Martin Keown blames Unai Emery for Arsenal’s loss of the title
There’s a lot of factors that go into a football season and it’s not very often that you’ll see a team go a whole season without any issues or losses (obviously except for the Invincibles) and when you come so close to getting what you’ve been fighting so hard for, to only just fall short, it really hurts.
When we look at the bigger picture of this season as a whole, it seems very disappointing. Yes we walked way 2nd and were almost able to clinch the title out of Manchester City’s hands, but ultimately, we walk away from this season with nothing but a charity shield, which makes you feel like we’ve somewhat underachieved.
Former Arsenal legend Martin Keown, who himself was a part of the Invincibles, spoke on TalkSport after the final day of football about Arsenal missing out on the title, and said this ““They [City] have that luxury, Arsenal are a developing club, you go into a fight with Man City, if Arsenal manage a draw and they don’t lose to Villa they can be champions. So they went there to pick up those necessary points up because they know if they get beat, it just wipes Arsenal out and City do it again.”
“I think the reason Arsenal didn’t win the league was because of Unai Emery – he takes six points off of Arsenal.
“I’m going to say this because I genuinely feel this that he’s like the swan on the surface, very calm, plays against his old team respectively but below the surface he’s desperate, those little feet are going like crazy to beat Arsenal and he’s managed it, he stopped Arsenal winning the league.”
“It’s ironic, I played for both great clubs, and Villa have just been amazing. They started the season by conceding five goals and they finished it by conceding five goals and in between they’ve ended up top four, but they’ve had a massive say in who won the Premier League this year. But the level City have set, they set the benchmark and I think Arsenal are catching up very quickly.”
“If I’m an Arsenal player now, you go away, you think about it, you use it as oxygen, you come out of the ashes and come back firing and you keep going until you win.”
And personally, I agree. I think were very close to catching up to City, but it’s the games we lost that we should have won that have held us back from lifting the title. The game against Villa and the game against Fulham really set us back and if we could have walked away with 3 points from both of those games, we would have taken the title.
It’s just the little things and the mentality that needs to change for us to have any glory, we are still a very young squad and I can see a great future with these players and manager, I think it’s just going to take a little bit more patience.
But I’m not sure we can put all the blame on Unai Emery, do you?
Daisy Mae
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KEOWN is NOT blaming Emery at all. He is simply saying that Emerys talent helped deny us the title. It was one among several other games that, when combined, DID utlimately cost us the title.
I think it far more accurate to say our stupid and needless draws at home to Fulham and at home to Spurs, both early season, were the most costly of all our dropped points.
Our last 18 games apart from VILLA were practically perfect and in no sensible way can we blame our second half season form at all .
It was spectacularly good, in reality!
I think the author misquote the point keown is making. He never mean emery cost us the league but loosing 6 points to his team cost us the league.
I believe the difference in both statement is quite obvious.
Errr how can this be a misquote?
“I think the reason Arsenal didn’t win the league was because of Unai Emery – he takes six points off of Arsenal
We can’t blame Unai Emery for our losing he title his season. But blame ourselves Arsenal for losing it.
Arsenal losing to win the title this season, I think is still down to their lack of full experience to win the league.
If Arsenal had have the full experience on how to win the league. They would have taken their destiny in own their hands. When winning the league title was in their hands to win it with just some few matches left to play to the end of the season.
Our home Aston Villa match cost us the title win this season. Because it was in that match Arsenal allowed the control of the league to slip off their hands. As they were over focusing on knocking out Bayern Munchen at away from the Ucl quarterfinal. But they never regain the control of the league up to the end of the season.
Emery certainly was the manager of the season! To do what he did, with so many injuries, while being in Europe was remarkable considering the size of the squad and experience level.
@PJ-SA
Real Talk…He’s done an amazing job motivating his players.
We were the only team to do the double over Leicester that season, yet they still went on to win the league. Just sayin…
My choice for the manager of the season too!
We can’t blame Unai Emery for our losing the title this season. But blame ourselves Arsenal for losing it.
