Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit warned the club need to completely overhaul their squad if they are to start challenging for trophies again.
The French World Cup winner claimed the Gunners needed to sell a host of their star names and bring in at least five established players in the wake of their 4-0 Champions League thumping by AC Milan.
"We shouldn't hesitate to talk about the end of the cycle. Regardless of age, we have to look seriously at certain players. Right now," Petit told www.sofoot.com.
The 41-year-old, who formed a formidable partnership with Patrick Vieira in his three years in north London from 1997 to 2000, singled out Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Andrey Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky as players who were letting manager Arsene Wenger down.
He added: "Certain young players haven't done enough to justify the confidence that Arsene has in them. Walcott - somehow he's going to have to reach the next stage. It's been years that he's been at the same level.
"Ramsey, against Milan, I got the impression it was his (twin) brother on the pitch. In the way they behave, in their body language, we see they're not there anymore.
"You have to send out a strong signal. You have to say to Arshavin, and to Rosicky: 'Gentlemen, thank you, but goodbye'. And soon.
"What's needed is five or six players of real stature, great experience. Players who are 27 - 30 years old at most.
"Players with technical qualities, obviously, but also strong character. A group of guys who refuse to accept defeat, who inspire confidence in the rest of the team."
Comment 10 - 29 of 29
For Juma Joseph to say,@we will run from supporting Arsenal,shows he is not an Arsenal supporter,I have supported Arsenal through thick and thin since 1936 and in the past season or two have had palpitations watching them,but I still watch them because they are MY TEAM and i could never suport any other,
Why the didn't buy Samba, at any cost, i do not know,but like another gentlema, since David Dein left,Arsenal has never been the same.
Maxi, regardless of the first goal against Milan, the 3 other ones would have been enough. I am not saying he didn't play better at Everton, but he has only played part of the season with Arsenal and I think once he has put some more playing time behind him and becomes more comfortable with the style of play at Arsenal he can and will become more valuable to the team. He has a natural ability to lead and control the middle, you can't just see him play less than half the season with a team that is fundamentally different from any other team in the Prem and become ready to throw him in the bin. He has great vision and is excellent at set pieces, give him a full season and I think he will surprise you.
@shaun No i don't think i've seen anything from Arteta as i would of seen from either, Fabregas, Diaby, Song, Denilson or Wilshere. He ain't good enough for a team like Arsenal though he played better at Everton..besides he doesn't know what to do half of the time and was partly to blame for Arsenal conceding the first goal against Milan.
I just want to know when is Arsenal just going to give up on Theo and call it a day. The guy has never lived up to expectations. He is as good as he was when he first took to the pitch. He has not progressed whatsoever. Arsenal could get a pretty penny for him as well which could go to buying a solid defender, but knowing Arsene it will go back into the pockets of management.
Regards,
Yankee Gunner
Any player who came in the summer deserves a second season. Arteta has been good but not a talisman he was for Everton, but thats because hes playing deeper. Metresacker has transitioned from a different league and a different team so should be given the second year and same with Gervinho. Who btw hasnt done all that badly at all. No hes not set the league on fire but he hasnt been anywhere near as useless as walcott who has been with us for so long that if he had real consistency would surely be showing it by now. Thank god you arent a manager Maxxi or your team would be f**ked as would your finances. The list i provided below are guaranteed useless, and should be first out. The others provide something for the team and with 9 players out, thats enough freshness to get a bit of life back into the team while also getting rid of the dross
@beckycadechase
Yes, spot on, that is a real problem now. I really think Wenger should have been replaced around 2009. Now, he has rotted the squad away for the last 3 years, so there is so much to do now for any manager trying to pick Arsenal up off the floor again. 75% of the squad need replacing now, whereas in 2009 it was probably only about 40%.
I still remember the days when I would say that virtually nobody in the Arsenal squad needed replacing. You'd say, "No, this entire squad is amazing, @#$% it, who will partner Adams this week? Bould, Keown or O'Leary? They are all pure gold" Nowadays even our best centre back, Vermaelen, would come in 5th choice after all of the above.
Excuse me ... have to go and cry....
Maxi, I don't think Arteta belongs on the list of players to sell. I think he has been by far the best acquisition Arsenal had during the transfer window. He has been a very valuable player and has shown that he does contain some leadership abilities. Granted, he will never be Cesc but he does have quite a bit to offer in my opinion.
Regards,
Yankee Gunner
This is the other problem area for Arsenal. When they bite the bullet and bring in a new manager- probably at the end of the season- the new man will have a very weak squad to work with. RVP and Walcott will be gone and maybe Song and Sagna as well. It could take 3 or 4 years for the club to become challengers again , but it would be worth it .
