There is just one more game to go for Arsenal this season, the Europa League final against Chelsea in Baku on the 29th of May and Unai Emery has laid out exactly how he will be approaching the next 16 days.
Preparation is key, players need to maintain their fitness, avoid silly injuries and get themselves mentally right and Emery has decided that treating the period before the final as an international break is the best way forward.
‘We prepare like when it’s an international break,’ he said.
‘We will have two days off and for the first week we will not be thinking about the final.
‘We will train three days in London and then next weekend we will have it off and then we will start on Tuesday in London with three days training preparing with all of our focus on the final.
‘We will go to Baku three or four days before the final, Saturday I think, and prepare for the match over the last three training sessions. ‘It’s the same as when we have an international break.’
Seems like a solid plan to me, certainly better than taking a break in Dubai because that never worked out too well did it.
Chelsea, in their wisdom, have a friendly planned for the 16th in Boston, USA, against New England, lunacy simply does not cover it but it is their choice and they will have to live with any repercussions from such a boneheaded decision.
The Arsenal players will be well drilled, well trained and well prepared and it will come down to whichever team puts in the best performance on the day and the next 16 days will be key to that and for me, I reckon Emery has got it just about right.