Unai Emery on Man City loss: We need to improve the team
Those are the thoughts of Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool midfielder Steve McMahon.
Arsenal began their Premier League campaign in disappointing fashion as they were swept aside 2-0 by City at the Emirates.
Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva grabbed the goals as Pep Guardiola’s men put down an early title marker, although the visitors could have won by a greater margin had they been more clinical with their finishing.
Emery’s men found themselves exploited on the flanks, although they tried to play their way out of trouble with eye-catching football from the back.
It's very naive at the moment; you've got to put it into practice first
Steve McMahon
But McMahon took issue with it, insisting it was the wrong time to deploy it.
“It's very naive at the moment; you've got to put it into practice first,” McMahon said on Sky Sports’ The Debate when analysing the Gunners’ performance against City.
“It's the wrong time in the first game of the season, against Manchester City, the best team in the league.
“Pep had the best players when he was doing it - some of these couldn't kick a ball down a hill.
Unai Emery has been criticised for his side's display against Manchester City (Image: GETTY)
Bernardo Silva (left) helped kill the game off for Manchester City (Image: GETTY)
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"It's not just about the goalkeeper, it's square pegs in round holes. Your style is only as good as the quality of your footballers."
That contrasted with the opinion of fellow Sky Sports pundit Liam Rosenior, who thinks Emery doesn’t warrant criticism yet.
He said: “Emery has come in at Arsenal, and they're trying to get in the top four, he's trying to play the same way.
“He's won titles with Sevilla, he's won three Europa Leagues in a row, and I find it a bit disrespectful to have a go at him trying to build something in the same way Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have in the past.
Steve McMahon thinks Unai Emery's men were naive (Image: SKY SPORTS)
"Sam Allardyce was having a go at a manager who's just had his first game, playing against the best team in the league, trying to put a stamp on his philosophy into this club - let's see how Arsenal do in six months in six months' time, because I saw a lot of good in their play.
"Yes they lost, yes Cech made mistakes playing out, but I saw them being able to press the ball because they were trying to rest in possession."
Arsenal will look to get back on track when they travel to face Chelsea on Saturday (5.30pm).