Unai Emery says it is a “requirement” for Arsenal to get back into the Champions League

Arsenal are (probably) set to play Vorskla in Kiev this evening, and a win will mean we go through as the Group Winners. Our Spanish coach Unai Emery is very keen to win it for the fourth time and he believes that to win this will be a stepping stone for the Gunners to return to the biggest stage, the Champions League. The boss said: “The first thing is the foundation,”

“When I was coaching in Spain there was the chance to play in the Champions League or the Europa League.

“The teams that have the possibility to win the Champions League are Real Madrid, Barcelona… by winning the Europa League, Atletico Madrid were able to take the next step and compete to win the Champions League, and indeed they played two finals.

“At Sevilla we didn’t have the chance to go on and compete to win the Champions League but we could compete to win the Europa League again. It’s about saying, ‘Where can we get to and perform as best we can? There. Let’s go then’.

“You have to focus exclusively and with great confidence on that possibility. Once you see that you can do it and you’re making progress, the team motivates itself because it’s a title and a European one at that.

“When you have the ability to compete in the Champions League – I had that in Spain with Valencia and then with Sevilla – but if you’re not a contender to win it or it’s more difficult to take that last step, the Europa League is always a place where you can express yourself and show what you can do.

“When I joined Arsenal, I joined an Arsenal team competing in the Europa League. That’s not the place the club wants to be, but it’s still an opportunity so we can’t sniff at it. We want to play in the Champions League because this club needs to play in the Champions League, but we need to understand that right now circumstances have meant that that’s more difficult for Arsenal.

“We want to get back there and that’s the requirement. The whole club and us internally need to be aware of that. That’s what we want, but to get there we need to get back to doing things that perhaps, that for whatever reasons, we weren’t doing in recent years.”

Emery has made it clear that his target is to get the Gunners back to their previous heights in the Top Tier, but I wonder how long the management will give him to meet it. Does he have to do it this season, or within the next three years? The Premier League is getting more and more competitive every season and the Top Four is far from guaranteed, so perhaps Emery himself thinks that our best chance of reaching his target is by winning the Europa League first. Can he do it in his first season at the Emirates?

Darren N

50 Comments

  1. We could see whether Arsenal are able to finish in top four or not after the next two EPL matches

    I’m more confident about Arsenal in Europa League as compared to EPL

      1. Nothing especial about Isco, Ozil is a better player. In real everyone looks good. Remember how everyone wanted milky and now people want him benched for Ozil?

  2. its a big ask from UE in his first season to achieve so much, he has inherited a big club that was neglected for years in upgrading our players, its a natural evolution that you have to keep investing in newer and better talent every year, just look at City even when they were awesome they continue to buy new players yes you could argue that Tottenham has not spent and are doing better then us but soon they will have the same problems as we do because there is already talk of their top players leaving,

    for Arsenal to be regular top four in the EPL we will have to spend 150M and even then no guarantees just look at Man-U, and if we are expected to win the EPL and reach finals of CL then another 250M on top there is no way Stan will bankroll that amount so we will have to buy players and hope they will become world class and that’s like same odds of wining the lottery

    just saying UE is a great manager we have to give him respect on what little he has to make do with and hope he stays with us when big clubs come calling on him

    1. The basic requirements for Wenger was to win the league and the champions league,now the basic requirements for emry is to make the top 4,yeaaa different strokes for different pole!!!I understand!!

      1. Forget the hypocrites. Let them prepare to experience true mediocrity and realise how much of a hard work it was to keep Arsenal punching way above their spending level in the last decade.

        1. Now kroenke is the reason we can’t win major trophies, I asked again was abrahimovic or the Arab billionaires the owners of AFC during Wenger’s reign?chill bro very very soon arsenal qualifying in Europe will be regarded as a massive achievement for arsenal,

      2. Top 4 was basic requirement for Wenger. Winning the league was not a requirement, otherwise he would not have lasted 14 years without EPL Title. Once he failed to get top 4 two years in a row, then thats when change was necessary, according to the actions of the owner. Emery is in first year, and hopeful he gets us into top 4, but it will be at the expense of either Chelsea or the Spuds.

        Tv revenues, kit deals, and sponsorship money is so much more than it has been over the last decade. With influx of tons of cash, top managers now coming to the PL, and the wages players get in England, its not an equal comparison. Wenger didn’t have 4 top managers to compete with as he did his last two years.

