It is two years to the day that Arsenal parted ways with Unai Emery and it is surprising how little of his 18-month influence on the side can be seen in the present-day iteration of the club.
In fact, not a single player signed by the Spaniard started in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Newcastle. The ten permanent signings made during the two summer windows in which Emery was at the club were represented by just four sitting on the substitutes bench.
Granted, Emery was the first to begin giving senior minutes to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe, particularly in Europe, however, his signings have been near-entirely replaced.
Only Kieran Tierney stands out as a player who could be starting in the current setup over Nuno Tavares. Although the Portuguese has impressed in his starts for the club bar an immature mistake against Liverpool.
Stephan Lichtsteiner, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and David Luiz have left. They are likely to be joined by Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira and Bernd Leno whose futures are very uncertain at this stage. In fact, the Frenchman’s loan to Marseille includes clauses that near-guarantee his sale in 2022. William Saliba is still yet to play a single minute of senior Arsenal football.
Club record signing Nicolas Pepe was left on the bench on Saturday. Instead, Saka was replaced by the other most likely long-term survivor of the Emery era, Gabriel Martinelli, against Newcastle. Arteta seemingly proving the Brazilian has overtaken Pepe in the pecking order with his substitution and goal on Saturday.
However, Arteta’s gradual takeover of the group has spawned a discussion regarding the aforementioned Tierney. Initially taken out of the side for Tavares due to illness, the Scot has returned and is fully fit.
Even after Tavares’ mistake against Liverpool, the 21-year-old kept his place for the match with the Magpies.
The evidence of squad turnover revolving primarily around the players associated with Arteta’s predecessor is very clear and obvious for all to see.
However, Tierney has continued to be one of the most consistent and important parts of the Arsenal squad during both Emery and Arteta’s time in charge.
Tierney too is a big admirer of Arteta and has even labelled him a ‘genius’ in the past.
“We know what he wants to do, and we’re getting – well, we hope we’re getting better every week and hopefully the results show that,” Tierney said speaking in March of this year.
“It wasn’t going to be something that would just going to happen straight away because it’s a process.
“The manager is a genius. A football genius. You can see we are all loving working under him and me especially, I love it.
Whether Tierney’s view remains the same the longer he remains on the bench is certainly something to consider but not for too long.
Tierney is one of the league’s best in his position and rightly should come back into the side for the trip to Old Trafford. Tavares showed at Anfield that his inexperience can lead to mistakes under intense pressure.
Having two great players in the same position is a problem but a great one for Arsenal to have. For too long have positions been comfortable for Arsenal starters.
Tierney and Martinelli may have been signed by Emery, but Arteta is showing that if you’re good enough and willing to fight every week to play you’ll stay. Which likely says more about the players who have left than any theory regarding favouring players signed under Arteta’s tenure.
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