Arsenal failing to win the title this season, I think is still down to their lack of full experience to win the league.
If Arsenal have had the full experience on how to win the league. They would have taken their destiny in their own hands. When winning the league title was in their hands to win it with just some few matches left to play to the end of the season.
Our home Aston Villa match loss cost us the title win this season. Because it was in that match that Arsenal allowed the control of the league to slip off their hands. As they were over focusing on knocking out Bayern Munchen at away from the Ucl quarterfinals. But they never regained the control of the league up to the end of the season.
I was asked about UE and whether he would have finished higher than 8th the season he was sacked and MA came in.
While it can never be truly answered, if judging the man (UE) on what he achieved as a manager before taking the job as coach, to what he has also achieved since as a manager the answer seems to be yes.
But I think he had lost the dressing room, at least with the older players and if I am being truthful, most of the fans at the Emirates as well.
So Mk’s observations make complete sense to me and, along with Martinez, a point, or six, was made.
But some of you guys made it absolutely impossible for Emery to do his job. Don’t you remember those days when some of us tried to give him enough time to completely reshape the squad but some of you weren’t having it?
You refused to give him enough leeway.
I agree with you and, to my shame, I was one who reacted negatively to him, especially after he failed to secure a CL place.
In retrospect, it became clear that Unai was trying to be successful with his hands tied behind his back.
I wish him every success in the future at villa, except against The Arsenal of course.
@ken
I just hope that the Emery / Arteta scenarios taught us a lesson.
The Wenger Emirates days taught me a lot of patience. If I was as patient with us not challenging for the title for all his Emirates time then giving new managers at least two or more seasons to enact their vision was nothing to me..
We are all grown adults and we should be much more mature in our perspectives. Lets think with our heads rather than with out hearts (emotions).
Patience and looking at things in a macro and micro levels instead of just looking at only one aspect..
That has been my whole take on Wenger, Emery, Arteta.. Give them a bit of time. With wenger I was patient for about 10 years then started questioning him and myself.. I thought he would come good again hence why I was patient for more than 10 years.
Can’t argue with that Goonster, well said 👍
Goonster
I am not with you on Emery at all. He had a pretty good CV and it was all looking fairly rosy until the nuts and bolts part of the season. He had Wenger’ s fifth place to improve upon and failed to capitalise on 2 very good chances
What is more, it went rapidly down the toilet before his sacking the following season. I asked previously if he could have brought back a better than 8th position after Arteta got the job and I very much doubt that he could – even if he had been made manager rather than the coach. Of course, that is my opinion and many would argue against it. There are a couple of similarities between his season at Arsenal and his finishing weeks of this season at Villa. Top4 can’t be ignored but the mini breakdown at the end of the season and failure to at least make the final of the most minor European trophy definitely mimics it
Sue, dont forget, the injuries that Villa had, the burnout, because they dont have a squad to challenge on all fronts. And it may have been the wooden spoon cup but Emery won the Europa 4 times. Villa getting 4th was probably the achievement of the season.
Reggie
I understand the respect that has come his way as I did point out Villa getting CL football, and yet at the end of the season before last we were as a group discussing the failure to beat City after having a sizeable lead – a bunch of bottlers and Arteta being referred to as a fraud in one case. The gulf between their 4th place and 3rd was 14 points and over 20 points behind us. There is no mention of the pack behind them showing weaknesses- the likes of Chelsea, Spurs and Utd.
I know he had won European trophies but for some reason couldn’t with us or Villa. Until recent weeks, we had injuries to key players too. In some minds, it’s ok to regularly criticise Arteta but Emery gets plaudits. The Villa team were not a bunch of duffers – just lead by one who can only cut it in Saudi. Well that’s how I see it so far, and next season Emery can show me how wrong I am and I will willingly stand to be corrected.
We spend on a completely different level than Villa. Emery can not win every year and rvery trophy. Fact is he has a fullish trophy cabinet. I dont know how you can dis his managerial achievements.