May be is correct to say that Arsenal players sometimes doesn't know what they are doing in the pitch. Milan night was something I should blame the manager and the players. The manager did not pick up an attacking scud. He has only Walcot and van Persie. Ramsey is not a really attacking player. This costed the team because nobody was going forward. When they get the ball, a player requests a pass by moving behind towards our goal. This attracted Milan to come. The players were not motivated. They played a horrible performance. We need fresh heads in the pitch as well as in the managing team. Get Henry as one the coaching staff. He has a command for the players. Get some players who can force the ball forward, Rosicky has some stupid dribbles which are useless. We will run from supporting Arsenal if there are no changes!
to be honest the players are capable of performing good, but they don't just like chelsea, sometimes man u and liverpool as well. Players are starting to get lazy and overpaid which will mean teams like swansea, norwich etc. will be looking to beat the bigger teams like they have sometimes already.
But there is some Arsenal players which should be sold out of the club:
Gervinho
Almunia
Mertesacker
Arteta
Djourou
Pla yers under performing who can do better:
Gervinho, Arteta, Djourou, Squillaci, Arshavin, Walcott, Rosicky, Gibbs, Chamakh, Park and Fabianski
While I agree with the fact Wenger has done little to improve the side by not purchasing top quality players to compensate for the losses of top players, Vieira has a great point. There seems to be little to no enthusiasm during matches. There has been no one to step up and assume the leadership this team desperately needs. I have also noticed that regardless of the score, there is never any kind of aggressive attacking of goal. Everyone seems to want to pass, pass and pass; regardless of whether or not they are sitting in front of goal.They almost seem to be afraid to shoot the ball. I disagree with the notion that Arsenal can not attract top tier talent because of their recent struggles (or extended struggles, depends on how you look at it), Hazard has been flighty this entire time so his flip flopping about whether or not he will move to England or if he will play for the Spurs does not concern me. At the end of the day, if the price is right the top players will come play for Arsenal. Arsenal is still considered a top tier team in England, regardless of where they place this year.
Regards,
Yankee Gunner
bility for they mistake does we should have sold they still there because he wenger doesent listening any one opinion ,maybe we could have lost the game yes accept that but not 4 goals,we didnt have a tactic, at 2 -0 we should risk any thing too get a goal because thats very bad ,now what we have is impossible game too win but then again the board knows that my fellow gunners they will get still huge profit, not the fan ....wake up we dont invest we dont have nothing too complain for love you Arsenal forever whatever but it urts a lot and have felling like that for the past 6 years make me smille..........
but most important if we are to win we need dein back in fact why not start a petition to get him back and show in the stands we want dein back
start buying now agree fees and then at the end of the season we know whos coming pre contracts instead of waiting and then as usual losing out ok so u may pay over odds but at least all happy we now HAVE to forget everything move on and fight for a top 4 finnish
Arsenal is business in the first place, even Wenger said that recently in some interview. The difference between business and football club is simple : while business only cares about profit, football club should care about success, which should be highlighted by winning trophies. Sure, you have to care also about finances but you cant win EPL or CL without world class players and they cost money and want high wages. Arsenal is at crossroads more than ever : choice is simple, either we start spending and change our team philosophy concerning wages and ultimately get some trophies (even though theres no guarantee) or continue to run things like we do now and slowly slip into mediocrity, fighting for spots in Europe League and becoming a middle table team.
Doesnt matter who Arsenal get once Real Madrid go for RVP. No one is as important as him. He is out of contract soon I believe...
add on to my previous comment BRING BACK DAVID DEIN
Petit it is f@cking easy to pick players to get rid of but who would you buy, you never mentioned 1 player, what pives me off is these players who have played for arsenal made there name and thought grass was greener on the other side and couldnt move fast enough to another club only to go down hill fast then come out and say i love arsenal i always have. yes we need players and yes we are playing with players who should be sqaud players at most. i would like Samba, M,Villa and Hazard. 3 signing would change the sqaud and make us more aggressive both in defence and in attack. and if we could get Gotze from Dortmund all the better.
scz
kosc samba verm
m,villa
sanga hazard
wilsh(ramsey) (gotze) arteta ox
rvp
stan oouuuuttttt. usmanov in , this stan son of a c£$t, along wit arsenal board is killing arsenal, its time to show the board and stan the door out like liverpool did! stan is business minded no passion for our national game and pride, f---you stan, u m---fer
Fine arsenal need to buy quality players, but can they avoid their price.Average player nowadays will cost nothing less than15million pounds, can they avoid to buy three of them?. we all know that they are the only profitable british club but they will never buy world class player because it will be too expensive for them.
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