Unai Emery says Arsenal need to beat Leicester tomorrow evening but urged his players not to allow the pressure of the occasion to get to them.
Since the last international break, the Gunners have dropped from third to fifth in the Premier League, paying the price for dropped points in consecutive games against Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and Wolves.
Defeat at the King Power would see Brendan Rodgers’ side open a nine-point gap on us and raise further questions about the Spaniard’s ability to achieve the club’s aim of getting back in the Champions League.
Speaking at his pre-game press conference, he was under no illusions about the importance of the occasion.
“Must-win? Yes,” agreed Emery. “We need to win and it’s very important for us tomorrow.
“But our mentality is every time to play first, using our best structure and organisation to be strong and also our individual players to use their quality to win. But in our mind, for each match it is only to win.”
Asked about the challenge posed by Leicester, who have been flying this season under Rodgers, Emery went on, “Brendan Rodgers is a very good manager and he is doing very good work, as he did here in England with Swansea, with Liverpool and also Glasgow Celtic.
“He arrived here last year and his team was improving progressively and this year I think it’s no surprise for me.
“It’s a very good team with a very good coach and they are a very organised team.
“We are taking, as a good moment, sometimes as a bad result, but the most important is to keep the balance.
“I think as a coach I learned that, in my mind to be with that balance when we win, when we lose. For me it’s not to play tomorrow under pressure, it’s to play under a very big opportunity to change that.
“We are drawing the last matches, we can see those matches negatively because we didn’t win or positively because we didn’t lose.
“We are in the balance, but we when you are a team like Arsenal we need to win more than draw or lose.”
Emery also defended his players from the harsh criticism that has come their way from fans and the media alike. There’s no hiding the fact that dropped points against Wolves and Crystal Palace, both from winning positions, has been very damaging to confidence, but the Spaniard was quick to point out both opponents proved tricky last year as well.
“I think at home we are faring well but not with the performance as we will do for the next matches,” he said.
“Those two results, two draws, weren’t the best results also. Last year, those two teams also gave us a lot of problems at home and we took only one point against those two teams.
“But I was speaking with the players this week about how is our next step to improve. And it’s clear, there are two ways: play better with the ball, play with more confidence with our style, and take more responsibility on the pitch.
“My responsibility is the first but also I give them because they are on the pitch to take that responsibility to play better. And then is for our defensive structure to be strong and get better defensively is our first challenge tomorrow.
“Last year, we were looking for that improvement during the season and we achieved it in a lot of moments – and I know now we can do better and we will do better.”
…..to save my job
I think we will win tomorrow, but I do hope it doesn’t change the obvious (Emery needs to go, or completely change his methods/philosophy as a coach in order to make this side competitive/successful again by allowing us to play football). I hope Stillman is right and Raul/Edu are working feverishly behind the scenes for a solution to this ever-so-quiet crisis.
As much as I want us to, I don’t think we’ll win tomorrow. The best we can do is a draw. We have better players, but they have a better team, and more importantly, a better coach.
If it means Emery leaving, I personally would take a (big) defeat on the chin tomorrow rather than having the Arsenal play like they have been for another couple of games. There needs to be a breaking game for the sacking of a manager, and as most agree Emery needs to leave, I hope tomorrow’s game is that game.
Even if we win this, it won’t change much. He needs to get a positive string of results to get back a fraction of supporters calling for his head
No disrespect, I struggle to understand direct quotes from Emery, I just skip over them.
It will be a major surprise, if we win tomorrow, it would be great but I’m setting a low expectation to reduce the disappointment.
I also think tomorrow’s game will show how much the players are actually behind him…
To be fair this fixture last year showed the players clearly aren’t. I remember watching in absolute disbelief as Leicester dismantled us last season. And my memory is not so short to forget it. We are worse now and I’m expecting a battering
Hopefully just signed his own death warrant. Figuratively speaking.
What he says is even more hillarious than the best attempts of people mocking him for his emerynglish.
You are a cucumber for not discourse to our goal.
“In the playing we lack the intense and under control the group, we must find in the team the skill, the way we want to play, not to lose, but to win. Leicester is a very strong team with the ball, with the skill, with the goals, but, we have the goals also and for me I know it is the ball which wins”
It is a good moment for us in this matches, we play well in this moment to control the match for a 90 minute, in this matches it is important to be first good defensively with our player and for the fans.
Unfortunately, and I say this with a very heavy heart, nothing he says or does will change the consensus amongst fans that he is not up to scratch. He would be better suited for a mid-table Spanish club, certainly not the biggest club in the biggest city in Europe.
The gang doesn’t beat Leicester…
I’ve started to look at it this way:
No matter the result, it’s a positive. If we win, I get to enjoy the Arsenal victory. If we don’t win, it’s another step closer to #EmeryOut.
Things got a lot less stressful for me once I figured that out.
Hope we win. Also hope that was Emery’s last pre-game presser. Wouldn’t put serious dosh on either…
Defending for moments.
