Arsenal boss Unai Emery outlines the five areas he wants to improve after taking over Wenger’s ‘declining’ Gunners
The Spaniard praised his predecessor but said the North London giants as a side that was failing to compete with their top six rivals
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UNAI EMERY has outlined the three ways he wants his Arsenal team to play after they were left "declining" under predecessor Arsene Wenger.
The Frenchman ended his 22-year reign at the club in the summer and was replaced by Emery, 47, who has high expectations of the style of football his side must produce when in possession.
Speaking to , the new Gunners boss gave credit to Wenger for his accomplishments at Arsenal - especially with The Invincibles in 2003/04.
But he also pointed out things had certainly taken a turn for the worse over the years.
Emery said: ";I respect Wenger a lot but no matter how much information he gave me, I had to change things.
"I told the players 'we are starting at ground zero'. Even now, four months later, I still say 'we are just at the beginning!'
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"With Arsene, they became an attacking team, with players who were good on the ball. And the perfect combination came with The Invincibles.
"But with time, you can only take care of technique and attacking freedom, losing your defensive structure.
"I want to create a team that know how to exploit the space, are able to counter-attack, or when there's no space, calmly find a way to create openings. We are in that process: create an idea, a style, be competitive.
"What I want to do is unite the two and become more competitive. Arsenal were in decline. We had to stop that and start to lift them."
And that appears to be what Emery has managed already.
Arsenal fans are seeing an improvement in the likes of Mesut Ozil, Granit Xhaka and Alex Iwobi since the new man took over.
The Gunners sit fifth in the Premier League, three points off the top four and rivals Tottenham.
But Emery knows there is still work to be done - after all, Arsenal have not beaten any of their 'Big 6' rivals in the Premier League since winning the North London derby more than a year ago.
He added: "We came to an Arsenal that hadn't beaten any of the Top 6, and while we still haven't done so yet, they also struggled to win away from home at all, and we have already improved in that area."
"We can improve this team. I want to be demanding. I am delighted with the treatment of the club in all areas, but I want them to be demanding of me because I will then push the club forward. I want to be demanding of myself, the team and the club.
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"The Premier League is different to how it was 20 years ago, when City and Chelsea weren't the same teams, and Everton were stronger.
"Money has changed everything. And Arsenal must be great, not allowing the four above to take advantage of us and not allow the teams below to get closer to us."
One way the Spaniard has gone about his business is to slowly integrate the new signings.
Bernd Leno started the season on the bench but has not missed a minute since replacing Petr Cech at half-time against Watford at the end of September.
Similarly, Lucas Torreira came off the bench in the first five Premier League games this season but is now a guaranteed starter.
Emery explained: "You have to respect hierarchy. Leno arrives, but Cech is doing well and you must respect that. Petr was first.
"The same thing was true with [Matteo] Guendouzi and Torreira, who arrived later. I gave Guendouzi the chance first, which I was delighted about, but now he's not playing as much and Lucas is."
Arsenal's head coach has made plenty of on-field changes but it is his tweaks behind the scenes that have made as much of a difference.
The gym is now next to the training pitch to "make the transition from gym to pitch easier" while juice was replaced by water.
Emery added: "Together with the nutritionist and the fitness coach, we decided to get rid of juice with sugar, but that's normal and what I do at home: eat without sugar, less fat, healthier food. That's it."