It is unfortunate for Freddie Ljungberg that he continues to be a hostage to fortune in his own job interview.
The Swede’s hopes of succeeding Unai Emery on a permanent basis depend on his players producing flashes of inspiration like the nine-minute spell which transformed this game rather than any deeper tactical or coaching innovation.
With Arsenal continuing to explore managerial options possessing more obvious credentials — former Valencia boss Marcelino has been in London this week — Ljungberg could run out of time to impose his methods given he admitted after beating West Ham that he is operating on a “game-by-game basis” under instruction from technical director Edu.
The problem for Ljungberg is that is literally the case. “It would be nice to have a few days so I can actually practice with them,” he said. “Before the game is almost like a walkthrough, slowly, of what we need to do and maybe that’s why we start a bit too slowly all the time! Because you can’t really have the tempo in training, but it’s a lot of video and trying to show sequences that we can do better because we can’t really do it on the field. That’s not ideal, but that’s December and the situation I’m in with the players. We do the best we can.”
Arsenal did not sack Emery with a view to giving anyone time to bed in, the situation had become so toxic that a change had to be made.
Ljungberg is working with a skeleton staff — academy boss Per Mertesacker sat alongside him again in the dugout at London Stadium last night — and is simply in a rhythm of playing games and recovering fitness due to a hectic schedule which continues with Thursday’s Europa League trip to Standard Liege.
And if the defence of Ljungberg is he’s had no time to work with his players, the criticism is they would probably need two pre-seasons to sort out all the problems. Arsenal were bereft of hope for an hour here, allowing West Ham to grow into a match which had equally high stakes for their manager Manuel Pellegrini.The Hammers didn’t even need to be that good to take the lead in the 38th-minute when Angelo Ogbonna’s header deflected off Ainsley Maitland-Niles and past Bernd Leno.
There was little sign of a response, but then Gabriel Martinelli was given an eternity to meet Sead Kolasinac’s cross to equalise before Nicolas Pepe struck with a curling volley and turned provider as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang volleyed home.
Suddenly, from singing about how poor their own team were, the away end was chanting Ljungberg’s name and at the end, players embraced as a new feeling — winning a game for the first time since October 24 — washed over them. Kolasinac was not even supposed to be in the squad, but a hamstring injury to Hector Bellerin elevated him to the bench from where he was summoned 29 minutes in due to Kieran Tierney’s shoulder problem.
On such moments seasons can turn. Pepe began to thrive as confidence permeated the Arsenal players before Aubameyang did what he does to heap further pressure on West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini.
Ljungberg is not solely a passenger. Bringing confidence is a managerial skill and where he deserves credit is in picking a team with better balance than many of Emery’s selections.
Calum Chambers looks more assured at centre-half, Aubameyang is at his best in a central position, this selection had more natural width while the debate over Granit Xhaka continues: he is almost certainly not good enough yet Arsenal usually look worse when he isn’t in the team.
Yet Ljungberg might still have a chance of getting the job yet; the one benefit of having games coming so quickly is the opportunity to alter perceptions with victories just like this one did in the space of half an hour. Manchester City’s visit on Sunday is an excellent example.
Pellegrini faces a different situation, with the Hammers set for a 12-day break after Saturday’s trip to Southampton. That period, enforced due to Liverpool’s involvement in the Club World Cup, looks an opportune moment to make a change given the ongoing difficulties they face.
Doubts remain over whether he will even cling on that long, but at least he’ll have a clear week to prepare for another game. Ljungberg should be so lucky.
