Arsenal: Unai Emery and the post-Wenger team know what they’re doing

Arsenal had a task following up over two decades of Arsene Wenger, but thus far, it looks like everyone knows exactly what they’re doing.

After seeing how Manchester United flubbed and failed after Sir Alex Ferguson, it was fair to be a bit antsy with Arsenal approaching the end of Arsene Wenger’s tenure. The shadow that he cast across the Emirates was going to be hard to remove.

It’s very early in the process, and too soon to say that it’s been a success, but thus far, Unai Emery and the whole post-Wenger (and now post-Gazidis) team are showcasing how well they know exactly what they’re doing.

The best way to think about this is to consider some of the controversial decisions that they’ve made. For starters, they let Jack Wilshere go.

Not once this season have I stopped and thought, “man, I could really go for some Jack Wilshere now.” Sure, we all miss him, he was a staple to the culture of this club. But as far as what he brought to the present state of the club, there wasn’t a lot. And certainly nothing reliable.

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I also questioned the release of some of the key youngsters that we’ve been banking on. Namely Kelechi Nwakali and Jeff Reine-Adelaide. But in the stead of this vague ‘promise’ of unfulfilled potential, players like Emile Smith Rowe, Matteo Guendouzi and Alex Iwobi have come to the forefront, looking like they are ready right this moment to take on a bigger role in the first team.

That’s more than Reine-Adelaide or Nwakali were ever able to say. They were never ready.

Loaning Calum Chambers was a head scratcher too, and while I don’t think Emery is completely off the hook for that one, seeing Rob Holding look as composed as he has looked has ironed out the wrinkles that I saw in the decision. And Mavropanos is going to be back soon too.

There have been switches and swaps in the starting XI, all of which have bred results, and while minor decisions will always be questioned by the fanbase, the answers are coming in seemingly just as quickly as they are being asked for.

All this to say that while questionable decisions are being made, they are being vindicated soon and often. Which means that, hopefully, losing Aaron Ramsey can be rectified just as quickly, cleanly, and easily as all the rest.