Arsenal Vs Spurs: The Unai Emery plan is working

Arsenal were coached brilliantly in the build-up to Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Spurs, and the proof is in how they played. The Unai Emery plan is working.

It was a slightly strange though completely understandable Arsenal line-up for Saturday’s North London Derby. The lone striker grabbed the headlines, but it is what Unai Emery has done for a few weeks now. No Lucas Torreira was a little curious, as was Shkodran Mustafi at right-back, and the general consensus was one of confusion.

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Indeed, prior to kick-off, Martin Keown admitted that he was ‘stunned’ by the XI Emery selected. Rio Ferdinand also criticised the line-up, questioning why top goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was left on the bench, even though many fans had an inkling that that might be the case. And after an excellent 90-minute display in which Arsenal largely held Spurs at arm’s length, both Keown and Ferdinand were made to eat their words somewhat.

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Although the Gunners did not ultimately win, thanks to some frustrating refereeing, dodgy defending and wasteful finishing, the performance was extremely positive. And it stemmed from the shape that Emery implemented: a 4-4-1-1 out of possession with Aaron Ramsey in behind Alexandre Lacazette.

Indeed, in his press conference after the draw, Emery was keen to praise his team for their process, if not their result:

"“I am proud of the players for our work. You can win, lose or draw. We played like a team, feeling together, pushing individually and collectively. The adaptation to the match was good. Our moments in 90 minutes, they were strong also. We could win this match.”"

The promising display from Arsenal is vindicating of Emery and the work that he has put in on the training ground. Over the past few weeks, there has been clear progress made in how the team has played. The shift to a lone-striker system, the introduction of a third central midfielder and two genuine wingers, a more intensified, organised press, allied with a disciplined defence that is smartly concerned with the distances between each player.

And on Saturday, the work that Emery has done in the week was clear. Nacho Monreal and Shkodran Mustafi played conservatively and intelligently. The midfield was composed, deep, compact and self-aware, with Lucas Torreira introduced at the break, presumably in a pre-planned substitution to provide some extra legs. The wingers worked hard to track the overlapping Spurs full-backs.

The best way to describe Arsenal’s performance would be well-drilled, and that is a testament to the coaching of Emery. And this is the plan that the club entrusted itself to when they hired Emery in the summer to succeed Arsene Wenger. They wanted a more hands-on, instructive approach, one that gave clear demands to the players, that implemented a system to be executed, not for the more creative, artistic Wenger way of years past.

The Unai Emery plan is working. Arsenal are improving as a direct consequence of the work that their head coach is putting in. And Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Spurs is further proof of that.