Arsenal: I’d rather rehire Unai Emery than try Mauricio Pochettino

Arsenal are interviewing managerial candidates, and can I just say I would rather re-hire Unai Emery than take a stab at Mauricio Pochettino?

Arsenal have had all of two matches without Unai Emery and, if you can believe it, things have gotten worse. While Emery began this seven game winless streak, Freddie Ljungberg has continued it and stretched it to nine, with his last two being the shiny turds at Norwich and at home against Brighton.

The thing about Freddie is he didn’t get that new manager bounce back that nearly everyone expected. It always seems to happen, and for Freddie it didn’t. Maybe that’s because he is doing all the same things Emery did, maybe it’s because there are too many bad apples in the orchard.

Whatever the case, we need a new manager in a hurry, and apparently, the chiefs at the club are already interviewing candidates, particularly those without a job, since that’s essentially what they’re limited to.

Which means that we’ve talked to Mikel Arteta and Mauricio Pochettino (and my dream, Max Allegri). Because they aren’t talking to Nuno Espirito Santo or Brendan Rodgers.

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Let me tell you, I would rather re-hire Unai Emery and pretend like we never fired him than go after Pochettino. There are just so many categorical flaws with Pochettino as a manager that I can’t wrap my head around how anyone would want him at our club. Go to United or Bayern—I was so rooting for it to happen. But he’s still out there, lurking like a vulture.

Two big things. 1. Pochettino is the master of skirting blame. According to him, he’s never made a mistake, and if you don’t make mistakes, you’ll never learn. That’s a problem. Unai Emery learned from mistakes. He even stopped starting Sokratis and David Luiz as partners, though it took him too long.

Emery knows when he’s at fault and he owns up to it. Pochettino never would.

And have we forgotten that 2. Pochettino has never won a thing. Not a thing. This, for me, is the ultimate sign that he should not ever manage our club. You really want to get someone who maxes out in second place? He’s had so many opportunities to win and he just hasn’t.

Unai Emery has. He’s won legitimate titles with legitimate teams.

So yeah, call me crazy if you want, but I’d sooner re-hire Unai Emery and apologize for firing him then bring on Pochettino.