It’s staggering how much can change in less than six months, and even more remarkable how one man can single handedly be the catalyst for change. Such is the seemingly unfolding love story between Unai Emery and Arsenal. His record of winning a whopping ten trophies in five years certainly didn’t require much refinement, but the enigmatic Spaniard never faced a challenge quite like Arsenal.
A club with an immovable history and massive following but seemingly flailing down a bottomless pit with dire outcomes; even without the false sense of security of a top four finish-change was as imminent as it was inevitable.
So when Arsene Wenger finally announced his plans to step aside as Arsenal manager at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, change was on the horizon. Even so however, the Arsenal faithful didn’t approach the transferring of the baton with naive optimism; perhaps in acknowledgement of how long it would take the new gaffer to build a side bold enough to challenge for the Premier League title, or just relieved that things couldn’t possibly get as bad as they did during the latter stages of Arsene Wenger’s reign.
Certainly not part of the pre-season chatter around who could possibly topple Manchester City for the Premier League crown, the Gunners registered predictable outcomes given the scorching run of fixtures they had at the start of the season.
Unai’s charges however went on a blistering winning streak for eleven consecutive matches in all competitions; one that has seemingly brought the top four within touching distance. Although winning the League may be a wild goose case given the imperious, unbeaten run by Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, there is little questioning that Unai Emery is onto something special at the club.
Not many get the chance to experience the full gamut of emotions that comes with turning the tide at a new club, but you too can unequivocally make your mark as a football manager by playing Club Manager. Designed with a lucid yet in-depth UI, the game provides a true pick-up-and-play club manager experience; one that will not only challenge you to reach the summit of your preferred league, but also munificently rewards you for your efforts.
As manager, you will be able to play matches across various leagues, even as you initiate the necessary team selections and tactical formations to suit your football mantra.
Other than the apparent tactical nous, one fundamental reason behind Unai Emery’s successful start to life at the Emirates is the acquisition of Lucas Torreira. The former Sampdoria midfielder has massively complimented Granit Xhaka in the middle of the park, thereby bolstering Arsenal’s overall performance as a team.
In Club Manager, the onus will equally be on you to manage your finances and upscale your team by scouting for key transfer targets; all with the ultimate goal of cementing your team’s place in history by winning both League and Cup competitions.
It goes without saying that every great club has a fortress of a stadium. Improving on the capacity of your stadium will merit more financial bonuses for every home game, while improving on the quality of your pitch will further curtail the chances of key players sustaining costly injuries.
Enhancing your training facilities will help ensure your players train quicker and develop faster, whereas upgrading the status of your gym will go a long way in strengthening key areas of your players’ stats.
To gain a greater managerial oversight, you should play exhibition matches as they are designed to help benchmark your tactical awareness and squad selection criterion.
You can play divisional matches and endeavor to climb up the leagues, or at your own preference, create a pool of matches to pit your side against other users in a round-robin format.
What makes Club Manager all the more convenient is its availability across all major platforms such as PC (desktop or via browser game) iOS and Android, so you won’t ever feel ring fenced from your friends or any other players.
Be sure to keep a keen following on the official release announcement poised to be made soon, as Club Manager 2019 will quite assuredly be the best football manager game in the world.
