Arsenal: Like it or not, Unai Emery will get time

Unai Emery is yet to convince many of the Arsenal fans of his coaching qualities. But whether he deserves it or not, he will be handed time as the head coach at the Emirates.

It has not been the most positive start to the season for Unai Emery. Despite the encouraging results, with Arsenal having only lost one game all year, and that being at Anfield, the performances have not been quite so. And fans are quite aware of this.

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Emery has been heavily criticised amid the Gunners fan base for the underlying processes of his team. The results are largely viewed as unsustainable, the defensive mistakes are increasingly frequent and concerning, while they are yet to truly command a game, with all of their victories coming by just a singular goal.

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For some, they have had enough. In the most vehement of his critics’ views, Emery should be fired, either here and now or at the end of the season. And that is not the minority opinion that you might think. There are an increasing number of voices calling for change. But change will not be coming to Arsenal any time soon.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein hosted a Q and A on Monday afternoon. Being the resident media voice on all things Arsenal, many of the questions focused on the club, with a specific leaning to Emery and his future. First and foremost, Ornstein commented on the contract status of the Spaniard:

"“On the option – and I fully respect other people’s information – I’ve been told multiple sources that it’s a three-year contract without a break clause. I could be wrong, it’s just what I’ve been told when asking that specific question. Either way, the outcome of this season is likely to be pivotal.”"

Perhaps more importantly than the nitty-gritty details of Emery’s contract and future, however, Ornstein also commented on the general philosophy of the club, which will dictate how they manage the head coach role:

"“From what I gather they are happy with Emery. Josh Kroenke expressed as much when I interviewed him in August. Whether he is their man for the long haul is impossible to say. Much will rest on the outcome of this season. The club’s tradition is to stand by their managers and let them build.”"

Whether Emery is doing well or badly, at this stage in his tenure, is not all that pertinent to the club. Obviously, they will assess the trajectory of the team and make a judgement on whether they believe Emery can improve it, but they will also provide him with the time to absolutely prove his worth, one way or another. Even though there are worrying signs at present, Emery might be doing positive work, even if the outcomes have not yet been borne out of that.

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Emery will be given time, whether the fans want him to or not. It is the nature of the club.

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