        His record against Sir Alex was not great, Jose owns him in head to head matchups, and now introduce Pep, Klopp, and Conte and its not a 2 or 3 horse race with managers anymore.

        Trying to compare the past environment of EPL with 2 or 3 good managers to the top competition of today is intellectually dishonest at best. Comparing Wengers last year to Emery’s first is more accurate in terms of managers and teams they were facing.

        Lastly with 6 teams fighting for top 4 spot is very competitive and difficult, as opposed to merely several years ago when Utd, City, Arsenal, and Chelsea were fight for top 4. Thats why comparisons going back 5 – 10 years are intellectually dishonest, the environment has drastically changed.

        1. I got what u r saying @ Durand Buh we have to understand that most of these summations are not based with facts, at the arrival of Wenger in england ,Chelsea had a very good coach @ Ranieri,man u had Ferguson, Liverpool had Gerald houllier and clubs like Newcastle,Everton and Aston villa were all very strong competitive, the EPL was equally very competitive @ that time, hope u haven’t forgotten that arsenal fc finished a distant 12th position in 1995 a year before Wenger was hired, it amazes me how we try to belittle someone’s success out of sentiment, the slide in futtunes of Wenger and AFC all have to do with d burden construction and payment of the emirate stadium, which happen to be a huge success, the coming of abrahimovic and mourinho corresponds with the time Wenger had to sell his best players to offset the emirate debts,while mourinho is busy skrecruting the best players in the world,sometimes from the crutches of AFC like case of right Philipps ,Wenger was trying to sell his best players yo offset a dept, there is no way Wenger could have competed with Chelsea and mou @ that time if not his ingenuity, Wenger dominated Ferguson in his early days, the batton changed during that austerity measure, of the top clubs in england @ that time Wenger had the hardest job,saying Wenger couldn’t cope with the influx of top managers is over hyped 2 klopp is yet to win a trophy in england and pochetino is also yet to win a trophy in england ,that doesn’t make them great, I don’t think this Liverpool side is a better team than the team of geralds,alonso’s, kuyt and Torres, I don’t also think that this Tottenham team is s better team than the team of bale,van der modrick etc who reached the quarters of champions league, Wenger battled a lot in his last years years alot of conspiracy theories ,blatant lies and biaseness, etc , conte never own Wenger and pep and man city was shoulder above every otter team in england, I will always give Wenger much for the magical things he did here ,he brought through proffessionalsm to this club, am sure the club will always be grateful, it amazes me how some @ old age only derives joy in fabricating lies against our greatest ever manager!!!

          1. I agree with much of what you say, you make excellent points. However, as rabidly successful and innovative as Wenger was in his first decade, he was equally myopic, stubborn, and arrogant his last decade. For example, he changed the nutrition and many behavioral aspects of our club, and many other clubs followed. I would say his greatest achievement at Arsenal was changing the way football was played in England. Thats a tremendous feather in his cap to be honest.

            His last several years he refused to change his approach, training, strategy, and tactics to keep pace with the changing nature of English football. We know this because of comments by players such as Bellerin and Mustafi to name two. They said they weren’t getting feedback or defensive coaching, and that their approach each week was the same regardless of their opponent.

            Emery is exactly opposite of Wenger in that aspect, and exactly what the team and fans need going forward.

            Last point I’ll make is the finances available to them. Neither one had the backing from Kronke to challenge for titles in my opinion, and as Wenger suffered through “self-sustaining” model, Emery will also suffer through Kronke’s “self-sustaining” cheapness. I only really fault Wenger for holding onto underperforming players far too long (Walcott, Ramsey, Gibbs, etc…), and for only spending 11 million with Cech and trying to sell idea that the team was good enough to challenge for title, when everyone and their dog knew reality to be otherwise.

            I’m grateful for what he did, but felt it was long overdue for him to depart; both for himself and our club.

            I try to be as honest and consistent with my opinions as much as possible, leaving emotional baggage to the side. I will defend Wenger when I feel he is done harshly or wrong, but I will also point out that he was responsible for the team and their performances leading up to his exit.

            Great topic and debate, and although off topic, I thank you Uchman for the conversation. I appreciate the chance to have a discussion with such a passionate supporter, and look forward to many more.

