He may not have been quite the marquee name the fans were craving .
The little Spaniard proved in his first season to be creative , effective and likeable , pointing the way to a brighter future after the austerity of the early Emirates years .
He may not have been quite the marquee name the fans were craving , but the little Spaniard proved in his first season to be creative , effective and likeable , pointing the way to a brighter future after the austerity of the early Emirates years .