Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal: Unai Emery – We Need To Improve Defensively

By The Editor
on 29th December 2018

Unai Emery faces his sternest test to date after Gunners take a beating at Anfield…

Unai Emery is facing his toughest test yet as Gunners boss as he attempts to rally the troops following our 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool on Saturday.

Heading up to the league leaders was always going to be a tough test, yet it was painful to see all our defensive frailties laid bare in one game.

The talk about Unai Emery’s Arsenal was that while we seemed more competitive and aggressive across the pitch, the same defensive frailties remained.

We’ve been conceding a number of chances each game, regardless of the opposition and it’s the kind of achilles heel you can’t mask against a team like Liverpool.

Despite taking an early lead after a positive start through Ainsley Maitland-Niles, we shipped in four goals before half-time and each one could’ve been prevented.

Emery accepts there’s work to do, and he even cited Jurgen Klopp’s men’s rise over the past three years as an example.

“I think we started well with the first goal and then they had the difference with attacking moments, determination and quality. We couldn’t stop this moment,” the Spaniard told BT Sport.

“The second half we wanted to little by little impose ourselves to find one goal but another penalty closed the match.

“[It is a] Bad result. This loss we can use to be better.

“We know we need to defensively get better.

“Liverpool have progressed a lot and it is an example for us.

“By having a big demand of ourselves, but also with time and calm, we need to do this progress.”

Arsenal are a club known for giving managers time, but this is our first foray in the modern era and the pressure will increase on Emery if results and performances like this persist.

We need better quality in this team but Emery isn’t the kind of manager who demands much from the board which will only mean more pressure on his shoulders.