FREDDIE LJUNGBERG’s Arsenal promotion is already paying off for Unai Emery.
The former Invincible has replaced Steve Bould as assistant first-team coach after working with the Gunners’ Under-23 side last season.
And Freddie’s inside knowledge of the club’s emerging talent is proving invaluable in Emery’s drive to rejuvenate his ageing team.
Eddie Nketiah’s 89th minute winner, teed up by teenage striker Tyreece John-Jules, was the highlight of a morale-boosting display against the German champions.
Emery had started the evening with his strongest available team, but it was only when he introduced the kids that Arsenal took control.
“This club has a history of giving young players the chance to show what they can do for the club and it is our responsibility to continue with that,” Emery said.
“The work with Freddie Ljungberg has already been very positive.
“Last year we had Steve Bould working with the senior team and Freddie with the Under-23s. But we changed this summer because it was a good option for both of them.
“Above all Freddie is helping us with the young players because he knows them better than anyone else.
“For example, I didn’t know about Robbie Burton, but Freddie told me he’s a good player with the capacity to play as a number six or as an eight.
“And tonight Robbie came on and really helped us when we needed it.
“It’s really good for the young players to be involved in games against big teams like Bayern Munich, to show how they can respond in one against one situations with top class opponents.
“We have a lot of young players with us for the pre-season and some of them will stay with us in the season. We need them now and for the future.
“So it’s really important for them to show their energy and their best performance level in every training session and every game.”
Arsenal took a 49th minute lead when Bayern defender Louis Poznanski turned Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross into his own goal.
But the Gunners’ dodgy defence was undone once again when Robert Lewandowski got the wrong side of Shkodran Mustafi to head Bayern level.
The match appeared to be heading for penalties until John-Jules picked out Nketiah with an inviting low cross and the 20-year-old striker converted from close range.
Emery also hinted that he is ready to abandon the idea of playing with a three-man defence next season and revert to his favoured back four.
And while both Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sead Kolasinac did not look too clever in the full-back roles, Emery was still encouraged by what he saw.
He explained: “They struggled in some moments because Bayern have good wingers, but it’s good to have this problem in pre-season.
“Last season we were playing a lot of matches with three centre-backs to allow Ainsley and Sead to go to the attacking moments.
“But today our target was to work defensively. The first objective was to keep the back four protected and I think we did that.”
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