The call for Arsenal’s manager Unai Emery to start bedding in other players is becoming louder and louder with every passing week. There are still questions asked about why certain players are not starting games and why some are.
Emery did mention in his press conference that all players in the team are important and they will get game time ahead with the games coming thick and fast after the international break. There will definitely come a time when the Gunners play 3 matches within the space of 7-8 days, so he will have to rotate his squad for that. Here is a look at 2 players that need to start getting game time on the pitch.
On 19 June 2018, Arsenal announced that the German had agreed to join them for a fee reported to be in the region of £22.5 million on a five-year contract. Apparently, it was clear that Unai Emery needed a young and modern goalkeeper who can provide stiff competition for Petr Cech. Emery is not wrong on this one. Leno became a regular in the first team of Bayer Leverkusen after a string of impressive performances in 2017 which resulted in the club giving him an improved contract that was set to keep him at the club until 2018.
Emery’s style of play which involves goalkeepers playing out from the back needs a modern goalkeeper like Leno who is good with both feet. German keepers have shown over the years that they are ball-playing goalkeepers. The likes of Marc-André ter Stegen and Manuel Neuer have shown that, and Leno needs to be given a chance to prove he can. I think he is going to get it.
Petr Cech is a great goalkeeper, no doubt about that, with loads of experience and one can understand why Emery starts him in goal. However, at some point, he may not have a choice but to start the German and if he impresses, Emery will have a big decision to make.
Opposition teams put pressure on Cech who seems uncomfortable playing out from the back and until Cech gets used to the style, Leno should be given a chance to impress, just as Lacazette is doing already.
It is understandable that Unai Emery does not want to start two young and inexperienced midfielders Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira at the base of the midfield to protect the back four, as they look lightweight in appearance. It probably explains the reason Granit Xhaka has started more games than Torreira. The Swiss international has a much more physical presence than either of Guendouzi or Torreira.
However, Guendouzi has been a little off-color in recent games especially in the last two games where he had to be substituted.
Unai Emery should look to partner Xhaka and Torreira in midfield in upcoming games and give the talented youngster a much-needed breather. Let’s hope that Emery does the needful to improve the team’s stability and balance. COYG.