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UNAI EMERY says there will be no quick fixes at Arsenal and hints it could be years before he gets his team right.
The Gunners boss is already starting to feel the Emirates heat after struggling to impose his ideas and philosophy at the club.
Reuters
And his stark warning comes at a time of escalating behind-the-scenes uncertainty which is threatening to derail any chance of a return to the Champions League.
Head of recruitment Sven Mislintat is set to quit after just 14 months in the job.
And the club are ready to launch yet another backroom shake-up by appointing a sporting director to establish their style of play.
Defeat at home against Chelsea on Saturday would leave Arsenal seven points adrift of the Premier League’s top four — and they would be relegated to sixth place if Manchester United take even a point at home to Brighton.
Reuters
It would also raise further concerns about Emery’s stalling ‘project’, with many supporters becoming increasingly alarmed by the lack of progress.
But the hard-line Spaniard is confident he retains the full backing of his Arsenal bosses to rebuild the ailing team he inherited from Arsene Wenger.
Emery told Sky Sports: “At Arsenal it’s maybe the first time I feel that I have the support to build up from the bottom in order to get where we want to be.
Getty – Contributor
“That allows us to work more for the long term and supports the kind of work we want to do here. After my experiences in Spain, Russia and France, I believe that people at Arsenal see football from the heart in a very distinct way.
“The question of whether you win, lose or draw is still important but there is always a respect for the football beyond the result.
EPA
“That means you can do a more progressive job building the club without thinking only about results, because sometimes a result can hide solid foundations.”
Yet Emery, 47, knows his pleas for more time will soon wear thin if he cannot halt his team’s recent slump.
He admitted: “As a manager, I have always put myself under the pressure of the necessity to win.
“You know that winning allows you to either continue what you are doing or find another project.
“And you know that if you lose, they will take the project away from you.”
EPA
Arsenal’s 22-match unbeaten run earlier this season masked many of the team’s deficiencies — and the honeymoon is now well and truly over for Emery.
His constant tactical changes have confused a number of players and he has struggled to communicate his ideas on the training ground.
He has such little faith in his leaky defence that he has adopted an increasingly cautious approach to games in recent weeks.
And many people within the club do not agree with the way he has ostracised top earner Mesut Ozil.
Emery has not forgotten how he was undermined by Brazil superstar Neymar in his previous job at Paris Saint-Germain.
Reuters
AP:Associated Press
Now there is a feeling within Arsenal that he is trying to establish his authority by taking on the club’s star player, who earns £350,000 a week.
He also endorsed the decision to withdraw the offer of a new contract to Aaron Ramsey, with the Welsh midfielder now set to sign for Juventus as a free agent.
And it is understood one of the factors in Mislintat’s imminent departure has been the feeling that his authority has been undermined.
When Arsenal paid £1.25million compensation to get Mislintat from Borussia Dortmund in November 2017, he was assured that he would have complete control over signings.
PA:Empics Sport
But both Emery and head of football Raul Sanllehi have been submitting the names of potential new recruits in recent months.
And with Arsenal now also looking to bring in a sporting director, Mislintat feels his role does not have the importance he expected.
Ex-Gunners midfielder Edu was a candidate for the sporting director’s position after impressing as a co-ordinator for the Brazilian FA.
But, in another blow to the Londoners, he appears to be edging towards staying in his current job.
Back on the pitch, Emery’s immediate concern is getting his team back on track against Chelsea after taking just seven points from the last six games.
Rex Features
Even relegation-threatened Newcastle have conceded fewer goals than Arsenal this season and Emery concedes he is struggling to plug the leaks.
He said: “There are things we have managed to improve but there are other things that need more time, and defensive consistency is one of them.
“I don’t want to lose all the good things about this team. But we must achieve greater defensive solidity — and there is a lot of work to do on that front.”
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