Arsenal: Does Petr Cech problem imply future rift?

Petr Cech is Unai Emery’s starter; Bernd Leno is Sven Mislintat’s starter. Does this goalkeeping selection problem imply a future rift at Arsenal?

The complexity of the modern game dictates that a manager can no longer have the same detailed and instrumental control that he used to. The introduction of Directors of Football, Chief Executives, Heads of Scouting, other personnel and coaching roles, is all in the aim of providing a team to help and support the manager, who then is afforded the freedom to focus on what goes on between the white lines.

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Ultimately, it is why Arsene Wenger departed from Arsenal this summer. Ivan Gazidis wanted to provide him with a team of people. Wenger did not want to cede his power. But with Unai Emery not at the helm, the Gazidis project has come to the fore.

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It is not Emery who is in charge of the transfers. It is head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, the former Chief Scout at Borussia Dortmund. While Emery will clearly be given a say on what transfers are made, especially those players leaving, Mislintat is the final decision maker. And that means that there is a chance of a rift, as we have seen with plenty of clubs in the past. Emery is using players that he may not necessarily want, ones that Mislintat believes are useful. That could spell trouble.

One position where that is already the case is goalkeeper. Mislintat signed off on the £20 million acquisition of Bernd Leno in the summer. The Bayer Leverkusen shot-stopper was not brought to the club to sit on the bench. He may only be 26, which is young for the position, and Arsenal may already have decent, if flawed, options already at the club, but Leno was signed with the intention of him being the number one.

Emery, however, has not taken that same viewpoint. Petr Cech started against Manchester City last weekend. Cech is reported to again start against Chelsea on Saturday evening. Until he plays himself out of it, Cech is the unquestioned starter. Leno is merely the reserve.

In and of itself, this is not all that concerning. It is simply two men having different opinions about two players. That’s all. But it could become more concerning if Mislintat continues to sign players that Emery does not want and will not use. If that happens, Arsenal will be left with a squad that, while highly thought of by Mislintat, is utterly useless as Emery prefers the players who were already there.

The relationship between the modern-day head coach and those making the personnel decisions is one of the most important in all of the club. There has to be a cohesive and connected plan of action that each and every individual is on board with. If, like with Cech and Leno, Emery and Mislintat continue to have different ideas and work towards different aims, then this squad will wither quickly.

I do not know the balance of Emery and Mislintat when it comes to the recruitment. I do not know if they think along the same lines or have very different philosophies and ideals. But I hope that they are able to work in unison. I hope, in the future, there is no rift. Because if there is, trouble could be on the horizon.