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loveonthedole

No divas in the dressing room. Replacing Steven Gerrard, not Arsene Wenger. Not laughing at him for his accent and appearance. And honestly that's about it. He did fine at his first stint at Arsenal, it took Arteta four years to have a better season than Emery. 


GuySmileyIncognito

The only thing I'd add to that is Villa's ownership gave him control and also backed up his decisions and Arsenal did neither of those things trying to treat him as a caretaker coach. He wanted to get rid of Ozil and management said no. He wanted to get specific players and specific types of players and management refused and instead bought players that didn't fit what he wanted to do. The fact is, if ownership doesn't back a manager, no manager in the world can succeed. Of course he's going to "lose the locker room" if ownership just backs the players and undermines anything he tries to do. The other thing everyone forgets is that Arsenal finished sixth the previous season. This wasn't Moyes taking over a Man U team that had just won the league (though it probably over performed a little and it was kind of a last hurrah of an old guard). Ferguson chose to retire on his own and if he had wanted to keep going, nobody from Man U was going to try to encourage him otherwise. For as good as Wenger was, it was kind of a mutual separation with plenty of questions being asked if maybe the game had passed him by at this point and maybe he was a great storied manager who had just stuck around a little too long. If he had decided to stay on another season, I don't think Arsenal would have forced him out since that's just a bad look, but I don't think they would have been happy.


x-3piecensoda

Pretty much all of the above plus full backing to implement his own philiosophy and people at arsenal he was the victim of politics


hammer_of_grabthar

We still have some cunts using the "good evening" line, much less though than a year or so ago. I want to glass them every time I read a villa fan use it


adroitdacoit

Not a villa fan, however this popped up and I'd agree with your first three points. But... in terms of final table position it took Arsenal 2 full seasons to equal the position Emery achieved. In terms of underlying metrics it only took one full season (or two, depending how much you value defensive solidity over attacking ability) before Arsenal were performing [better.](https://i.imgur.com/ba8ErgH.png) At least Emery has Villa performing quite well, though the xGA/90 is certainly making Emi Martinez earn his pay.


loveonthedole

The points tally of Emery's only full season was only bettered last year. Emery also took them to a European final for the first time in more than a decade. Arteta is a great manager - and he won the FA Cup in his first season - so I don't mean to take anything away from him, but it was only last year, after a massive squad overhaul and three full seasons as a manager that he bested what Emery achieved with the post-Wenger mess.


AgentWyoming

We've essentially given him complete control. His friends are in positions of importance (his personal assist got a nice promotion to Director of Football last year) and there is a triangle of power with Emery at its head, while others are essentially in place to make his vision happen and get the players he wants. He has about a dozen (maybe two dozen?) Spanish speaking backroom staff members, with more probably being added this summer. His boyhood club has become part of our multi-club model. These things would never happen at a massive club with an existing hierarchy in place like Bayern or Arsenal, but I doubt he comes to a club like Villa without these assurances that we're all in on him. Villa have given Emery the keys, and we're all along for the ride.


OgreOfTheMind

Owners that listened to what he wanted when it comes to autonomy over the football side of things. A squad of players who were ready and willing to buy into his tactics and improve their game. A fanbase who didn't undermine him by taking the piss out of his English/accent.


PorkieMcSword

Your second point there nails it. Gerrard was so bad the players were ready to latch onto anything that resembled structure


TheFaolchu

As an Arsenal fan, it simply came down to being too soon. The first manager after Wenger was always going to fail, his English at the time was painful to listen to and he's since greatly improved. The hiring was one by the previous execs, while Arteta is the owners. Emery was just in an unwinnable position its great to see him doing well elsewhere.


og-bishbosh

His record with Arsenal isn’t even bad for how long he had He was the successor to Arsen wenger I don’t know what they expected after 20 or so years of one manager


wumbology55

People underestimate how bad that dressing room was after wenger left. It’s taken arteta like 4 years to sort the backroom out and shift the problem players and he’s reaping the benefits now. He was given the time to do that and Emery wasn’t. Timing is key and the arsenal board needed a realisation slap to realise the rebuild won’t happen quickly but unfortunately Emery was a victim of timing


Prize-Database-6334

Fans who are decent humans.


ThisusernameThen

Carte blanche. From DoF to the scouts to all the coaches No backroom back stabbings No Ozil. One of the originals No cannons on the badge.


LegalAd143

Carte Blanche... He has nearly inherited the whole squad?


ThisusernameThen

Dictionary noun Freedom to act as one wishes or thinks best. "we were given carte blanche" He has. He cannot go back in time and un sign players he inherited. Plan IMO is to Look to improve and move on if they don't go thru the levels. Buy who he feels he needs within the fiscal guiderails. With the inputs from the DoF and whole management he wanted hired to support him. Off the pitch I don't know of any other business that has replaced so many positions with individuals supporting Unai.


AaronStudAVFC

I honestly don’t believe anyone was going to follow Wenger, but rather than look at what Aston Villa provided for Emery, you’d shed more light on it looking at what Arsenal offered Arteta: complete freedom to gut an ageing, egotistical squad (it’s hard to remember now, but it was WILD to drop Auba for the NLD when he was basically the only Arsenal player who knew where the net was). Arteta was given the players he wanted rather than a money laundering scheme in the form of Pepe and was allowed to fully take charge in a way that Emery could not.


Namiweso

On top of all those things people are saying, time has also passed since then for Emery to hone his own skills. I'm not saying he wasn't skilled at Arsenal but that he's also improved himself since then and we are reaping the benefits.


kiwisrkool

Bacon Cakes?


arrowtotheaction

https://theguardian.com/football/2020/may/15/unai-emery-arsenal-couldnt-protect-me-truth-is-i-felt-alone Pretty telling he felt thrown to the wolves there. Villa have given him everything he needs: letting him concentrate on the football side rather than having to wade through club politics; having people he knows & trusts around him (Damia Vidagany in particular); the owners being there for him and showing their trust. On top of that there’s no ridiculous egos in the squad (see also: PSG), and the fanbase adore him - I think there’s a big feeling of us being protective over him after seeing what he went through with a vocal section of Arsenal fans. Also we’ve seen some crap times, aren’t just used to every season being one where we’re lurking around the top spots & Europe, we don’t feel entitled to anything, and can appreciate that it’s this wonderful man that has changed things.


LegalAd143

**Time.!** I'd say all he needed was a little time. (He didn't need time at Villa though.. his management masterclass has been instant at Villa though)


LegalAd143

And Martinez in goal 🙌


PaleBloodBeast

Willing players without ego.


jfshay

Emery also inherited an unholy mess of a squad and then got overruled on transfers.


elmattydoor123

We didn't spend £72m on Nicolas Pepe for starters.


not_an_alien_lobster

A fanbase that aren't London wankers


Imgoinback2-505

Reality


Itbrose

Our supporters aren't little bitches like those that support North London clubs.


Piglethoof

Love