give pregnant women during labor. If it was cocaine on the table I would get it but these scum bag jouno’s have had this story since August and decided to release it the… Read more »