Arsenal: 10 things we learned about Unai Emery in his first year

9. He doesn’t like flopping

Part of what made Arsene Wenger leaving so nervy is that, no matter what happened, Wenger always had such a degree of class that he stood head and shoulders above anyone else. He had so much class that even when he shoved Jose Mourinho twice, he didn’t face any punishment.

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It imbued a certain expectation of the managerial position at Arsenal Football Club, and I didn’t even think how important it was until it started to come to light that Unai Emery was very similar. Particularly in the realm of flopping.

Everyone hates flopping. But most fans will tolerate it for their own players if it benefits the team. It’s inevitable.

That said, Unai Emery was very clear throughout the season that when flopping occurred on either side, he was outspokenly against it. It was back in December that he spoke openly about three of his players earning bookings for diving during the match and his disgust was palpable.

Fantastic. I love it. Stop the flopping for the betterment of the game as a whole. Play the game honestly. It’s not too much to ask. And Unai Emery agrees.

On to No. 8