His real achievements though have been at Europa League level but not further. PSG was a different dynamic altogether, and didn’t bring about European silverware, but I do not underestimate gaining 4th place but have qualified that by noting that the pack who finished behind AV were usually stronger and this past season have been unexpectedly weak.
All I am saying is that I am yet to be convinced that he has what it takes to go one step higher and win well in England. He made a horlicks of it at Arsenal when all is said and done and I recall you as much as me, calling for his removal.
He now manages at a club where there will be investment and a higher profile for him so let’s see where it takes Villa next season
I do agree that our player investment is currently higher and that has produced a team that is truly competitive and lead by a man who is equally competitive
What mini breakdown? They had secured 4th with a game (or games) to spare.
This is why I have huge respect for Ken who doesn’t try to justify his feelings back then but straight on admits he might have misjudged the circumstances.
Whilst you merely mentioned it and instead chose to put emphasis on European results (unsurprisingly because he didnt win it, I wonder if he won it you would have downplayed it as a minor and easy trophy), his securing top 4 is the most impressive achievement last season.
HH
Please read my reply to Reggie
Frankly, I don’t care if you respect my views or not. They are my opinions about Emery, and I have held them for some time. I am yet to change them, but as I pointed out to Reggie, I am happy to be impressed next season by his work at AV if he continues to do well.
As for the minor trophy scenario, for a team that you describe finishing comfortably in 4th then I would at least have expected Villa to have made the final. They were expected to win it and not bow out poorly in the semifinals.
Also
I suggest you look at their recent league record which should give you an insight to what I meant.
The 5-0 loss to Palace. The 4-0 loss to Spurs. The draw at home to Liverpool. Draw with Brentford and Chelsea. Loss against Brighton
Aston Villa had an iffy end to the season and really benefited from Spurs poor run.
Aston Villa were beaten in Europe’s third tier competition one they were favourites for.
Emery has done well for Aston Villa, but these are all also relevant in assessing AV’s year.
Villa have way over achieved.
Yes we know Emery is human and Arteta is god.
Villa simply had no business finishing 4th, not even if Pep, Klopp or Arteta was in charge for the first season.
No one out of 58 members in my league prediction group got the top 4 prediction right because of Villa. All predictions for 4th went to Newcastle, Spurs, Chelsea or Utd. Not a single soul saw Villa coming at the start of the season. First time in the group’s history we had no winners and are still debating what to do with the prize pool
I suggest you back Aston Villa for next season as part of a rollover
It would have been difficult before the season started to predict that Aston Villa could get into the CL. However, the way the season played out meant there was always a chance of a team other than the usual suspects coming through. There is every chance any of those could have got Aston Villa into 4th given the resources they have and the relative floundering of the other teams expected to compete for CL places.
@SueP
May be we all come at things from a completely different perspective.
To me what I wanted after the Wenger era was a New manager to come in and start cleaning out all the deadwood we had accumulated. I wanted that manager to be backed so that we could start afresh. I was ready to be patient as long as that manager showed strength and progress.
To be honest I was just ready for an immediate clearout of the squad as a had lost any confidence in the core squad we had back then.
The squad / players were very weak, poor attitude and kept embarrassing us with those embarrassing scorelines against the other big clubs. They did under Wengee, did it mser Emery and Arteta too. So I came to a logical conclusion that it was the players. Hence why I decided to back Arteta over any of them. I felt that Emery showed weakness and a lack of character when those players were taking a piss out of him. He let the poorly behaved players and our fans dictate. Then the higher ups also lost it. But I feel that if our fans had been a bit more understanding towards Emery and the situation he was in then may be the rebuild process could have began earlier..
So in the end I was okay for Emery to be fired only because he showed too much weakness dealing with egotistical players and out fanbase. I knew he was not the man only after the way he let the problem players and fans get to him.
But then entered authoritarian Dictator Arteta. He was the type of personality that I thought Emery would be. That disciplinarian type that I was hopping to take over from Wenger. Completely different personalities and attitude..
