Arsenal coach reveals Unai Emery's biggest challenge this season | OneFootball

Arsenal coach Steve Bould has described Unai Emery’s desire to play out from the back as a “big challenge”.

Bould was one of the few members of the club’s backroom staff to be kept on following Arsène Wenger’s summer departure and the former Gunners defender has been thoroughly impressed by the new regime.

“The change after 20-odd years has been enormous, but I think it’s gone well and the transition from the last period has been remarkable,” Bould told the club’s official website.

“I think what the new management certainly do is work a lot of hours and I think they expect players to work a lot of hours.

“They do a lot of video work and a lot of analysis, which was actually done before, I have to tell you. It’s not massively different at all, even though some people believe it is.

“But they want to work you hard, they expect hard work all around the club and I think that drips down to the players.”

Emery is a firm believer in passing the ball out from defence but his side’s change of style was not without its teething problems in the early weeks of the season.

However, while Bould admits it’s been tough for the players, he believes incremental progress is being made with each passing game.

“It’s a big challenge,” he said.

“It’s a big challenge to get the supporters on your side at times as well because it can be a little bit edgy, but I think it’s winning them over and it’s been a big challenge, certainly for the keepers.

“It’s changed from our day when keepers just kicked it long and big centre-forwards headed it and centre-halves had to head it.

“Now I think you’re expected, number one, to be good with your feet as a keeper, and I think as a centre back and as a full-back you need to be able to play in deep areas.

“It can be a bit risky for sure and it might look it at times and everybody’s a little bit on edge. We can all feel it and we all know it!

“But I think the more we do it, the better we will become and everybody will be used to the situation.”