There is no substance to his words, either by design or translation. When he’s interviewed post match, it’s like he either doesnt understand the question or he avoids admitting that he and his players are struggling for any kind of rhythm or style. Is he trying? Yes, but if he is then it’s a worry. Unfortunately Arsenal do not make knee jerk reactions. It took them about 4 years too late to realise Wenger was failing and as a result we dropped and dropped. We’ve been overtaken immensely and the others are catching up. Emery seems a decent man, but… Read more »
Post Match Interview
You have just lost 2-0 to Leicester… Are you concerned about losing your job?
Unai: Good ebening. We are working in our way, with focus on our performances and in our process, with the young players, this is one process, defensively and offensively is another process. Last season it was 3-0 against Leicester so we are more competitive, we have to work hard in training and in our capacities and capabilities and concede less corners.
Could have fooled me.
….and also tactically it went how we wanted??
Not working mate. The worst thing about all this is there seems to be no identity to his method. We are not a full force attacking team nor can we defend to save our lives. I was on board with him when he first came because he brought energy and fight but that capitulation at the end of last season when all we had to do was draw a couple of those games to reach the CL changed everything and it all coincides with that loss to his PSG team against Barca.
Still hungover from that, and he doesn’t have any answers. “Protagonist.”
His cluelessness has nothing to do with his English. Just pure clueless.
*tomorrow ebening
Can somebody translate that please?!!
All joking aside, I’ll be amazed if we come away with anything. Obviously I want us to win, but when you look at our away form… Leicester’s overall form… they have the joint top best defence in the league.. we can’t defend to save our lives… it’s all pointing towards a home win…
COYG ?
I don’t have a clue what he’s saying. Not a clue.
I do not blame Emery for his difficulties in English, in fact I admire him for this effort. But when I make a serious attempt to understand what Emery is saying–and this has been true for almost a year now–I come to the conclusion that it is just coach speak, the semi-nonsensical truisms that are not intended to communicate any information at all. In that respect, he is not worse than most coaches–he intends to say nothing, or almost nothing, and he succeeds. Not too interested in listening anymore.
No return ticket for Emery from Leicester please – win, draw or loss.
I know it’s really hard to become fluent in another language – I’ve tried – but listening to or reading Emery’s words gives me a headache. I’ve got to the point where I just can’t engage with anything he says as I find his language garbled, confusing and irritating. It’s no wonder that the players have no clear idea of what they’re supposed to be doing. Sad thing is, even if he spoke perfect English, Emery’s words would make no actual sense as he seems to have no idea what he’s supposed to be saying in terms of communicating a… Read more »
Even if he is speaking Spanish, people will find it difficult to understand.
I wonder if Hector translates for him sometimes. Bloody hope so as otherwise the players will have no clue what he’s on about
Must win? Yes! BUT bla bla bla bla bla…
Typical.
The man is losing his mind…and I’m reaping all the benefits…
Never did I expect to see a Wedding Singer reference on here. Bravo.
This has become a critical game. Unai is on thin ice. Although unless demented like most of these self entitled fans, the board will probably take the sensible view and relief Unai end of season when his contract dries up ( Bar if he becomes Ole or worse) Leicester will be a massive challenge and they will play us on the counter. I think we need to assess the fact that the fans have self inflicted more trouble on an already struggling side with midfield options further limited. The best bet IMO would be to pair Guendouzi and Torreira but… Read more »
Last time he said it was a must win game was when we faced Wolves away having lost vs Palace at home. And im sure i dont need to remind anyone what happened?
“Last year, those two teams also gave us a lot of problems at home and we took only one point against those two teams.”
Why are you doing so shit Unai? Well it’s okay, because least year we were doing shit too.
?
I miss Wenger interviews.
I am a little bit jaded by what’s happening. Emery talks with the handbrake on. We were very solid in the past and had a good team performance. In the second half we were patient enough and got the result that we wanted.
Good ebening.
“Last year, we were looking for that improvement during the season and we achieved it in a lot of moments.” Did we? Please man you are sick.
“Arsenal must beat Leicester”. Tu parles. Let’s wait and see!!!
Laughable this guy is a clown when can we start listening to Freddie as interim manager ….
“I think as a coach I learned that, in my mind to be with that balance when we win, when we lose. ”
Dude
What are you even?
Even if we do win we need a parting of the ways, sorry Mr Emery, nothing personal but it’s not working out and I don’t believe you can turn things around.
Poor players are probably pulling all nighter watching Leicester greatest highlights from last 10 years with Emery commentary. Don’t be surprised if we are losing 0:3 by half time.
Please, Unai……..just leave.
I miss Wenger’s deluded drivel. It was at least entertaining and have a few random philosophical statements you could apply to everyday life.
A win would be huge. Need to build some momentum. All systems go!!!
How can one person use so many words to say so little?
Woke up this feeling some serious trepidation for the Leicester game….can you imagine, Leicester?. This is how low this clown Emery has brought us. Where the hell is…or even what the fuck is ‘protagonists’ football we are supposed to be playing under Emery ?…is it this scared shitless, tactically clueless football we are now seeing?..jeez!