Arsenal are overhauling their medical department this summer.
As part of that, the Gunners are raiding Aston Villa’s backroom staff, including those who have helped Unai Emery boast the best injury record of any English club in European competition over the last two seasons.
On the surface, it seems like a logical move. Mikel Arteta is keen to freshen up personnel, given that injuries have plagued his side in recent seasons.
Villa, meanwhile, have had the majority of their players available consistently, and have been able to rotate their squad smoothly.
In the really crucial points of the season, Emery has rarely had to field a weakened side, which has ultimately helped them to a Champions League spot and a European trophy.
What do you think was Unai Emery’s biggest mistake at Arsenal before he was sacked?
But there is an interesting wrinkle in the narrative. Emery’s injury record at Arsenal was not good.
A look at Arsenal’s injury record under Unai Emery
Emery’s 18 months in north London were scattered with a series of serious injuries to key players.
Danny Welbeck broke his ankle against Sporting CP in the Europa League in November 2018. That one was bad luck.
But then Rob Holding ruptured his ACL against Manchester United in December, just as Arsenal were building momentum on a 22-game unbeaten run.
Just weeks later, Hector Bellerin suffered the same injury against Chelsea.
Then came the familiar Arsenal spring collapse. Aaron Ramsey tore his hamstring in the Europa League quarter-final against Napoli in April and sadly never played for the club again.
Laurent Koscielny was also out but he was already working his way back from a ruptured Achilles before Emery had even arrived.
Of course, Arsenal didn’t have the squad depth they do now, so these injuries that tore through the spine of the starting XI ultimately cost them a Champions League place.
Unai Emery must have changed his methods at Aston Villa
There are two plausible explanations for Emery’s injury record improving to this extent.
The first is that Emery adapted. His training sessions at Arsenal were notoriously intense, and it is entirely possible he recalibrated his methods after experiencing the consequences first hand.
The second is more nuanced, in that Emery is not the primary decision maker behind Villa’s medical success at all.
The staff around him, including Dr Arnaldo Abrantes and Carmen Marquez, are likely the ones driving the sports science and injury prevention methodology.
If the injury success at Villa is driven by the staff rather than the manager, then Arsenal bringing those individuals to the Emirates obviously makes perfect sense.
But if it is Emery’s methods that have made the difference, Arsenal may be importing the personnel without the philosophy that makes them effective.
Either way, Arteta is aware he needs to change his own ways, as he did following a conversation with Eberechi Eze during the title run-in.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
