New Arsenal manager Unai Emery says the organisation of the team will be crucial as Asrenal will be out to control games this season starting with Sunday’s visit of Manchester City.
Emery is attempting to impose his own style on a club that has been under the stewardship of Arsene Wenger for two decades and faces his first test when Manchester City visit Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
And the former Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla coach has stressed the importance of Arsenal being on the front foot.
“Our style with the ball is to be protagonists, to do things with combinations, to control the match with the positioning of the ball,” he told Sky Sports. “And then when we have the space, to be aggressive going forward.
“To say it here is easier than doing it on the pitch. We also need time, but now I am happy because I think the players are improving.
“We need two things: quality players, which we have, and then organisation. Together I think we can improve, to win in our way. I repeat: organised, then play.
“When we are thinking in an attacking moment, I want the goalkeeper thinking for that, he is the first.
“The same when we are thinking defensively, I want our strikers to be thinking: ‘We need to protect the goalkeepers.’ I want those two moments to feel the same for all players.
“Each player has this quality, this characteristic to help the team as a collective. For me, that is very important.”
Emery’s ultimate goal is to win the Premier League, but he wants to see his players do it in style.
“The aim for the club is to arrive as champions, play for titles,” he added. “But for me, I want to enjoy the way [we do it].
“I want the players and supporters to feel that together, and also enjoy each match, each moment in our stadium, and in this way the team transmits to the supporters the passion.”
The Gunners go into a new era with Unai Emery at the helm with an impressive pre-season campaign under their belts.
Emery witnessed his side thrash PSG 5-1 and beat Lazio 2-0 as well as drawing 1-1 with both Atletico Madrid and Chelsea.
But the serious stuff begins on Sunday, and it could not be a tougher test for the club’s first home game of the season as champions Manchester City provide the opposition.
New signings including Stephan Lichtsteiner, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira were all pictured being put through their paces at London Colney yesterday as attention turns to the big game.