Arsenal: Unai Emery has a plan that he’s sticking to

Jack Wilshere will leave Arsenal this summer because of the diminished role that he would be limited to next season. It is sensible, therefore, to presume that Unai Emery has a plan, one that he’s sticking to.

Jack Wilshere will leave Arsenal this summer. After 17 years at the club, rising steadily through the academy and breaking into the first team, it will be equally sad and strange to see the midfielder ply his trade away from north London. But that is the decision that he has taken once his contract expires at the end of June.

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During his decision-making process, of which there was a myriad of reports suggesting a whole spectrum of results ranging from him staying and becoming a key player and leaving under a cloud of rage, I claimed that Wilshere’s choice would rest on the thinking and plans of one man, Unai Emery.

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The new Head Coach, taking over from Arsene Wenger, comes to the club with new ideas and strategies and tactics and systems. It was never certain that Wilshere was going to be a part of them. My claim was based on simple logic: Wilshere wants to play football more than anything; if he could choose where he can play football, he will choose Arsenal, but he is willing to move elsewhere to go and get it if it comes to that. The amount of game time that he would be given is Emery’s decision.

And Wilshere, in his official statement that he released on Tuesday evening, clearly conceded that it the diminished role that Emery would feature him in that spurred him to depart:

"“Following a number of extensive conversations with those at the club, and in particular a recent meeting with the new manager Unai Emery, I felt that I was ultimately left with little choice but to make the decision that I have due to purely footballing reasons. It was made clear to me that my playing time would be significantly reduced should I decide to stay.”"

I am not here to say whether Emery’s Wilshere-less plan is the right one or not. At this point, it would be utterly pointless to stake a claim either way. Rather, it is just nice to see a manager with a clear and certain strategy of how to turn this team around. Emery has an idea.

It remains to be seen what the full outworkings of that idea are. The new signings provide a hint. Without question, defensive reinforcement is of utmost priority. But, clearly, Wilshere is not a part of the future of this club under Emery.

Such clarity and conviction in an idea is refreshing. Arsene Wenger often looked unclear in his own mind, falling between different tactical approaches, not wholly committing himself to one avenue of managing the club. Emery knows what he wants to do. And he’s not afraid to do it.

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Telling a fan-favourite and committed Arsenal player like Wilshere that he will not play much is a bold move for any new manager. For one succeeding a 22-year king, it is an even braver decision. But that is what Emery has done. That’s because he has a plan, and he’s not about to veer away from it now.