Arsenal boss Unai Emery's faith in perfect double act pays off after Arsene Wenger false promises

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James Olley10 May 2019

Unai Emery stands on the brink of guiding Arsenal back into the Champions League chiefly by doing something Arsene Wenger often promised but rarely followed through on.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette ripped Valencia to shreds in the Mestalla, taking their combined tally to 48 goals for the season in a 4-2 win that sets up a tantalising Europa League Final against Chelsea.

Arsenal might not be relied upon to defend, but how they can attack. Aubameyang and Lacazette scored all of their goals and the Gunners have been at their best under Emery when he has found a way to include his strike pairing in their preferred central positions, be it in a 4-4-2 diamond, 5-3-2 or the 3-4-1-2 that has become his go-to shape in recent weeks.

Wenger’s most iconic sides often utilised two forwards and it became a consistent line of questioning in his later years whether a return to a strike-partnership was a viable option. He regularly flirted with the idea and claimed in January 2017 that Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Danny Welbeck and Lucas Perez represented the best group of forwards he had ever assembled — but still opted in the main for a lone striker.

It is easy to understand why. Most Premier League managers today favour a three-man attack, as do Barcelona, Ajax, Paris St Germain and a host of other major European teams.

Wenger was admittedly hamstrung to some extent by Aubameyang being cup-tied following his £56million arrival from Borussia Dortmund in January last year, but he started the Gabon international and Lacazette together just three times during his final season in charge.

Last April, he insisted Aubameyang was better suited to playing from the left, claiming: “He is very good at running in behind defenders, and on the flanks there is a bit more room for that. He has huge physical potential and on the flanks he can express that much more than he can in the middle, going up and down. He has that capacity to repeat at high intensity and that’s why I think when he plays on the left it suits him well.”

Emery had doubts of his own, but the Spaniard has realised that packing the starting line-up with his most potent threats helps balance the defensive vulnerability which afflicts this team.

It was a mindset which served Arsenal well in Napoli, deploying Aaron Ramsey behind the strikers with the clear intent of injecting self-doubt into a team that had to commit players forward in an effort to overturn a first-leg deficit.

Valencia threatened to do that here, scoring early on through Kevin Gameiro to enthuse an already vocal crowd.

Lacazette and Nacho Monreal argued with each other during a break in play shortly afterwards, prompting Emery to intervene from the touchline.

The Gunners were rattled, but such is the quality Aubameyang and Lacazette possess, Arsenal never have to be bickering for long. Lacazette flicked on a long ball for Aubemayang, who volleyed past Neto, and suddenly Valencia’s bubble was burst.

Lacazette struck six minutes after the restart with a well-executed finish before two fine close-range efforts from Aubameyang completed his first Arsenal hat-trick and ensured the Gunners eased into the final.

The authority with which they secured their passage to Baku will give Emery hope their recent shoddy domestic form will have no bearing on a season-defining night at the end of this month.

“The mentality for these two away matches [against Napoli and Valencia] and how we responded against two big teams in Europe was perfect,” he said. “But each competition and match is different. Last night, we showed everybody our character and also our capacity to be prepared.

“We struggled in some moments defensively but could also take good moments in the attacking third to score. Not one team this year has scored four goals against Valencia. Only Atletico Madrid scored three goals against them.”

That is the damage this potent strike-force can do. Emery is now relying on Aubameyang and Lacazette to take Arsenal back into Europe’s elite.

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