Arsenal Vs Newcastle United: Unai Emery showing necessary stubbornness

Unai Emery stated that the ‘process’ is the most important aspect of Arsenal’s trip to Newcastle United on Saturday. The stubbornness he shows is utterly necessary.

Unai Emery is starting a new project. That is what Ivan Gazidis stated when he introduced Arsene Wenger’s successor in late May. This was never going to be a short-term process; this was about reinstating and reimplementing a culture and a strategy that changes the very fabric of the club. Arsenal are entering a new era.

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On the pitch, that means that the plans and practices of Emery will be installed, learned, understood, adapted to and, hopefully, executed at the level that he expects. Players will work to his system. The ones that do not fit will be sold. New ones that do fit will be recruited.

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Emery’s process is the most important part of the puzzle. It is the integral pillar on which everything else is built upon. And it is crucial that Emery unwaveringly stands by it despite the results — it will take time for the process to yield the results and the two may disparage early on. Thankfully, Emery is quite happy to be stubborn:

"“In the process, and firstly we need to win and I think it is very important that in the last match we won. Our aim away at Newcastle on Saturday is to keep improving things and continue to create our idea, build up our spirit on the pitch, individually and collectively, and it is clear this process is one process. Saturday is another step we can do, it will be difficult but I want to continue [to show] our personality on the pitch and impose this personality on the opposition and to find the win.”"

These comments come in his press conference prior to Arsenal’s trip to Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon. Emery was asked about his priorities for the match. Instead of talking about the result, although he did mention that ‘we need to win’, he focused on the performance, the process, the way in which his team plays.

For Emery, it is the process that is the most important element of this season. And the reason for that is because he is bothered by the long-term, not the instant need for victories in the here and now. Emery is singing from the very same hymn sheet that Gazidis wrote for him in that opening press conference.

He will need to maintain this stubbornness, this unwavering belief in his system, this resolve even when he and it is criticised throughout his early period at the Emirates. There will be questions and scrutiny and doubts. People will take their shots and query what Emery is working towards. Four games into the season and it’s happened already. It will continue to be.

And so, Emery’s stubbornness is necessary. Yes, a manager should be flexible, nimble, progressive and willing to learn and to change. But in these early periods, it is Arsenal that must adapt to Emery, not the other way around. Emery must be consistent.