Unai Emery has answered plenty of his critics during the early stages of his Arsenal career, with an entertaining yet functional brand of football breeding a positive set of results, and his philosophy may yet bring a new era of success to the club.
One of Emery’s most defining features of his reign so far has been his ability to stimulate improvement in a handful of key individuals. Alex Iwobi, Alexandre Lacazette and Hector Bellerin have all moved up a gear so far this season, and they have started to play with an intensity and quality which previously eluded them.
That is no coincidence and it is a fact which Emery deserves great credit for, but another challenge looms on the horizon for the Spaniard: the return of Laurent Koscielny.
Koscielny (valued at £11.25 million by Transfermarkt) has been a mainstay at the heart of Arsenal’s defence throughout his career with the club, providing grit, determination and leadership during a period of time in which the Gunners’ distinct lack of mettle was regularly scrutinised throughout the British media.
The Frenchman has been a shining light during periods of darkness for the club, but at 33-years-old a new dawn is looming which he is unlikely to play a key role in.
According to Metro, Koscielny is set to make a long-awaited return to first-team football following the international break. After spending more than six months on the sidelines it will be difficult for Koscielny to immediately cement his place in the first-team, but his experience could prove invaluable as the Gunners bid to return to the Champions League this season while simultaneously balancing a genuine push for silverware in the Europa League.
Emery’s challenge is to strike a balance between utilising the Arsenal veteran and keeping him at optimal fitness, as he will undoubtedly struggle to play on a regular basis following his lengthy absence.
But that is not to say that Koscielny cannot eventually cement his place as a first-team regular once again, it is simply a matter of Emery remaining patient and meticulously monitoring his fitness in the coming months.
If Emery can help Kosclieny emerge from the wilderness and rediscover the form which has endeared him to the Gunners faithful during eight and a half years of service to the club, it will undoubtedly represent one of his biggest strokes of genius in his Premier League career so far.
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