            1. You both make very good points. Who will ever forget AW’s first 10 years and the great teams he assembled and players he brought into the club like Viera, Petit, Henry, Overmars, Anelka, Campbell etc. etc. The sad thing is he stayed too long and became stale along with the players. But in my opinion he is still the greatest Arsenal manager I have seen and I wish him well wherever he goes.

            2. Great analysis @ Durand, I cherish ur non sentimental analysis, Wenger is never without faults, his blind faith in some non performing platers was actually one of them, paying less attention to the defensive side of the game was another, I also thought that he stayed far 2 long Buh seriously those fails should never replace the respect and love we have for him, it amazes me how pple will just fabricate lies just to bring some one down, its annoying, every successful human bring will always have one or two grey areas Buh the positives will always outplay the negatives,!! Respect bro

  3. So far, losing just 2 matches alone in all competition for Emery in his first season is a great start, and those 2 matches being against the previous winners of the league with one of the teams getting lucky against us.
    Emery’s going the right direction, however I don’t think the Europa would be an easy catch for us, last season was our best season to win it and we lost it. You’ll have crazy teams falling into the mix from the UCL and they’ll fight for it. We just have to show the world we want it more this time.
    I so much miss playing in the UCL, watching our games Tues/Wed nights.
    Thursday nights are so so boring and tiring. Plus I miss the serious competitions we get in the UCL

  4. What I like from Emerty’s quotes is the sheer common sense and dose of reality, which was so lacking in his predecessor for many years past. I feel our club is thankfully in the hands of hungry and determined PROFESSIONALS again. Apart from the snake who owns us of course! I also note that WENGER IS STILL OUT OF WORK NEARLY SEVEN MONTHS SINCE HE WAS SACKED. Tells us everything!

    1. Jon Fox, Arsene Wenger had loads of offers but has turned them down. He will come back at his own convenient time.

      Just keep cool!

      1. In his 70th year, he ought not to wait too long then , don’t you think! At least if he wants to think those who would play for him not to think he is a dinosaur. As if anyone could think that, eh! Not to mention the thousands of devoted but overcharged season ticket holders who deliberately and regularly left their seats empty only last season. They did not like dinosaurs either! Clearly!

        1. Jon Fox, you are talking about the most successful Manager in the history of Arsenal FC who won for us 17 trophies and oversaw the construction of the Emirates stadium.

          Think of that!

          1. Both your facts are wrong. WENGER WON TEN TROPHIES, 3 PREM and 7 fa cups. Community shields are pre season friendlies and one off games, NOT honours. WENGER HAD DESIGN IMPUT INTO THE EMIRATES, no more than just that. You are brainwashed and xclewarly very young too. Ever heard of Herbert Chapman who took our club from absolutely nowhere to a world class club?

            1. @Jon Fox, the only Arsenal Manager who may be compared to Arsene Wenger is he who wins for us the Champions league. The rest is hot air.

              I hope UE will do just that!

              1. So you think Herbert Chapman is hot air then , eh? If you actually think THAT , then you have NO IDEA of our history and should educate yourself. A FAN WHO THINKS HERBERT CHAPMAN, OUR LEGENDARY MANAGER IS “HOT AIR” (1925 -1934) IS NOT A TRUE FAN AT ALL. I could write much more telling you what he achieved with us and with Huddesfield prior to coming here but I would be wasting my time. You think it is “hot air”. I have heard everything now. What a novice you are! HAVE YOU EVEN HEARD OF HIM, I TRULY WONDER?

            2. Arsenal looked better to the banks with Wenger in charge.
              Wenger produced the players which Gazidis sold to pay for the stadium.

              You claim Wenger only had a design input is you talking out your backside again Jon.
              Wengers top four trophy helped pay for the stadium, did you forget that as well?

              As for your refusal to recognise the community shield, idiots can refuse the obvious… Doesn’t make it true.
              The community shield is a super cup, played between the winners of the two UEFA tier competitions, it is also recognised by the FA… Obviously.

              So if the FA recognise it but someone called Jon on a forum doesn’t then who should people listen too? The ones who run the show or some aged armchair fan?

