Premier League week 12
Arsenal lost at Leicester 2-0 and at a disappointing 6th place with just 17 points and only 4 wins in the first 12 matches. With a third of the league played the top 4 race seem already to be unreachable as there is a eight-point gap between the Gunners and Manchester City at the 4th place.
Coach Emery has failed to bring Arsenal on top of the league and although they reached the final of the Europa League last year, the team needs to play in the Champions they have not for the past few years. Slowly but surely Arsenal is becoming a second tier club in England. Would a change of manager bring a new dynamic?
Coach Emery comments on the loss:
We can be disappointed with the result but with the attitude of the players, they did the game plan we prepared for. We started the first half by having chances by controlling the game, and at the start of the second half too, in our moment like we wanted. They created some chances too and when they scored the first goal, that’s when we lost the opportunity to do something in that match.
On being behind top 4:
It depends because now Chelsea and Leicester are with Liverpool and Manchester City – they have got a difference between them and us. But also, we have Manchester United and Tottenham behind us. It’s been a very equal competition with a lot of teams, but really now the difference that Chelsea and Leicester have created with us… they’ve had time to be consistent. The competition is 38 matches and now we are behind them with nine points difference. It’s good for them but we have time to achieve and recover that difference.
We need to feel stronger at home, at the Emirates. This is the first way I want to achieve that and I want to do that with the players. If we can feel strong at home, take confidence and take points with a good performance, I know we will achieve points and good matches against every team. The next match is our challenge now at home. We haven’t lost at home but we have drawn matches where we lost points and the possibility of being better in the table.
His personal situation:
We are receiving criticism but I know that’s my job. I’ve had lots of moments like that but I’ve recovered by working to get confidence, being together with the club and players.
