Arsenal boss Unai Emery has praised his Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola.
Emery says Guardiola is an exceptional tactician when it comes to exploiting spaces and added that the use of space and player positioning when attacking is an idea that sets the former Barcelona above the rest.
“I have followed his development closely, I study him. I like how he plays in attack to defend: good use of space, going forward, attacking in a way that means you are well positioned in defence. I analyse Pep, but also [Jose Luis] Mendilibar, Alcaraz and Javi Lopez.” Emery said.
The former Sevilla and PSG man further opened up on his relationship with the Catalan outstanding coach saying they have had conversations on phone and he respects him quite a lot.
“Yes, it’s cordial. We have spoken on the phone before and I appreciate and respect him greatly. Do we have different styles? I don’t know. You can get pigeonholed in football but sometimes unfairly. I have two coaching models: Pep and Simeone and they say they’re opposites. It could be true in terms of the layout of the team, higher or lower, or how they arrive in the box. But I like things from both, then with my own personality.” He added.
Emery’s Arsenal lost to Manchester City in their league’s opening match before the London club went on a thirteen winning streak thereafter.
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