Arsenal: Unai Emery’s indispensable change of mentality

Unai Emery is changing the mentality at Arsenal. The soft underbelly of the Arsene Wenger era is being stiffened and the air is changing around the Emirates.

Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Watford was the seventh straight win for the Gunners in all competitions. As the season is progressing, Unai Emery’s side is increasingly growing in confidence and is winning battles mentally as well as physically.

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The mentality of the players is looking increasingly different from what had been crippling the squad in previous years — the soft underbelly of the team was a keen and common critique of Arsene Wenger’s management.

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And this increasing confidence can be best seen in the young Nigerian, Alex Iwobi. Iwobi was influential in securing victory on Saturday afternoon. He has looked sharper, faster and more clinical in the previous games and is knocking hard at the door for a starting place in the team, giving Emery a headache in his team selections.

Arsenal have a history of losing physical battles when they lacked a mentality of digging down deep and extracting points out of nothing. There are games such as the last one against Watford where a team has to be able to grind out the victory, even when they aren’t playing at their highest level. These topsy-turvy matches are decisive in determining where a team will stand at the end of the season. And thus far, Emery’s Arsenal have been successful in doing the deed. They have been fighting hard against tricky opponents and have been successful in getting the points so far.

It will be safe to say that Emery has managed to do what Wenger was unable to do for the past decade. He has managed to get the players out of their comfort zones and instil a desire and application that has previously been absent.

The one thing that has clearly stood out in the recent games is that he doesn’t let players drop their heads even when the team is trailing. He keeps shouting from the sidelines, instructing his players throughout the match, not allowing them to grow complacent or distracted. The relentless spirit is slowly and steadily growing. Emery should be given the credit for his management.

However, there still are areas which needs to be addressed. Emery should not be overly satisfied by the team’s recent run of wins and must realise that he needs to continue improving and implementing his fresh ideas at the club.

But his progress in changing the air of mentality at the club can be felt wholeheartedly. This is a new era under new management, and it is changing the very fabric of the club and mentality of the team.