‘They thought it was a retreat’: Petit says Arsenal should drop half of their squad this summer
Nathaniel KayApril 7, 2021
Photo by Kathryn Iwell – AMA/Getty Images
Ex-Arsenal double winner Emmanuel Petit Evening Standard.
If Arsenal continue their shaky form, they will end up with the worst finish in the Premier League. They dropped to tenth place after a 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool at the weekend.
Mikel Arteta’s side have won just three games in the league since January 30, and their Europa League performances are at best the only consolation in an incomplete season.
Petit: Too many players on ‘Vacation’
Petit believes that with all but four players he would be happy to clear the squad on a massive scale this summer if he were in charge of Arteta’s squad.
The World Cup winner said: “When I see older players in Arsenal, it’s like they think it’s a retreating football club and you just go there for holiday.
“They have ambitions, but I really don’t expect them to win big games again.
Photo by Vision House/Getty Images
“If you take out the ‘Arsenal’ name and look at that group of players, (they) are average.
“At the end of the season, if I’m Arsenal, if I’m Arteta, if I’m on the board, I honestly think my main concern is getting half the dressing room out. Honestly.”
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It was a damning comment from Petit, who was crucial to Wenger’s revolution in north London.
He has played with Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown, Tony Adams, Freddie Ljungberg, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and many other legends in famous red and white jerseys ball.
How many household names are in Arteta’s arsenal? David Luiz, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Willian are no longer the players they once were.
Petit believes the club should be built around four young, dynamic players.
The Frenchman has praise for Kieran Tierney and Bernd Leno but has top marks for Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
“I really like Saka and Smith Rowe. The way Smith Roe plays reminds me of Paul Gascoigne,” Petit said.
What upsets Arsenal fans the most – criticising the captain or comparing the young Gunners to the Tottenham legend?
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Nathaniel is a football journalist and a graduate of the University of Derby. He spent two years at Burton Albion as part of the media team. Nathaniel contributes regularly to the club’s official website and matchday programming. He covered the 2018 U20 Women’s World Cup in Brittany and covered venues ranging from non-league to Premier League.
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