Thierry Henry has expressed his belief that Arsenal made a significant mistake by appointing Mikel Arteta as head coach in 2019, arguing that Unai Emery could have thrived at the club had he been given more time. Emery was brought in to replace Arsène Wenger in 2018 after Wenger’s remarkable 22-year reign. However, Emery’s tenure at Arsenal lasted only 18 months, after which Arteta took over.
While Arteta has since turned Arsenal into serious contenders for the Premier League title, Henry remains convinced that Emery could have achieved comparable success if the club had shown greater patience.
Since leaving Arsenal, Emery has demonstrated his coaching prowess, notably by winning the Europa League with Villarreal and guiding Aston Villa to Champions League qualification.
These achievements have reinforced Henry’s belief in Emery’s capabilities as a top-tier manager. In a recent interview with CBS Sports, which took place before Aston Villa’s 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich, Henry praised Emery’s tactical brilliance.
According to Henry, “He’s a tactical genius” who always ensures his teams gain a tactical edge over their opponents. Henry also highlighted Emery’s impressive record in Spain, where he won the Europa League four times—three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.
Henry made it clear that he respects what Arteta has accomplished at Arsenal, acknowledging that Arteta has done an outstanding job in transforming the team. However, he is of the opinion that Emery was dismissed prematurely and could have found success with the Gunners if he had been allowed to stay longer.
Henry’s remarks suggest that Arsenal might have overlooked Emery’s potential impact on the team by not giving him sufficient time to implement his strategies fully. Despite Arteta’s success, Henry maintains that Emery’s proven tactical abilities and track record of winning European trophies could have steered Arsenal to similar heights.
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