More than anything else Unai Emery needs time and space - away from the glare of the media - to implement his ideas, but as manager of Arsenal Football Club that just isn't possible. A poor start to the 2018/19 season would have immediately piled pressure onto the Spaniard, just as their good start – nine successive wins in all competitions – has drawn attention to his project.
Arsenal have been benefitting from the bigger news stories at Manchester United and Liverpool, quietly learning their new tactical roles in the background of the Premier League, but as the table settles (with Arsenal near the top) sadly that bubble has burst. Emery and Arsenal will spend the rest of the season answering questions about top-four credentials, silverware, and whether their new boss can improve on last year's points tally of 63.
Thankfully the Gunners should be capable of largely ignoring this talk. The only important thing in year one of Emery's project is a sign of progress, a sign that the players are responsive to his tactics and ready to shake off the hesitancy and psychological frailty that burdened them towards the end of Arsene Wenger's reign. Across eight league matches, Arsenal have already proven they are on an upward trajectory again.
Sixth place, equalling last season's final position, already feels secure, which lifts the pressure off Emery and allows him to dedicate his time to tactics; to the process rather than results. And yet if there is one defining feature of Emery's Arsenal so far it has been a certain ruthlessness in front of goal and an ability to win ugly. Tactically speaking progress has been made, but the real success of the first two months of the season has been finding a way to dig deep and get over the line – an attribute starkly lacking in the final few years under Wenger.
Arsenal struggled at Newcastle United but emerged 2-1 winners, were twice pegged back by Cardiff City but won 3-2 in Wales, and beat both Everton and Watford 2-0 at the Emirates despite being evenly matched by their opponents. For now, this can be spun as winning without playing well - the mantra of champions – although long-term their lack of control in these matches could become problematic.
The Gunners have conceded numerous high-quality chances to opponents this season due to a difficulty coping with the transitions. Emery's high-pressing football requires perfect synchronicity; the lines become decompressed, and therefore easily counter-attacked, with the slightest chink in the press. A vulnerability in midfield and defence, namely with Granit Xhaka and Sokratis, shows Emery needs several new signings before this feels like his team. They surely won't challenge for major honours until these flaws are patched up.
Most surprisingly, Arsenal's xG is currently 10.41 for the season, a remarkable 8.59 goals under their actual tally. According to one model they should be 10th in the table with ten points from eight matches. Things may not be quite as rosy as they seem, although xG statistics cannot necessarily be trusted.
Arsenal may be a bit wild at the moment, Emery's tactics a little chaotic as he tries to dramatically alter the playing style drilled into the club's DNA for 21 years, but their progress is clear to see. Alexandre Lacazette's form is a testament to his manager's faith and Hector Bellerin looks much more like his old self, while new signings Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi look like superb pieces of business.
There is no specific set of targets for the 2018/19 season, but Arsenal's excellent run of form makes talk of a top-four finish inevitable. There is no reason why they cannot challenge Tottenham Hotspur for the fourth spot, assuming Manchester United are incapable of doing so under Jose Mourinho, although Emery's interest in ther Europa League could ultimately hold them back. The competition's gruelling Thursday-Sunday schedule makes it extremely difficult to juggle the Premier League alongside it, and the Spaniard – who won the Europa League three times as Sevilla manager – will expect to go far in Europe.
Consequently the most important target for Emery is simply to continue on this trajectory, working on the tactical shape of the team even if results begin to dip; success in this transitional year should not be demanded by fans or the media. A top four finish is possible, but paradoxically only if their work continues to fly under the radar – and a return to the Champions League is too big a story for that to happen.