              Lastly, what has Gavana age got to do with this? I respect Chapman but how many titles did he win? I am happy to recognise that it was a different era and we can’t say Chapman wasn’t as good because he didn’t win as many titles but one of the most highlighted aspect of success is winning stuff… Wenger won more than Chapman.

              1. Wrong and utter nonsense. The Charity Shields and Community Shields are NOT trohies, except to silly little boys like you who are desperate for the club to claim a pre season friendly as a trophy, so that lies can be told about how many “trophies” Wenger WON. Anyone who regards those shields as trophies is not worth further talking with. You really are desperate but at least try being honest with yourself. For once! The word “super cup” is merely an invented marketing tool and a more wordly wise person than you would know that full well. But the whole Chapman argument is far wider than mere trophies won. He was a true visionary in so many ways and died tragically young by catching flu watching a game in winter. He MADE our club, together with Sir HENRY NORRIS. When Wenger arrived here, we had already been a world famous club for over sixty years. And yet the foolish child you are trying to defend in your post called Chapman “hot air.” I am wasting my valuable time talking further to you and him AND HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO. SO GOODBYE!

                1. Don’t run yet man, Chapman was a great manager for us Buh Wenger is the greatest we v ever had both off and on the pitch, Wenger didn’t just stop at winning trophies ,he mad inroads in other areas that yielded great results, our yearly turnover was about 300,000 pounds a year Buh Wenger left it at over 400m pounds a year,we became more famous ,richer more valuable, more attractive and expanded beyond measures under Wenger, we conquered both the African ,Asian and north American market under Wenger, arsenal fc became one of the most loved, most cherished, and most appreciated club in england under Wenger, I know its very difficult for u to give credits, Buh facts remains facts, sure arsenal was a great club before the arrival of Wenger Buh Wenger made it a far greater and richer club!!!

                2. “Wrong and utter nonsense. The Charity Shields and Community Shields are NOT trohies, except to silly little boys like you”

                  Trophies not trohies.
                  I’m over 6ft, far from little.

                  The FA recognise it. It is a super cup and it is the winners from two UEFA recognised cups.
                  Yet you think people should ignore the FA and listen to Jon the muppet.

                  “And yet the foolish child you are trying to defend in your post called Chapman “hot air.””
                  You are replying to me yet I never said that. Twisting stuff much Jon? Got to put words in my post to argue against as you can’t debate the truth? Or are you just so stupid that you thought replying to me was also a reply to the other person?

                  “I am wasting my valuable time talking further to you and him AND HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO. SO GOODBYE!”

                  No Jon, your time is not precious, your a senile old fool who has nothing to do during the day so you come onto here and moan at people like the miserable old git you are.

                  You think the community shield isn’t a trophy, the ones who have their name on it (FA) say it is.

                  Jon, you are not an expert, you are a delusional old fool who is saying the FA is wrong and we should all ignore the FA when they recognise something as a trophy. We should ignore the FA and run to you and ask some senile old fool.

                  STFU.
                  Oooh, look, I used the convention of caps correctly in an online chat. Can you do that Jon? PMSL! Screaming at the end of your post like a silly little child.

              2. Tnx @ midkemma for saying the obvious truth, i kip saying it here that fabricating 20 millions lies can’t make up a truth, facts r facts, just the way he fabricates a lot of lies against Theo Walcott,calling him all sorts of names, on a good day I will call him out on that and ask him to give a proper explanation to that, @ his age i expect him to be more factual in his summations, Buh he. Kips fabricating lies upon lies! Its a pity through!

                1. Cheers 🙂

                  I have gotten sick of seeing a so called fan abuse our own players with such verbal bullying that I decided to stand up to an internet bully and if anything, I’ll bully him from time to time to try and make him see how it feels.

                  He will abuse fans who are younger than him and have a different perspective, like their perspective is wrong and his is the only right one to have because… age? I dunno.

                  I have (nearly) always explained my posts with him, trying to get him to debate and investigate what was being said but he refuses. He will say he doesn’t have time to waste but we all see him here day after day, wasting his time making irrelevant posts, yet he doesn’t have time to waste…

                  I hope one day he will either STFU or he will learn to use logic more than belief.

                  Sorry for long post 😛 lol

    2. @jon fox
      Agree 100% about Emery’s quotes. They show so much more realism and focus, than what AW could produce in his last 8-10 years. That alone is a big step forward.

