Tony Adams has admitted we have to give Unai Emery a bit more time, after backlash to his comments on talkSPORT slating the new boss’ methods.
After just one game against the champions of England, Adams was already prepared to jump in and have a go at Emery, explaining what he’d have done better if he was manager.
“I don’t know what he’s been doing for the last five or six weeks,” Adams ranted. “He’s been rotating all his players and given them all a game. And they have got some good results but it is pre-season.
“From minute one I would have picked my goalkeeper and my back four and put the two players I want to screen them in place [so] you’ve got a firm base.”
Fans were understandably annoyed at the comments, and Adams backtracked in an Instagram post, admitting we still need to give Emery time. He then went on to throw Freddie Ljungberg under the bus for the Arsenal u23s defeat to Manchester City, but at least the first part showed some self-awareness.
The initial statements from the former Gunner on Emery were particularly bizarre considering the new head coach couldn’t possibly have done what Adams suggested.
Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka only returned at the end of pre-season, so Emery couldn’t put them in front of the defence ‘from minute one’ of Arsenal’s preparations.
The same applies to the back four, where Sead Kolasinac got games at left-back before injuring himself, and Nacho Monreal picked up a knock just at the wrong time as well. That’s before we get into the fact Emery probably didn’t know his best back four until he had the chance to test each of them in a match situation.
Arsenal will get there eventually, but unnecessary extra pressure from club legends doesn’t help matters.