Emery talks about confidence, the fans support and adapting to Leicester City
The Arsenal boss Unai Emery was in a talkative mood at Friday’s press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Leicester City and in all fairness, did not duck any of the difficult questions. The boss admits that confidence is the priority, that it has to be recovered, and that is a step by step process.
“The first target is to recover our confidence. We can build on this confidence each minute, each hour, each day, each week – and above all we’re training and we’re looking for a big performance for the three points” Emery said.
But it is not just about confidence, Emery wants the fans to get behind the team and stressed the importance of being together and to feel a connection saying,
“I think it’s very important to be together and to feel a connection with our supporters. We’re doing all we can in training and in each match we’re playing. Sunday is a big match to show them our good spirit and also our wish to win the three points against Leicester”
Emery highlighted the threat that Leicester City poses and that we must first and foremost be fully prepared, however, he also said we must also adapt to their game.
“Each team is very difficult home and away. It’s our preparation with respect but also thinking about how we can fight to battle them. Individually for Sunday the first target is to think in our capacity and be consistent defensively and offensively. We need to adapt to them, but I think both are very important. We need to prepare ourselves and also adapt for them”
Emery is of course right, confidence is the priority, without that we are beaten before the game even starts but I am not sure he needed to reiterate the importance of the fans support, we always support the team and it is the team that is letting us down.
I am also not sure about adapting to Leicester’s game, they should be the ones adapting to our game, we have to pressure them, put them on the back foot and make them change their game and not the other way around.
Emery says all the right things but in all honesty, his words are starting to come across more as soundbites than instilling confidence.
Does he have enough time to get the players confident again?