But that’s all in the past. We moved on. 😊👍
Goonster
Good points indeed
I’m not anti Emery per se but a man with a damed good CV and years of experience has to take some responsibility for the results that befell Arsenal. It looks as though the bruising he received has stood him in good stead at Villa. I’m just not convinced YET that UE is a truly top man.
@SueP
I understand. I am not an Emery fanboy myself but I always like to see things in a much more objective way. I now believe that Emery was the wrong man for us after the way he showed that lack of leadership, control, a backbone and balls during his time here. He let the players and fans dictate while be was meant to be the one to dictate what he wanted.
Hence when Arteta came in and put his foot down I got on the Arteta train straight away. I felt that we needed an authoritarian dictator like Arteta at the time. Wenger was too nice and those players absolutely took advantage of his niceness.
I felt that the whole club needed a wholesale revamp after wenger. I wanted the next manager to come in and start the clearout straight away. I was ready for a completely different from the incoming manager as I knew that we were deluding ourselves about the players we had at the time. They were poor and had to go.
I wanted Pochettino at the time. 🤣🤣🤦♂️
Goonster
I so wanted Pep but he went to City. (This is before AW departed). After that, I had no clear cut idea at all. It wouldn’t have been Arteta as he had no track record but here we are with him and it’s looking positive
Losing home and away to Villa was poor and a massive factor in us losing the league. Emery seems to revel in smacking Arteta and Arsenals arse.
Why are Peeps so sentimental here😒
He is PLAINLY blaming Emery and though an embarrassing statement, he is RIGHT.😒
If you watch the Villa’s match at the Emirates stadium, it looked as if Emery wanted to beat us as Revenge for his sacking 4 years ago, than pursuing 3points for Aston Villa.😕
Of course he is NOT! He is merely stating the fact we lost six points to Villa. We also lost five to Fulham.
ALL points we dropped contributed to our not winning the Prem as is OBVIOUS, to much to Keown as also to the rest of us. BAR YOU, IT SEEMS!
Nothing whatever to do with “sentimentality” and everything to do with reality!
Silly to use the word blameagainst a manager who was just doing his job. Please interpret carefully.
Undoubtedly losing twice to Villa was a big blow- particularly at home when we were on a roll.
To say that’s where we lost the league is palpably not correct as all the unexpected draws etc over the course of the season are significant as well
Exactly SueP – if we had beaten West Ham and / or Fulham we would have won the PL.
What annoys me about the villa results is it spoilt our excellent record against the top six clubs at the end of the season.
Yes it did Ken1945.
The loss to Villa was significant because we had been so steady but at least that didn’t spark a meltdown
What people are forgetting ken, is the change in formation and moving Jesus to striker. Ignoring all the stats saying we performed better with Haverz and any other at striker, than playing Jesus as striker. It plainly didn’t work. That also.
True Reggie – there are a few flaws we can identify in hindsight… or queried as they were taking place of course!!
The bottom line though, is that we are in a very good place, financially and on and off the field of play.
I remember saying on JA that, if we qualified for the CL again, it would be a second successful season and we run city 115 so close, it’s gauling, but, strangely, I’m not deflated in the least!!
I strongly believe that MA and Edu will strengthen the squad even further, while city 115 will, finally, be hauled up for questioning.
I don’t agree with those who say it hasn’t had a bearing on the PL – total nonsense – just ask Everton and Forest if they agree with that sentiment.
Is villa a top six club? They’re not talking about the position but the traditional top club in England base on consistency.That doesn’t involve villa mate
Yes, for me, Unai Emery was a key reason for us not clinching the EPL.
I’m so angry at him. He took us to Europa final and made a whole mess of it. He went to Villareal and won it with a less quality team.
He could not get top 4 with Arsenal but has gotten it now with Villa.
He is probably not a manager that can work with too many expectations.
At PSG, he made a mess of 4-0 first leg lead in UCL.
The very reason he could not achieve the silverware you mentioned was because Arsenal players have a very fragile mentality and lack mettle. The attitude of players like Ozil permeated the club and rottened it. If we had players with the right attitude, we, at least, qualify for the champs league. Villa and Villareal players are far more dogged than ours.