Arsenal
Food for thought: Why Unai Emery must stick to his philosophy at Arsenal and mould the players
Why Unai Emery must continue sticking to his philosophy at Arsenal
Under the new era of Unai Emery, Arsenal have begun the season with two defeats and a win. The Gunners lost to Manchester City and Chelsea but then managed to notch up a promising victory against West Ham United. Given the fact that the Spaniard is trying to bring something new to the team, it goes without saying that it will take time and patience from the people to succeed.
When it comes to appointing new managers, there has always been a debate as to who should be more flexible. Should the manager adapt according to the players he inherits, or vice versa?
The clear answer is the latter because a manager/coach is hired to freshen things up at a club that’s struggling to win games.
At a high level, football works in a way that the gaffer must be at the top of every player. In fact, he should impose his philosophy and work towards adapting to the style of the league. In due course of time, it will help him figure out as to who suits his requirements and who does not.
Emery’s system will take time for implementation
Perusing the system deployed by the new Arsenal manager, there is a stark difference when compared to how Arsene Wenger used to make his team play. Emery’s system involves high-pressing with a high defensive line and passing out from the back in extreme cases. Incidentally, these aspects were not witnessed at Arsenal before this season.
Wenger’s prolonged presence at the club had shaped many players to suit his system. Hence, it would take time for almost everyone to either adjust to the new high-energy system or get shipped out of the club if Emery thinks they are not good enough.
Unai Emery
The young Matteo Guendouzi, who was bought this summer, is excelling in the midfield simply because he is fresh to the ideas and possesses no past relationship with the club. On contradictory lines, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil have struggled to press at the right moments since they were not used to doing so in the previous regime. As a result, they were replaced relatively early into the game against Chelsea.
Verdict
The modern-day game is all about winning and business is a part of the deal. But there has to be a way and foundation on which the success should be built upon.
And that is precisely why Emery has moved to north London. To extract the best results, he must not adapt to the players he inherited. Instead, he should impose his own philosophy and expect them to follow sooner rather than later.
Read More: 4 goals and 6 assists – Unai Emery will regret letting this Arsene Wenger signing leave Arsenal
Emery must think about the bigger picture at Emirates stadium. Thus, Arsenal fans should continue to be patient and wait until next summer to slowly see the “Emery-team” in action.
Arsenal Women host Manchester United on Saturday in a crucial six pointer for Champions League qualification. The Gunners sit just one point above United in the WSL table and victory at Emirates Stadium would give them a strong buffer, while defeat leaves them playing catch up in the race for Europe.
The match marks Arsenal’s return from the winter break following a busy week that saw Renee Slegers sign a new contract and Jodie Taylor promoted to Technical Director. However, the immediate focus is on securing three points against Marc Skinner’s side in what promises to be a tense encounter.
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT, Saturday, January 11, 2026
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Cooney Cross Absent For Personal Reasons
Arsenal will be without Kyra Cooney Cross who has returned to Australia for personal reasons. Daphne van Domselaar is not quite ready to return from a quad injury while Chloe Kelly remains out with a knee problem. Jenna Nighswonger will not be in the matchday squad as she negotiates a loan move.
New signing Smilla Holmberg from Hammarby will be in the squad alongside recalled goalkeeper Naomi Williams. Manu Zinsberger and Katie Reid are out with ACL injuries. The absence of Cooney Cross means Mariona will likely drop into the deeper midfield role she has occupied for much of the last year.
United Strengthened in January
Manchester United have been busy in the transfer window, adding full back Hanna Lundkvist from San Diego Wave and centre forward Lea Schuller from Bayern Munich. Skinner was dealt a poor hand over the summer with a very small squad handling Champions League qualifiers and the group phase.
Predicted Lineup:
Arsenal (4-3-3): Borbe; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Mariona, Maanum; Mead, Russo, Smith
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis Joyce; Lundkvist, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti; Park, Malard, Awujo; Schuller
Also read: Arsenal Women disable social media comments after sexist backlash to new signing
Arsenal confirmed on January 9, 2026 that Jodie Taylor has been appointed as the club’s first ever Technical Director.
The 39-year-old former England striker moves up from her existing role as Technical Services Manager, a position she has held since September 2023 following her retirement from professional football.
Taylor’s promotion comes on the same day Arsenal announced Renee Slegers’ new contract extension through 2029, creating a strategic restructuring of the women’s football department.
A Decade Long Arsenal Connection
Taylor’s relationship with Arsenal spans ten years since first joining as a player in 2016. She scored 10 goals in 17 appearances during her initial spell before returning on a short-term deal in March 2023. Taylor earned 50 plus England caps during her international career and won the Golden Boot at Euro 2017.
She represented her country at the 2015 Women’s World Cup finishing third and played for multiple elite clubs including Lyon, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns and San Diego Wave throughout her career.
Strategic Structural Development
Taylor’s new role bridges critical areas of football operations including recruitment, analysis, coaching and performance support. She will work closely with Renee Slegers on a daily basis as the Technical Director, providing structural support for coaching decisions and squad development.
Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley praised Taylor’s appointment as integral to continued development of the program as Arsenal challenges for major trophies consistently. Wheatley will now focus on upward management across UEFA, FIFA and domestic boards while Taylor handles day to day operations.
Building a High Performance Environment
Taylor expressed immense pride stepping into her new position, emphasizing Arsenal’s remarkable growth over the past decade. She committed to nurturing a high-performance environment where players, coaching staff and support teams have the right tools to deliver at the highest level.
Her appointment represents investment in female leadership within Arsenal’s technical infrastructure, aligning with the club’s commitment to developing their women’s program systematically and strategically moving forward into their next phase.
Also read: Arsenal Women disable social media comments after sexist backlash to new signing
Arsenal confirmed on January 9, 2026 that head coach Renee Slegers has signed a new long-term contract extending through the summer of 2029.
The 36-year-old Dutch coach was previously due to exit at the end of the 2025-26 season but now commits three and a half additional years to the club. Her extension rewards an extraordinary debut season where she guided Arsenal to historic UEFA Women’s Champions League victory after beating Barcelona 1-0 in the Lisbon final.
From Academy Player to Champions League Winner
Renee Slegers’ connection to Arsenal dates back decades. She played in the club’s academy as a teenager and watched Arsenal claim their previous Champions League trophy in 2007 from the stands. Her return to the club came in summer 2023 as assistant coach following two years leading Swedish club Rosengard where she won back-to-back Damallsvenskan titles.
She stepped into the interim role in October 2024 when Jonas Eidevall departed and impressed immediately with an 11-match unbeaten run. That performance earned her permanent appointment in January 2025, and by May 2025 she had delivered historic Champions League glory.
Arsenal’s Long-Term Vision
Slegers told club media that her journey from academy player to Champions League winning head coach represents immense pride. She stated the club has much to achieve together in the coming seasons. Arsenal Director of Women’s Football Clare Wheatley described Slegers as an elite coach with capabilities to lead continued title challenges.
Chief Executive Richard Garlick praised her impact driving standards and progress toward consistent top-level competition.
Jodie Taylor Joins as Technical Director
The announcement accompanied confirmation that former England international Jodie Taylor has been appointed Arsenal’s first ever women’s technical director. Taylor, who retired in 2023 after two Arsenal playing spells, will work closely with Slegers on recruitment, analysis and specialisation. Her role bridges previously disconnected recruitment and technical departments creating stronger operational cohesion.
Arsenal continues their title defence facing Manchester United on January 11 with five trophies remaining in play this season.
Also read: Arsenal star Kyra Cooney-Cross returns to Australia after mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis
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