Arsenal 3-1 Valencia: 5 Talking Points and tactical analysis

#1 Unai Emery’s love affair with the Europa League rages on

Emery signals he knows how to win Europa League games

Unai Emery was brought on board by Arsenal to replace their long-standing manager, Arsene Wenger in the 2018 off-season. The Frenchman’s last years in charge had seen the Gunners stagnate and subsequently miss out on the Champions League.

Thus, the Spaniard’s primary task for the 2018-19 term was to ensure Europe’s premier club competition was back at the Emirates in 2019-20.

However, the Gunners have slipped and stumbled in the Premier League and currently find themselves fifth in the league. At the moment, they are a couple of points adrift of Chelsea with only two games left. Hence, qualification for the Champions League courtesy the top four seems a distant possibility.

However, Arsenal has another avenue to get into the UCL namely the Europa League. Fortunately for them, they now boast of a manager who knows a thing or two about the said competition.

Emery catapulted himself into Europe’s elite with a troika of Europa League triumphs with Sevilla. In the process, he became the first manager to lift the trophy in three consecutive seasons. And it seems he has brought his nous of the tournament to North London.

Throughout the season, Arsenal has looked a disaster waiting to unravel in the Premier League. But, somehow they’ve managed to paper over those cracks in Europe.

At times against Valencia, the Gunners looked all at sea. However, they found the extra gears when it mattered and eventually outwit their Spanish counterparts.

Though the tie is far from over at 3-1, the Gunners would surely back themselves to get through to the final in Baku.

Over the course of their European campaign, Arsenal has been scratchy on numerous occasions. Yet, like one of those fabled love stories, Emery has found ways to keep his relationship with the Europa League intact.

After all, that is what the greatest fairy tale love narratives teach us. And the Spaniard and the Europa League is certainly up there with the best.