Emery ready to take hard line with players amid Ozil criticism

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Arsenal boss Unai Emery has admitted he is happy to “provoke friction” with his players due to his robust approach to management.

The Gunners lost 1-0 to West Ham in their previous game on Saturday, a result which leaves them with just three wins from their last eight games across all competitions.

Why is Emery getting tough with the Arsenal squad? Five key things to know…

  1. After enjoying a long unbeaten run at the start of the season, Emery’s honeymoon period at Arsenal is over.
  2. The Gunners have won just three of their last eight games in all competitions, losing 5-1 to Liverpool in the process.
  3. Following their latest defeat to West Ham, Emery has said he will be “provoking friction” with his players to get the best out of them.
  4. The Spaniard believes this hard approach will “get the maximum” out of his squad.
  5. Arsenal haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six Premier League fixtures.

However, in an attempt to combat that loss of form, Emery has admitted he will be taking a harder approach with his squad, seeking a reaction that will “get the maximum” out of his squad.

“At certain times, you have to provoke friction with footballers,” Emery said in an interview with Sky Sports.

“From that friction, you can get something more out of them, something from inside, a greater sense of ambition or maybe even a complaint – a complaint regarding the team can be positive.

“As a manager, you have to be careful because that friction can break a relationship. But I believe in always looking for more, both individually and collectively, with conversations which are comfortable but also with conversations which are less comfortable.

“As a manager, you have to get the maximum out of that player and at the same time make sure that he fits with the rest of the team so that everyone is better.”

Arsenal take on London rivals Chelsea on Saturday and will be aiming to keep pace with their top-four rivals.

Arsenal “stupid” for letting Ramsey’s contract run down, insists Merson

Aaron Ramsey is expected to complete a move to Italian giants Juventus following the expiration of his Arsenal contract at the end of the season.

Ramsey has made 355 appearances for the Gunners to date, and former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has branded the club as “stupid” for letting the Welshman’s contract run down, levelling a portion of the blame at former manager Arsene Wenger.

“It’s stupidity from Arsenal to allow someone of Ramsey’s quality to let their contract run down,” he told Sky Sports.

“It’s yet another player after Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott. Players’ contracts come to an end then they all leave on frees.

“In footballing terms, it’s criminal. It’s like buying an £80m house, waiting for the leasehold to run out and losing the house.

“Arsene Wenger sorted out his contract every year but seemed to forget everyone else’s! Arsenal can replace him [Ramsey] but it’s going to cost £40m-£50m. That’s where the stupidity comes into it.”

Merson’s former Arsenal team-mate, Martin Keown, shares a similar view, and has questioned whether the club chose the right player when they offered Ozil a new contract instead of Ramsey.

“I think he’s a wonderful player, he’s done a great job for Arsenal,” Keown said of the Wales international. “I’m really surprised [they’ve allowed him to leave].

“I think it goes back really to that decision, did they make the right one when they put all that money into [Mesut] Ozil, spending obviously a fortune, a massive commitment for the football club, what it’s costing and he’s not even playing.”

Ozil has scored four goals and provided two assists this season, while Ramsey has netted three times and set up a further six strikes for his team-mates.

The post Emery happy to “provoke friction” with Arsenal players amid criticism of Ozil handling appeared first on Squawka News.



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