    3. Stop saying shit against our greatest ever manager, Wenger said he can only return to work in January,having a breather after 22 tireless years with arsenal is never a bad one,he has never bn short of offers, he’s having a rest which he deserves, for 22 years that Wenger was with us no club with same or less budget did better than arsenal fc, its a joy to behold, 20 consecutive champions league football he gave us with very limited budget,is something that might not repeated in our history, am glad I witnessed those moments and I will forever cherish them, its becoming a big shame u can’t give a comment here without trying to belittle our greatest ever manager

      1. I see the brainwashing Wenger Guru still has his fervid and worshipping followers, even after being sacked for gross incompetency fully seven months ago and supposedly “resting” when he was always known for being besotted with football and could not live without it. He has had no serious offers at all, only vague enquiries. Otherwise he, of all people , would have taken them. Truth! Still it is a free country if you want to worship the picture of him on your bedroom wall!

        1. Ur hatred for Wenger is sure beyond doubt, definitely u have no proof that Wenger was sacked ,all u assumed to be fact is hearsay, the eye witnesses proved otherwise, all ur summations are based on assumptions and never facts, saying the community shied is never an honour is simply the height of hypocrisy, which means the Italian super cup or the European super cup are all never honours because they r all one off matches and are all pre season matches, at ur age u r suppose to be basing ur summations on facts, and not on hearsay,u said Wenger never had an input in the construction of the emirate stadium, yet the former chairman and all the board members shares a different view from urs, its a pity we still have ingrates like u as fans, I can only call Wenger’s era a failure if u can just mention one English club who achieved more than wenger”s arsenal with same or less budget!

        1. Let him mention just one English club that achieved more than Wenger’s arsenal with same or less budget for that 22 years Wenger was with us, ,then I will begin to give him credit, Wenger coming to arsenal was just the cstalist that transformed AFC to this great heights, yet he calls him a fraud!! Very pathetic, how ungrateful can one be?

          1. Uchman, you are a true gooner with your passion and sensible questions asking for facts.
            I have asked many times why the word of our club captain cannot be accepted as proof that AW resigned, but it doesn’t fit the incessant and ridiculous scenario presented by others.
            Just watching us winning 3-0 with a team full of players signed during AW’s reign, bar Lichsteiner. Funny how people forget that simple fact!
            Your point on the community shield ( 4-0 !!!) is well argued ( 3-0 !!) but I disagree with you simply because Arsenal do not recognise it as a trophy.
            We have all our achievements highlighted around the ground and they are not acknowledged.
            Of course you are correct in saying Arsene Wenger is our most successful manager ever, anyone who argues against that is ignoring the FACTS, once again.
            I do have a picture of the great man in my room, along with so many other giants of our club.
            Why wouldn’t you want to recognise the man?
            Keep your faith, your views and your opinions…in time those who tried to deny his influence and commitment will be forgotten.
            We now have SIX TEENAGERS on the field, all spotted and signed by Arsene, what a fitting tribute.

            1. Good points made as usual Ken. I believe we would have been a lesser club today if it wasn’t for Arsene Wenger, he wasn’t just a manager he was also a club builder. Maybe he took on too much?

              1. Andrew E, he did take to much on, your correct.
                But the decision made by the board to sack David Dein was one of the worst made in living memory, along with selling the shares and finally control of the club to Kronkie.
                It was these decisions that left Arsene basically on his own, especially losing David Dein.
                These two were so good together and it’s no coincidence that Wenger’s “barren years” started from the appointment of Gazidis.
                I firmly believe he should have resigned after the fa cup final win against Chelsea, the premier league champions at that time, of course.
                But the club offered him two more seasons at a reported salary of £9,000,000 (don’t know the clauses of course and nor does anyone else).
                He accepted and who could blame him? He stayed at the club he loved and with a fantastic salary. This salary was, of course, paid for by his continuous qualification for the CL.
                However, in my opinion, it was the wrong decision and I witnessed last season some awful, negative and dire football.
                His decision to resign was taken for the good of both the club and him.
                Now Emery has the reins and his excellent coaching has brought out the best in the players Wenger left him.
                It’s good to see more and more supporters are , not only starting to realise what AW achieved, but are coming on here and not afraid to challenge those who ignore facts and make up situations in order to devalue his achievements.

