Arsenal fans have turned on him, and now reports have come out depicting Unai Emery as out of touch with the Gunners. The disconnection was said to be more apparent with senior players of the club, who bemoaned of the Spanish boss' management style.
Specifically, the senior Gunners have been turned off by Emery's penchant of holding post-training meetings that extended to the discomfort of players. This has become a serious issue against the boss, the Standard reported.
"Insiders at London Colney describe some senior players' indifference towards Emery's penchant for multiple and lengthy post-training meetings, elongated further by his average grasp of English," the report said.
The detailed tactical sessions that also included gameplay analysis on videos was a welcome introduction from Emery. Arsenal embraced the new approach as a departure from the style of Arsene Wenger, Emery's immediate predecessor.
The Spaniard, however, overdid the meetings until they became tedious for the Gunners. According to the same report, there was even a joke among the Arsenal players that due to the too many clips reviewed during the meets, the popcorn almost always runs out.
Despite the fissure that exists between a group of Gunners and Emery, it seemed unlikely that Arsenal will be showing the boss the exit door. The club is not inclined to repeat the scenario at Manchester United, where managers have a quick turnover following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.
That is why the chance is high that Emery will still call the shots at the Emirates through the end of the season. This, notwithstanding the rumors that the Gunners board will not take a defeat lightly by Arsenal against Leicester City on Saturday.
There were reports possible replacements for the beleaguered have been lined up. Jose Mourinho was reported to have already met with Arsenal executives purportedly to discuss the terms of an imminent takeover by the former United manager. The club, however, denied the meeting took place.
Then there was the suggestion of hiring Brendan Rodgers as then next manager for Arsenal. Rodgers is doing well with his current post at Leicester, so the proposal makes sense.
Emery is likewise under pressure to deal with more personnel questions. His handling of Granit Xhaka's case appeared to expose his inability to exercise authority. The Swiss famously clashed with Arsenal fans and was eventually stripped of his skipper position.
His stand on Mesut Ozil also proved unpopular with fans and pundits alike. The German playmaker rarely made an appearance on the pitch this season despite having the qualities to win the game for Arsenal.
All told, Emery is having a mediocre run with Arsenal so far, and a turnaround seems out of sight. According to Metro, losing against Leicester will make it more difficult for the club boss to keep his job.
