Arsenal: Tough start absolutely perfect for Unai Emery

Arsenal have been handed a tough start to next season, hosting Manchester City before travelling to Chelsea the week after. But it could be perfect for Unai Emery. Here’s why.

The fixture list is out. It is never as significant as people often want to say that it is. It is used more as a branding opportunity for the Premier League to drum up interest in itself over a fairly meaningless development. But because we are all football mad, we lap it up, just as they want. And, like every other year, I have parsed through the Arsenal fixtures.

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For a full list of the Gunners’ games, click through to this link on the official website with a rather neat graphic that has all the dates and fixtures on — be aware that all fixtures are subject to change, though the weekend that each game is on will likely be the same.

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Immediately, the key part of the season jumps off the page: the first two games. Arsenal host Manchester City on the opening weekend, before travelling to Chelsea the next weekend. Facing the champions of the last two seasons in the first two weeks is never a nice start to the season. When it comes as Unai Emery’s first two games of his north London tenure, their difficulty is only compounded.

However, it could be the perfect start. There are two reasons why I say that.

The first is simple: Emery will be wanting to make a statement early on. Any manager would. What better way to make a statement than to beat the best two teams of the past decade in the Premier League? Of the past 10 league titles, six have been won by either Chelsea or Man. City, three each. It would be quite the start for Emery.

The second is more technical. International summer tournaments always provide difficulties for domestic managers when the new season begins. Some players return injured, others are fatigued, others are fresh but have played a lot of minutes and need protection, more have not played in the tournament and are raring to go.

But Arsenal don’t actually have that many players at this summer’s World Cup. Of the most prominent starting XI in the closing months of last season, only Nacho Monreal, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil are in Russia. Contrast that to Manchester City, who have a record 16 players at the competition, and Chelsea who have 11, including Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kante and Cesar Azpilicueta.

The likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Aaron Ramsey, Shkodran Mustafi, Alexandre Lacazette, Jack Wilshere are all currently on holiday, resting up, freshening their legs for the season ahead. And if you have to play City and Chelsea at some point in the season, why not play them when you are at your freshest and they are at their least prepared?

Next: Arsenal: 3 things we learned from fixture schedule

The tough start, then, may not seem all that kind to Emery and Arsenal. But, actually, it could end up being a blessing. It could even be perfect.