MX23RW : Sunday, November 24 23:09:21| >> :120:7555:7555:

Unai Emery: 'Arsenal must control matches, become more aggressive'

Arsenal manager Unai Emery is confident that the group of players available to him 'have the characteristics' to fit into his desired system.

Unai Emery has outlined his blueprint for his first season in charge of Arsenal, admitting that his side must become more "aggressive" in attacking transitions.

The Gunners will run out for a Premier League game without Arsene Wenger for the first time since September 1996 when Manchester City travel to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain boss Emery is tasked with guiding Arsenal back into the Champions League following two years outside of the top four.

Emery already knows what his side must do differently and, having been given a month to work with his players during pre-season, the Spaniard believes that each individual can fit into his desired system.

"Our style with the ball is to be protagonists, to do things with combinations, to control the match with the positioning of the ball. And then when we have the space, to be aggressive going forward," he told Sky Sports News.

"Defensively: first it is to be organised, recover the ball quickly. But in these two moments in the match we need to work. 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."

Arsenal won all five of their pre-season friendlies, although two of those - against Atletico Madrid and Chelsea - came via penalties.

ID:333277: cacheID:333277:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3016:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Danny Welbeck celebrates scoring for Arsenal in the Europa League on April 12, 2018
Read Next:
Unai Emery happy with Welbeck versatility
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
OT
Vikings
30-27
Bears
FT
Lions
24-6
Colts
FT
Patriots
15-34
Dolphins
FT
Buccaneers
30-7
Giants
FT
Chiefs
30-27
Panthers
FT
Titans
32-27
Texans
FT
Cowboys
34-26
Washington
9.05pm
Broncos
@
Raiders
9.25pm
49ers
@
Packers
9.25pm
Cardinals
@
Seahawks
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!