Unai Emery is now in a "one-game situation" at Arsenal, says Cascarino

Posted Tuesday, November 12, 2019 by squawka.com

Unai Emery is now in a

Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino believes under-fire Arsenal manager Unai Emery is now in a "one-game situation" at the Emirates.

The Spaniard has come under increasing pressure from some sections of the Arsenal fanbase for a string of lacklustre performances in the Premier League.

Could Emery soon face the sack? Five things to know…

1. Emery has come in for some fierce scrutiny this season with Arsenal currently eight points adrift the top four.
2. The Gunners are winless in five matches and recently stripped captain Granit Xhaka of his armband.
3. Patience is wearing thin among some match-going Arsenal supporters.
4. However, The Athletic report that the Arsenal board are "100 per cent behind Emery".
5. Cascarino, on the other hand, believes Emery now finds himself in a "one-game situation" at Arsenal.

Their latest damp squib came in defeat to Leicester City at the weekend, with goals from Jamie Vardy and James Maddison enough to see off the north Londoners.

Supporters are now getting restless, and Cascarino believes defeat to a struggling Southampton after the international break would make Emery''s position untenable.

In his column for The Times, he wrote: "It is a 'one-game situation'' for Emery now. Lose to struggling Southampton after the international break and I don''t see how he can remain as Arsenal head coach.

"I am concerned by his lack of leadership — particularly in his handling of the Granit Xhaka situation. Tactically, he got it all wrong in Saturday''s defeat away to Leicester City.

"Jonny Evans, the Leicester centre half, loves to have time on the ball but the Arsenal front three did not get close to pressing the opposition defence.

"Arsenal spent an hour just keeping themselves in the game before their soft underbelly was exposed."

Cascarino questions Hasenhuttl

When Arsenal host Southampton after the international break the result could have huge implications for either manager.

Emery, as we know, is becoming a polarising figure in the capital, while on the south coast, Cascarino believes the Southampton players are no longer playing for Ralph Hasenhuttl.

He added: "The alarm bells start to ring whenever a manager says his team are not good enough. You have to trust and believe in your players.

"I did not like the way Hasenhuttl dropped Angus Gunn after the 9-0 defeat by Leicester. To single out the goalkeeper after a night in which the whole team played badly sends a negative message.

"Hasenhuttl may get the January window to strengthen the squad but his players are no longer showing the energy and desire he instilled when he arrived in December."