Arsenal and Freddie Ljungberg: The end of adaptability

In his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, interim Arsenal head coach Freddie Ljungberg said that he would set up his team to impose their style on Brighton. It is the end of the adaptability age under Unai Emery, and that is a very good thing indeed.

There is a great difference between managing a team that is simply looking to scrap their way to a middling finish and one that hopes to challenge for the highest places. Where lesser teams can adapt, change from week to week, attempt to contain the threats of the opponents and scrap and scrape their way to precious points, those looking to win consistently must impose their style on the opposition.

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This is what Unai Emery was never able to grasp as Arsenal head coach. A naturally conservative and defensive manager, he excelled in cup competitions where his tactical acumen allowed him to set his team up to win one-off matches against specific opponents. This is also why he had an excellent record against the top six in the Premier League.

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But when it came to imposing a style over the course of an entire season, stringing together series of victories that lead to high finishes at the end of the year, Emery struggled. He always wanted to adapt to the opponent; he never wanted to impose, to take the attacking onus, run with it and flourish. He was always too concerned by the opponent.

Ultimately, this was his undoing. His relentless tinkering confused the players, sapped any semblance of an identity out of his coaching, and it ultimately led to muddled performances and poor results. Emery adapted to his downfall.

His interim replacement, Freddie Ljungberg, conducted his first pre-match press conference on Tuesday prior to Thursday night’s league fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion. In it, he was asked on ‘the challenge that Brighton will pose’. His response was extremely telling:

"“Yes, I watched them a little bit, they look good, they change formations a lot, so we will see what they come with. They try to play out,  defend well, they look very organised but for me we need to concentrate on our own game. We play at home so I take into account how I think they will play but I have to develop the gameplan how we want to play football and that’s what I try to concentrate on.”"

Ljungberg turned a question about the opposition and their style and quality and turned in an answer that ended discussing his own gameplan and ensuring that his team execute their own strategy. That is the mindset of a manager — and former player — who understands how to lead a team that is challenging for the top spots in the division. It is starkly different to how Emery would have approached this match.

Whether Ljungberg has the time to truly implement the gameplan that he would like is doubtful. Only four days separate this match and Sunday’s draw with Norwich City. Ljungberg himself said that he would have maybe two sessions to work with his players.

Nevertheless, that very change in approach is refreshing. Arsenal should be looking to impose themselves on teams like Brighton. That is how they will finish in the top four and eventually challenge for the title. It is something that Emery never quite understood.