Unai Emery’s lack of a clear, tangible ‘philosophy’ causes varying degrees of consternation in the Arsenal fan base. If you were to survey Arsenal fans for the principles, the basic tenets of ‘Emery-ball’, I reckon ‘playing the ball out from the back’ would score quite highly in the most common answers. It was one of the premier talking points of his reign last August as Petr Cech struggled to get to grips with his new role as a deep lying playmaker. At Anfield on Saturday, Emery’s game plan conceded Liverpool’s superiority in just about every respect. Yet when it came to playing the ball out from the back, that was a non-negotiable for the coach. Against possibly the...
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