Arsenal's two prime managerial targets to replace Unai Emery identified

Our two scouting writers Josh Williams and David Hughes profile the two managers Arsenal should target to replace Emery

Arsene Wenger was revolutionary when he first arrived at Arsenal, as he seemed to opt against implementing a traditional style of play and instead preferred to instil his own brand of football.

The Premier League has developed a reputation for unpredictability, and that largely stems from the footballing culture in England. The ball is constantly loose and in a state of flux on the pitch. There is a lack of stability, hence why almost anything can happen and why any team can win.

Former Arsenal boss Wenger was arguably the first to recognise the benefits of incorporating control over proceedings.

Instead of hitting long passes, forcing consistent turnovers and battling in the middle of the pitch for large periods, Wenger instructed his players to place an emphasis on keeping the ball.

The volatile nature of the English game derived from a willingness to embrace the element of chance, but Wenger wanted to minimise those aspects.

The Frenchman's impact gradually diminished with time, but his fundamental principles remained until his departure.

Arsenal took 15 shots in the Premier League on average in Wenger's final campaign, compared to 10.6 faced.

His replacement, Emery, lost that superiority.

In his debut season in charge, the Gunners averaged 11.6 shots per match compared to 12.2 faced. This season, those figures stand at 11.2 shots taken while facing as many as 15.9 on the defensive side. On average, the opposition are taking roughly four shots more than Arsenal at present.

The Gunners have lost their ability to dominate and control their environment, and that has to be restored.

Mikel Arteta seems to be a highly suitable candidate, although it's worth nothing that there is a degree of risk attached to his appointment considering he's yet to step into a role higher than assistant coach.

The Spaniard's English is strong and that should ensure that the communication problems experienced under Emery are eradicated. He's also played for the club which should afford him plenty of time and backing amongst supporters, and he was named as captain of the club in 2014 which captures his leadership skills.

Arteta is youthful, will be hungry to prove himself and crucially, he'll strive to restore and modernise the governing football that Wenger established.

The Spaniard has worked under the master of control for the past three years in Pep Guardiola, and he's since claimed that his brand of football will be similar once stepping into management.

This season, Manchester City are taking 19.8 shots on average in the Premier League, while facing just 7.1. The team are able to showcase unrivalled levels of consistency in terms of results because of how little they afford defensively, while also boasting an unstoppable attack.

Nothing is left to chance. As much as possible is under control.

Arteta, although he's yet to strictly prove his credentials, would strive to repair Arsenal's game so that dominance is evident and an authority is demonstrated over the ball. He'll build an identity that is clear and sustainable rather than ambiguous as was the case under Emery.

Arteta is a risk, but Arsenal's board should consider the potential reward.

If Arteta’s lack of experience is deemed too much of a risk by the Arsenal hierarchy, then they may be tempted to make an approach for the highly-rated head-coach of RB Leipzig, Julian Nagelsmann.

The German was just 28 when appointed manager of 1899 Hoffenheim four years ago. In his first full season, the German outfit secured their best ever Bundesliga finish - fourth - and qualification for the Champions League.

Working on a comparatively small budget to those sides around him, Nagelsmann reinvigorated the ideologies at Hoffenheim with his innovative and fluid approach to matches. Impressively over the course of his duration as head coach, only Bayern (279) and Dortmund (228) collected more points than Hoffenheim (208).

This impressive sustained progression ultimately saw him appointed the head-coach at forward-thinking RB Leipzig this summer.

Arsenal's upcoming fixtures

1st December: Norwich (A)

5th December: Brighton (H)

9th December: West Ham (A)

12th December: Standard Liege (A)

15th December: Manchester City (H)

21st December: Everton (A)

26th December: Bournemouth (A)

29th December: Chelsea (H)

1st January: Manchester United (H)

Although still just 32-year-old, he is already perceived as one of the top coaches in Europe.

His philosophy is one of direct attacking football relying on quick progressive passes through the lines from the defence and utilising forward players to drop deep and forge slick passing combinations with the midfield.

He is a highly adaptive coach and will often adjust his tactics to nullify the strengths of an opponent or expose their weaknesses. In terms of formations at Leipzig, he has predominantly fluctuated between a 3-5-2/4-4-2/4-2-3-1, depending on the game situation and aforementioned factors.

Without the ball, his side aggressively press their opponents from the front, looking to force possession turnovers in profitable areas and launch quickfire counter-attacks. The above means that Leipzig tend to prove the most dominant side in the bulk of their matches.

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This season, the German side have taken an average of 14.42 shots per league game whilst facing just 10.1. They rank inside the league’s top four in terms of ball dominance, with an average of 53%. They have also scored the joint-highest number of goals in the Bundesliga with Bayern on 33, and have the second-highest Expected Goal (xG) total in the division too.

Arsenal fans have felt disillusioned for large parts of the Emery era, however, the potential appointment of an exhilarating, forward-thinking manager such Nagelsmann could be what the club needs in order to bring some gusto back to the Emirates.