After a promising start to the season, Arsenal have been one of the most disappointing teams in England within the past couple of months. And as the Gunners continue to stutter in the Premier League, it’s only a matter of time until Unai Emery faces the sack, especially with the January transfer window just around the corner.
Jose Mourinho, for one, has been listed one of the potential candidates who could replace Emery at the helm. But, how exactly could the Portuguese international fix Arsenal’s problems if he gets appointed as the manager?
A defence-oriented style of play
Mourinho is famously known for his defence-oriented tactics that focus on minimising the influence of the opposition attackers before anything else. He also looks to deny the opposition from making transitions that are surely going to help Arsenal minimise their defensive frailties.
Under Emery, Arsenal have appeared too reliant on their midfielders. Yet, they have often lacked a proper system, where the midfielders are assigned to not only complete transition but also provide support to the defenders.
Mourinho could fix this problem as his famous 4-2-3-1 setup consists of two midfielders, with at least one of them assigned with the task of dropping deep during build-up and defensive phases.
Although none of Arsenal’s current midfield options are ideally suited to play that role, Mourinho could always use his expertise on the market to sign a player, who is perfectly capable of giving Arsenal more defensive solidity.
His experience and communication could be key
One of the things that make Mourinho an upgrade over Emery is the ability to address his gameplan and tactics to his players. This is something the Spaniard has clearly struggled with at Arsenal, with many of the star players failing to adjust to his tactical setup, including Mesut Ozil.
Moreover, Emery didn’t have any experience in English football prior to his appointment at Arsenal. Mourinho, in contrast, has won three Premier League titles with Chelsea and is also the most successful Manchester United coach since the post-Alex Ferguson era. This vast experience in English football could be ideal as far as integrating to his new team is concerned.
A more pragmatic approach
As mentioned earlier, Mourinho is a defence-oriented coach and often prefers a less risky style of football. Emery, in contrast, opts for a risky approach, where both the central defenders, for example, are asked to play the ball out from the back. He also tasks the fullbacks to move forward, thus leaving acres of space in behind.
But most importantly, the Spaniard has failed miserably against high-pressing opponents. And that’s where Mourinho’s vision could come in handy.
The former Real Madrid boss is likely to employ a deep defensive block, which is ideally suited to Sokratis and David Luiz’s characteristics. And Arsenal shouldn’t have trouble creating chances in the final third as they have a world-class offensive department, chock-full of quality individuals like Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe among many others.
