Premier League 2018-19: 5 things which Unai Emery can change in the current Arsenal setup

At the end of the 2017-18 season, Arsene Wenger left Arsenal and along with that left behind his 22-year-old legacy having several ups and downs throughout his tenure. The new manager appointed by Arsenal was ex-PSG manager Unai Emery.

Emery has already tasted success with Sevilla winning three consecutive Europa league titles and also winning the Ligue 1 and 4 domestic cups with PSG in France. The Arsenal board gave clear indications that it was Emery's attention to detail of the current Arsenal players that convinced them to hand him the job over the other contenders.

But in the current season, having already suffered 2 losses to Chelsea and Manchester City and accrued two victories over West Ham and Cardiff, it's clear that Arsenal still need a few changes.

Here are 5 things which Unai Emery can change in the current Arsenal setup:

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#1 Make Bernd Leno the first choice goalkeeper

It's time to hand Leno starts in the league

The current first-choice goalkeeper is the 36-year-old Petr Cech and is clearly past his prime now. The fact that Cech is liable to make a mistake every other match has proven costly for Arsenal in the previous season as well.

But the problem is not just in terms of goalkeeping, it is in terms of how Emery likes his teams to play- building up from the back. In this style of play, Petr Cech has proven to be a casualty. He is susceptible to weak passing and poor ball control as has already been demonstrated in the first few matches.

So, its better for the arrival from Bayer Leverkusen to get his due and he would be an upgrade both in terms of goalkeeping and ball possession.

#2 A Lucas Torriera and Granit Xhaka central midfield duo

Lucas Torriera (right) celebrates after assisting Lacazette's winner against Cardiff

In the first few matches for Arsenal, Unai Emery has preferred to have Mateo Guendouzi in the starting XI along with Granit Xhaka in the central midfield pivot. Both the players have looked adept at times in handling the difficult situations, both of them have seemed clueless at times when under pressure from quality attacks in Chelsea and City.

The 22-year-old Uruguayan international Lucas Torriera was brought in from Sampdoria by Unai Emery. It was a wise decision as Torriera has proven himself for both club and country alike that he has it in him to perform and give his best at the topmost level.

He was arguably Sampdoria's best player in the previous season and he should be given the first choice over Guendouzi. There is no doubt that Guendouzi will improve continuously and is a player worth having in the squad; Torreira though needs first team football at Arsenal

#3 Play Aubameyang and Lacazette in starting XI together more often

Lacazette and Aubameyang are members of the mutual admiration society

While Alexandre Lacazette was brought in from Lyon by Arsen Wenger in the summer of 2017, after an inconsistent season, he found his place in the starting XI in doubt with the arrival of prolific goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund.

While Lacazette was plagued with injury problems of his own, he still managed to play in the Europa League eventually missing out on the French national squad for the World Cup. Aubameyang was largely the preferred starting centre forward over Lacazette.

But clearly as has already been seen this season, the best performances of Arsenal have come when the duo have played together - Lacazette as the primary striker and Aubameyang playing behind the Frenchman or on the left flank. Their strong bond also bodes well on the field.

#4 Get more defensive output from Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey

Ozil and Ramsey need to contribute more

It goes without saying these days that all players are expected to have a defensive contribution towards the team. The players, especially in midfield and forward players, are expected to press the opposing players and sometimes man-mark them closely in Emery's system. This can be vital against opponents who have a high technical quality.

Both Ozil and Ramsey provide little defensively. While going forward with the ball, they look glamorous undoubtedly but once the ball is lost, it is mandatory to make the follow-through run and track back. The likes of Paul Pogba, Coutinho and De Bruyne all do it and so should Ozil and Ramsey.

#5 Get more quality defenders in the January transfer window

Laurent Koscielny is recovering from injuries as of now

In the 2017-18 season, one of the major problems of Arsenal was in defence where apart from Koscielny, everything looked shaken. The Arsenal defence was in shambles last season as they failed to register points away from home on a consistent basis.

Sadly, even with the arrivals of Sokratis from Dortmund and Stephan Lichtsteiner from Juventus, the defence still needs to improve to compete in the Premier League and also participate in multiple tournaments. Unai Emery has done his part this summer with signing two good players but at 30 and 34 they look make-shift options. Arsenal should target at least two or three defenders over the next two transfer seasons to bolster their squad.