Unai Emery believes it is too early for chants of “we’ve got our Arsenal back” – even if the Gunners boss is currently overseeing a nine-match winning run.
Supporters belted out the refrain during the second-half of a 5-1 Premier League victory at Fulham ahead of the international break, with the visitors playing some scintillating football.
Since losing their opening two games under Emery to champions Manchester City and FA Cup winners Chelsea, the Spaniard has not tasted defeat.
💬 "I am enjoying it because I love my work and when I can explain my work with the players, they are responding as I want." 👊 @UnaiEmery_ pic.twitter.com/Mir8DeRqX1 — Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 17, 2018
That run has helped Arsenal move to within two points of the Premier League summit – but Emery does not want to get carried away just yet.
“I am not agreeing totally with the response of the supporters,” he said.
“I think we need to improve a lot. I think we have to continue doing a lot of the things to get better.
“Our demands need to be very high. The supporters can enjoy it with us but also we’re speaking with our reality every day.
“We need to improve because for example the match against Fulham was a very good result and a very good game for 90 minutes. But in the first 45 minutes I thought we needed to do better.”
Emery has constantly called for improvement from his players despite the fact they have strung together nine wins for the first time in 11 years.
He pointed to their last home game over Watford, where Arsenal were lucky not to fall behind to the Hornets before securing a 2-0 win, as a fine example. Emery now expects a tough test to extend the run when Leicester visit the Emirates Stadium on Monday night.
“If we are remembering the last match at the Emirates we won but not playing like we want – with the control against the opposition. ” he added.
“For me now, the most important thing is not to rush. The next game against Leicester is very big, very difficult.
📸 Want more training pics? We've got more training pics 👇 — Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 17, 2018
“Leicester are a very good team and play with a clear identity under Claude Puel. They are very competitive, have very good players and we need every single player, and our mentality together to be stronger than in the last match.”
Emery again refused to discuss the future of Aaron Ramsey at length after the Wales midfielder said he wants to stay until the end of the season.
A contract impasse is likely to see the 27-year-old leave in the summer – while the club may look to cash in on Ramsey during the January transfer window.
9/9 💥 pic.twitter.com/RLxUmy4FtR — Aaron Ramsey (@aaronramsey) October 7, 2018
“For me January is very far away,” he added.
“I’m thinking about Monday’s match first. I want every player to stay OK, with the mentality to prepare, to play and be together to win.
“It’s the same, my answer. My focus is on every match. The football, the future is tomorrow. My reason, I explain to every player and to you also, I want the mentality for the next match. Individual things are not for me to speak about now.”
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