  5. OT
    Anyone read what Szcz and Fabianski has said about Gerry Peyton, our old GK coach?

    “Szczesny: Let me give you an example of a thing when you laugh at first, but then you’re like I’m playing for Arsenal, is this for real? Before the match with Chelsea I hear: Watch out. When Hazard takes his penalties, he will shoot at the opposite side of where you will dive.

    Fabianski & Wisniowski: (Laugh)

    Szczesny: And that’s funny, but then you’re like did he really just said that?”

    1. Shows you how slow Szcz is in the head. It’s his way of saying: don’t go early trying to guess a corner, stay on your feet, take each step forwards as he swings his leg, and then quickly drop to whichever side he has angled the ball towards.

      Hazard has a knack of shooting instantaneously – as the keeper maneuvers slightly to go one side. Sometimes it is better for people to let them fill in the blanks themselves. They learn better that way. Gerry Peyton sounds like he’d be my kind of teacher, some people prepare to be spoon fed the answers, I am someone who prefers to get some help in getting there.

  6. I just read it..I was almost rolling on the floor. I tried to play it out with a friend..like a script.. couldn’t believe this goalkeepers never had good tutoring for 15 years. even David seaman would have done a good job.

    1. What do you mean “even”? Seaman would have been the clear and obvious choice, had we then had a manager who truly cared about keeping clean sheets. And he wanted the job. In any other walk of life if you want to properly learn then you try to get someone who was the very top in their profession or trade to teach you. That is obvious but obviously NOT to Wenger

  7. Let it not be forgotten that the last Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal reached the League Cup final last season but lost to Man City. And reached the Europa League Cup semifinal match last season too but lost narrowly to Atletico Madrid. The Wenger’s Arsenal squad inherited by Emery and reinforced with 4 new additions is yet to match these last 2 attainments last attained by Wenger at the club. The 3rd one been Arsenal finished 5th in the PL last season and qualified for the ELC competition this season in Wenger’s last season at Arsenal.

    While we want to see Emery’s Arsenal equalled the last 3 attainments attained by Arsenal under Wenger in his last season at the club, our hopes are not only to see Emery’s Arsenal equalled these last 3 attainments attained by Wenger at the club but surpass them by winning titles for Arsenal this season. Therefore, let our focus as Gooners be on how Emery’s Arsenal will win titles for us this season and stop getting obsessed with bashing Wenger who has left the club.

    1. Top four or making i into the Europa cup final was priority over those attainments, Wenger knew that. I wouldn’t slight him for the way those seasons played out because he had allot of things going against him, and his record before that period was “exemplary in the eyes of club owners” and in rival managers.

      The luck of the draw was as much to blame as anything, everyone would’ve wanted that semi final to be the final of that competition. I reckon if it had of been the final, I believe the game would’ve went to extra time and then penalties.

    2. Its just a pity we just have bunch of guys here who derives joy in bashing our greatest ever manager, its just a pity, in as much as I want emry to succeed, he’s yet to beat any team obove us in the league, for Wenger to have a superior head to head count against every team in English football shows how great a manager he was for us, just the way we hype making the top 4 as a huge success,time shall come when qualifying for Europe will be regarded as a success!

  8. Saying and doing are two different things
    We need to wait and see. Our defenders could prevent it from happening
    Also who Arsenal gets or doesn’t get in January and other teams signing new players could affect the outcome also

    But nothing wrong with a tough and positive view
    I’m glad Emery said this.
    I’m very happy with Emery so far

  9. I’m guessing he done this interview in Spanish, it comes across crystal clear, I can’t wait til his English is fluent like that. Seville would’ve given a good account of themselves in the CL, had they had that rule back then, the winners of Europa entering as a seeded team. When he finally does speak great English, and he will because it is one of the simplest languages to grasp. He will be even better, I know he can communicate already with the Spanish and French speaking ones, but at our ground it is tasked that people try to stick with the home teams national language. I don’t know if that came from up stairs or if it came from Wenger, but players would’ve settled into that, with it then becoming habit forming. His instructions will be sharper more precise when he knows everyone understood him. I don’t know where Torriera is with his English lessons neither, but his game is so tight ..that it probably wouldn’t make a bit of difference concerning his football abilities/game.

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