Football

Henrikh Mkhitaryan outlines how Unai Emery stalled his progress at Arsenal


Former Arsenal ace Henrikh Mkhitaryan has outlined how Unai Emery tried to change him as a player.

Mkhitaryan struggled to make an impact in Emery’s first season before being shipped out to Roma on loan in September.

Emery is under pressure after a tough start to his second season in charge.

And Mkhitaryan has explained how the Spaniard’s system prevented him from contributing goals or assists before his exit.

“He paid more attention to tactics, so my role changed,” Mkhitaryan told FourFourTwo .

“I was starting as a winger, but had to build play with the defensive midfielder.

“It’s why I couldn’t contribute as many goals or assists.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has explained how he was changed by Unai Emery

“I like to play more freely and move wherever there’s space, but you have to do the job that the manager asks.”

Mkhitaryan’s comments come after criticism of Emery for not understanding his best system.

Club legend Ray Parlour told talkSPORT: “Emery doesn’t know his best team and he doesn’t know his best formation, but he should know! You’ve got to work on these formations. Do they work on them?

“[Mesut] Ozil was frozen out and now he’s back in favour, and defensively they’re still not solid enough.

Mkhitaryan joined Roma on loan in September

“All these things are not in the right direction for Arsenal at the moment.

“I don’t mind three at the back, but you’ve got to work on it week in, week out in training, so the players know exactly what their jobs are as a team and then we can maybe move up the league.

“He needs to say the formation we’re going to play and stick to it!

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“You can’t keep changing systems. At the moment it’s 4-2-3-1, then it’s 4-3-3 and then it’s three at the back, nobody really knows!

“It’s about finding the right formula and then working with the players so they understand how he wants them to play, and then it’s down to them when they cross the white line.”





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