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Arsenal and Chelsea both hired new managers in the summer. In north London, Unai Emery arrived at the Emirates Stadium to take over from iconic long-serving boss Arsene Wenger. Meanwhile, ex-Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri usurped Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge.
In many ways, the situations both clubs found themselves in were comparable. The Blues, like the Gunners, had fallen out of the Champions League, both were looking to their new coaches to implement a new style of play, and both were undergoing something of a shift in identity.
Now, as both bosses come towards the end of their first campaign in charge, it’s time to assess their work so far.
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For both the Spaniard Emery and the Italian Sarri, this has been a season of many ups and downs, with progress and setbacks both occurring in almost equal measure. Both have come under pressure at times, and also had great triumphs. However, the question of which set of fans ought to be happier with their lot so far remains.
This report card seeks to asses both managers’ impact and influence so far, in order to decide which club made the smartest appointment in the summer.
Emery – Arsenal
Arguably, Emery came into the bigger job – in terms of the scale of the task ahead of him. The Gunners were replacing a legacy manager, whose power at the club was almost unrivalled and whose ideas and philosophies were ingrained in the very foundations of the Emirates Stadium.
Towards the end of Wenger’s tenure, the club’s fanbase were divided and tensions were running high as the attendances slowly dwindled. Emery’s first task was to restore some positivity, togetherness and goodwill at the ground, which he achieved by virtue of the clean slate that his arrival provided.
The 47-year-old also had to update and upgrade the team on the pitch in terms of playing style and personnel. His budget was limited, but summer signings Bernd Leno, Sokratis, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi all must be considered a success. Tactically, the Gunners have also been far more versatile this season.
However, several old weaknesses still remain, including the club’s frailties when playing away from home, and a general lack of defensive solidity. There’s also still plenty of deadweight in the squad to shift, with the likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Mohamed Elneny and Carl Jenkinson still on the payroll but offering little in terms of return on investment.
Much of Arsenal and Emery’s season has been overshadowed by the Mesut Ozil saga. The talismanic German playmaker is the club’s highest-paid player, having signed a lucrative new deal mere months before Emery’s appointment. For £350,000-a-week, the 30-year-old No. 10 ought to be leading by example on the pitch. Instead, he’s on the fringes of team.
Rumours of a bust-up between player and coach have been reported, Ozil has been mysteriously absent from the matchday squad on more than one occasion, and he is serially benched for high-profile games. Considering the World Cup winner is such a superstar and on astronomical wages, Emery’s handling of this situation could define his tenure.
Whilst there’s been plenty of progress, and encouraging performances against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, there remains a lot of work to do and kinks to iron out. However, the fact that Arsenal are still in the top-four race is positive and offers hope to expectant supporters.
FFC rating: 7/10 Sarri – Chelsea
That Chelsea won the Premier League title in 2017 and were reigning FA Cup champions when Sarri took charge suggests that the west London outfit were already much closer to being a top team this summer than Arsenal. However, that assessment would neglect certain key factors.
The likes of Willian and Pedro are ageing, whilst the lack of a clinical striker – given Alvaro Morata’s woeful form – meant that the Blues were in dire need of a major overhaul. What’s more, the level of funding Roman Abramovich once supplied was no longer available. Chelsea now needed to operate on a budget.
The arrivals of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and Kepa Arrizabalaga laid the foundations of Sarri’s new-look side, but the failure to bring in a prolific forward until the January loan arrival of Gonzalo Higuain hampered the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Sarri’s main issue, though, has been successfully integrating his preferred style of play. The 60-year-old is not a versatile coach – which Chelsea would have known when offering him the position. He will not change his ideals to suit the squad, instead, they must bend to his will, meet his demands and execute his instructions.
These tactical shifts have caused some ripples of discontent amongst the fanbase, as Sarri’s side have wrestled to get to grips with the manager’s philosophy. For instance, Jorginho’s deployment at the base of midfield has forced N’Golo Kante – perhaps the world’s best defensive midfielder – into an unfamiliar, advanced role.
Performances have been inconsistent, and the Blues have been on the end of some embarrassing defeats, including a 4-0 home loss to Bournemouth and a 6-0 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Manchester City.
Perhaps Sarri’s greatest low, though, came on the night that may have provided his greatest high. Chelsea produced a fine performance in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City – a mere fortnight after their six-goal drubbing – to take the game to extra time. As penalties approached, Sarri attempted to substitute ‘keeper Kepa – who had twice gone down injured – with back-up shot-stopper Willy Caballero.
The £71 million glovesman refused to come off. In an extraordinary, irate exchange, the 24-year-old No. 1 refused to back down until a furious Sarri relented. The game went to a shootout and City prevailed, with Kepa failing to keep out a weak Sergio Aguero effort that he got a hand to. The whole affair overshadowed a fine performance and was an undignified public flouting of Sarri’s authority.
Chelsea’s form has been solid since this incident, but the manager’s situation remains on a knife-edge. However, the Blues are on course to compete down to the wire for a top four spot, have already reached a cup final, and are progressing comfortably in the Europa League. Yet, it all feels very tenuous.
FFC rating: 6/10
With Arsenal and Chelsea both fighting each other on so many of the same fronts this season, the battle between these two coaches could be season-defining. Whilst in the race for the top four and in terms of Europa League progress both clubs are neck and neck But, due to what’s been seen on the pitch in general, Arsenal fans have just a few more reasons to be cheerful.