Tonight marks the final act in a trilogy of Arsenal-Chelsea games this season that Unai Emery hopes will complete the Gunners’ journey back to Europe’s elite.
It would have been easy for the Spaniard to compromise his beliefs in pursuit of a little early momentum after being pitched against Manchester City and the Blues in his opening two competitive matches as Arsene Wenger’s successor last summer.
City eased to a 2-0 victory, oozing the class which would ultimately lead them to regain the Premier League title, before Arsenal visited Stamford Bridge for a match which tested Emery’s commitment to playing with a high-line, high energy and high pressing.
At a ground where the Gunners had won just once since 2008, he did not flinch. That approach contributed to a ludicrous affair in which Arsenal were 2-0 down but could have been four adrift, rallied to be level at half-time but had enough chances to have led and ultimately lost out to an 81st-minute Marcos Alonso winner.
It soon became clear that Arsenal under Emery (below) would be fun for forwards but distressing for defenders.
“I am a very committed offensive coach,” he told Standard Sport. “With me, every striker gets a lot of goals in all the teams — in Almeria, in Sevilla, in Valencia, in Paris St Germain. Usually, my strikers have their best goalscoring season with me.
“This year we did a lot for our attacking moments and it ended with [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and [Alexandre] Lacazette finishing with a lot of goals and a lot of assists.
“But you need to have the balance. Critically, we need more from the defence, from the centre-backs, from everyone. But okay, it’s a balance. The balance is to reduce — but not lose — our capacity to attack, while getting better in defence.
“An example is the second match at the beginning of the season against Chelsea. This is the example. We were very offensive, we were attacking a lot and had a lot of chances to score, but we also gave them a lot of chances.
“I think the process over the season was getting better, but it is not enough at the moment. Our challenge for the next match and next season is to correct that.”
Arsenal went on a 22-game unbeaten run thereafter, as Emery’s ideas began to take shape and the Gunners attacked the big games with a renewed sense of purpose.
January’s 2-0 League victory over Chelsea at Emirates Stadium, through goals from Lacazette and Laurent Koscielny, encapsulated the balance Emery is aiming for. That game came in the midst of what Blues boss Maurizio Sarri last night described as a “very difficult” period in which Chelsea were also beaten heavily at Bournemouth and City.
They have struggled to consistently replicate that blend of clinical attacking and resilient defending, but their Europa League semi-final win over Valencia — 7-3 on aggregate and including a 4-2 win in Spain — again accentuated the positives and Lacazette and Aubameyang arrived in Baku having scored 50 goals between them.
Arsenal’s defending, generally, remains a cause for concern, but that deadly strike duo give any opponent cause for concern and Emery readily embraces it.
“From the moment I first started as a coach I wanted to win, but not just 1-0, 1-0, 1-0,” he said. “I would prefer to win 5-4!
“Why? Because for the spectacle and the supporters — what is the best expression for them? ‘Gooaal!!’ That is best emotion. At home at the Emirates we can show our huge spirit and energy.
“And I like a lot the pressing. I also think we can improve and do that better. But a big press needs energy. Yes, we still need balance and it is a long process. But my idea as a coach is good positioning, good pressing, good pressing, good pressing. Energy for attack, but also balance for defence.
“But if you say to me, what would I prefer, 1-0 or 4-3, I would say 4-3 — sorry for my goalkeeper! That’s the way I think. I grew up like that.”
This evening’s third and final meeting between the clubs this season offers Emery a chance to validate the work done in his debut season at Arsenal: qualify for the Champions League after a two-year absence and cement his status as the Europa League expert. His three successes with Sevilla were secured with final scorelines of 0-0 (4-2 on penalties), 3-2 and 3-1. So, are we in for another entertaining showpiece tonight?
“The final? I would prefer to win 1-0,” said Emery. “A final is different!”
