Arsenal’s first season under new manager Unai Emery has produced some mixed results but the overall feeling remains positive thus far. Not many expected the Gunners to be in top four position at this stage of the season especially due to the simple fact that they lost their first two games of the season to Manchester City and Chelsea respectively.
Unai Emery’s men however responded to that disaster start in brilliant fashion as they went on a 22 match unbeaten run that was ended in mid November by Southampton. Now, with 8 games of the Premier League season left to play, the Gunners find themselves sitting pretty at 4th on the log, two points ahead of 5th placed Manchester United and just one point worse than 3rd placed Tottenham Hotspur.
However, Unai Emery’s team has been far from convincing and still nee to rectify a few mistakes if they are to maintain that top four place come the end of the season. Below are two areas Arsenal need to improve on…
Defensive solidity
Arsenal’s main problem this season has been the ability to give up chances to the opposition in almost every other match. They have conceded 39 goals this season and that is the highest from all teams in the top 4 this season. It is an area that manager Unai Emery and fans alike have pointed to needing lots of improvement but so far none has been witnessed.
Much of it is understandable as they lost two of their starting defenders to long term injuries in Rob Holding and Spanish Right back Hector Bellerin. Their replacements have been hot and cold and that inconsistency will have to be wiped out if Arsenal are to be playing Champions League football next season.
Away form
Arsenal’s performances in away matches for the lost couple of years has been relegation material. Last season under Arsene Wenger, the Gunners only won four matches away from home and though they have improved quite a bit this season, a lot still needs to be done.
Out of the 8 matches still to play this season, only 3 will be played at the Emirates hence leaving no margin for error whatsoever. All Big teams are capable of producing performances at any be it at the Etihad away or at Cardiff city. For Arsenal to yet again be ranked among the big boys of English football, they will have to prove they can do it far from home, they have 5 matches to prove it!