Arsenal Vs Valencia: Unai Emery is right to be wrong

Unai Emery has described Arsenal’s Europa League semi-final with Valencia as a ’50-50′ game, despite holding a 3-1 lead from the first leg. He is wrong, but he is also right to be wrong.

Unai Emery is the master of the Europa League. The last three times he managed in the competition, he won it. The last time he lost a Europa League tie was April 2012, when he was the manager of Valencia, falling to fellow Spanish side Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals. In fact, the only team he has ever lost to across two legs in the knockout stages of the competition is Atletico Madrid, also falling to them in 2010 Valencia.

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And now as Arsenal manager, the Spaniard is again leading his team into the latter stages of the competition. Against that very Valencia, the Gunners took a commanding lead in the semi-final with a 3-1 first leg victory on Thursday night.

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After the match, Emery was asked about how he saw the tie moving forward:

"“In the first leg we wanted to get a good result, knowing that it would be difficult. We took our moments and the goals in the first half gave us confidence. We wanted to win and not to concede a second goal, but we also had to play. The third goal came at the end and for us it was important, but [the tie] continues to be 50-50.”"

The importance of the third goal, and the confidence that Alexandre Lacazette’s first-half brace inspired, was a sentiment that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the scorer of that third goal, echoed:

"“I hope that third goal will be important. We started a bit nervous because we lost the last three games, I think that’s normal. We are human, but after that, we had a good reaction.”"

Now, Emery and Aubameyang are both correct in their assessment of the importance of the third goal. That completely changes the complexion of the tie. But Emery’s assertion that the contest is now a ’50-50′ match is obviously not true. Just look at the bookies’ odds if you don’t believe me.

Nevertheless, this statement illustrates his eagerness and steeled, winning mentality in this competition. He is unrelenting, and despite his team clearly having the ascendency in the double-legged tie, he is repeatedly stating that they have not got the job done yet and that Valencia have equally as good a chance of qualifying for the final.

These are mind games. He is preparing his team for the second leg, ensuring that they do not grow complacent. He is wrong — and I suspect that if you drilled him on it, he would admit as much — but there is a reason to it. And that is why he has so brilliantly successful in the Europa League throughout his career: he understands how to mentally his prepare his team.

Arsenal have consistently looked more European-ready this season under Emery. And that is no coincidence. It is little managerial messages like this that make the difference. Emery is at again.