Tony Adams has suggested that Unai Emery may have got Arsenal across the line in the Premier League title race had he been manager last season, noting that Mikel Arteta was potentially too inexperienced.
Adams was speaking on talkSPORT as he suggested what he believes cost the Gunners last year as they pushed Manchester City all the way in the title race.
Unai Emery has definitely proved a lot of people wrong since returning to England. He had a disappointing time as Arsenal boss. Ultimately, his departure led to the appointment of Mikel Arteta.
Tony Adams thinks Unai Emery may have won Arsenal the title last season
Arteta has helped transform Arsenal. He obviously won the FA Cup in his first few months in charge. But there was a lot of hard work before he turned the Gunners into title contenders again.
Certainly, Arsenal have been vindicated for appointing Arteta. And they came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League last year.
Tony Adams was full of praise for the job Arteta has done. However, he suggested that his predecessor may have been able to help Arsenal clear that final hurdle.
“I love him, I love his passion, I love his enthusiasm. I’ve always said he has a little bit of inexperience, maybe needs to draw upon someone in his staff who’s a little bit more experienced,” he told talkSPORT.
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“And I’m talking about going across the line last season. We all make mistakes don’t we. We’re not perfect. But there was elements where he didn’t rotate the players early enough. People were running out of steam. Saka comes to mind. Smith Rowe didn’t get a game last season, they could’ve used him a little bit more. So I think he’s doing great.
“We had Emery as manager. And I think weirdly, if Emery had been manager, we might have even won the league.”
Gunners won’t regret Mikel Arteta appointment
Emery’s work at Aston Villa – and throughout his career, in truth – suggests that he would have been a success at Arsenal if given longer. However, the Gunners could not carry on as they were.
Arteta was not afraid to make big changes when he arrived. And he continues to make brave calls.
Arteta has played a massive part in guiding the Gunners back into being title contenders. And he is close to becoming the first boss to win the Premier League title in his first managerial job.
Certainly, it is hard to imagine anyone in the Arsenal hierarchy has any regrets about the decision to replace Emery with Arteta.