Arsenal: Freddie Ljungberg moves club forward

On Sunday afternoon, Freddie Ljungberg takes charge of Arsenal for the first time. The interim head coach is leading the team forward intoa new, post-Unai Emery era.

Arsenal fans got what they wanted when head coach Unai Emery was given his p45 on Friday morning.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Emergency: Unai Emery sacked

After weeks of mind-numbing football and atrocious results, the decision was long in the making. Now, the club can spin forwards and hope for the future.

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The performance may now improve. Some attacking football might be played. Players will now hopefully play in their right positions. The shackles will be released. I am certainly intrigued to see what Freddie Ljungberg can bring to the table as interim manager. He did a great job with the youth players as under-23 head coach last season, and the likes of Bukayo Saka and Joe Willock all speak extremely highly of his character and coaching.

Ljungberg will also command the players’ respect. He is a legendary player, a serial winner, and he will certainly be keen to bring the club back to the level it was at when he was playing. His first words to the team after Emery’s sacking, ‘stick together and play for the shirt’, wouldn’t have fallen on deaf ears. This is a man who will not be ignored.

Per Mertesacker will be alongside him in the dugout. He might not have the same playing pedigree and standing as Ljungberg, playing during the underwhelming latter Arsene Wenger years, he is still an extremely popular figure at the club, is a strong voice, and has been the head of academy since his retirement 18 months ago.

Spinning forward, it remains to be seen what will come of the permanent head coaching position. Whoever is named will be not universally popular, and given the names that have been linked, there is a vast array of characters and candidates, some of which will appeal to certain fans and others which won’t.

There is the experienced Premier League manager at a smaller club like Nuno Espirito Santo or Brendan Rodgers, the risky ex-player who might be the next great coach in Mikel Arteta or Patrick Vieira, and finally, there are the big-name European stars like Massimiliano Allegri, Carlo Ancelotti or even Mauricio Pochettino. There is something for everyone, which means that whatever decision is made will not be universally popular.

Despite that, Sunday’s match against Norwich City the start of something new for Arsenal. This the time for hope, optimism, ambition and support. The club is moving forward, and that can only be a good thing.