Robin Van Persie Doesn’t Think Unai Emery Is A “Strong” Coach

Robin Van Persie, the Arsenal legend, is not convinced with the coaching style of Unai Emery at all. Arsenal were up against Vitoria de Guimaraes in the Europa League yesterday and they barely managed to win that game even though they were the outright favourites.

The Gunners were trailing with 10 minutes left in the game and if it was not for Nicholas Pepe who kept his nerves and shook the net twice within a short space of time, the visitors would have suffered an embarrassment.

This was Arsenal’s third consecutive victory in the Europa League this season. They are at the top of the Group F standings with 9 points. Vitoria, on the contrary, lost their third game in a row and their chances of qualification to the knockouts are minimal now.

Van Persie, who was in the studio of BT Sports as a pundit to analyse the game between Arsenal and Vitoria, didn’t think it was the kind of performance Arsenal could be very happy about.

According to Van Persie, he can see a lack of intensity through the Arsenal midfield. There are a lot of open spaces and the players are not showing enough intensity to cover the spaces. You can afford to do that only if your coach is not strong enough.

If your coach is strong, you will run as if there is no tomorrow because you know if you show any laziness, the coach will be in your ears straightaway. A good coach drives the players with his charisma.

Van Persie doesn’t see those qualities in Emery. The former striker also believes Emery is not clear in his mind what he wants to do. Van Persie insists unless and until you have a clear idea about the brand of Football you want to play, you can’t develop the team as a coach.

“If you have a very strong coach, and you are in midfield and you see danger somewhere, you sprint for your life, because you know if you don’t do it you get punished.” Van Persie said.