Rio Ferdinand has warned Arsenal supporters calling for Mikel Arteta’s sacking to ‘watch out what you want for’ and believes the Gunners would struggle to recruit an elite-level manager in the identical summer as Manchester United.
Arsenal currently sit six points clear of Manchester City at the highest of the Premier League ahead of their match on the Etihad Stadium this Sunday, while they’ve reached the Champions League semi-final where they are going to meet Atletico Madrid.
Nevertheless, Arteta has faced calls to be sacked if he finishes the season with no trophy, with some supporters concerned over the team’s form of play within the second half of the season.
Ferdinand believes Arsenal can be unsuitable to dismiss Arteta and feels the club could struggle to compete with Manchester United, who may look beyond Michael Carrick and appoint a brand new manager this summer.
‘I can be careful what you want for if I used to be an Arsenal fan in the event you think eliminating Arteta is the perfect thing you guys could do,’ Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel.
‘You have got to recollect where you guys were when he got here. You guys are consistently qualifying for the Champions League, you weren’t before Arteta got here. You’re ending second more often than not, fighting for the Premier League 12 months in, 12 months out.
‘You’ve got to recover from the road, yes I do know, but you think that the grass is greener over there with one other manager? Who’s the opposite manager?
‘He [Luis Enrique] will not be coming to Arsenal. He’s leaving the perfect team on the earth to go to Arsenal – are you crazy?
‘Every manager apart from Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira or Cesc Fabregas would go to Man United over Arsenal.
‘He [Fabregas] doesn’t guarantee you anything, he hasn’t won anything, as talented as he’s.
‘I’m just saying, it’s not such as you go from Arteta and say, ‘we’ve got a certainty’. Pep’s your only certainty and he’s not going to Arsenal.’
Ferdinand also hit back criticism of Martin Zubimendi’s recent performances for Arsenal and believes the largest problem for Arteta is his lack of creativity in attack.
‘I’ve seen it, I’ve seen it loud and clear,’ Ferdinand replied when asked in regards to the criticism directed towards Zubimendi.
‘They’re saying he’s been a liability, he was bought simply because of a superb game within the Euros final, he’s the weak link.
‘Yeah, he is likely to be at fault for a goal or something like that, he’s given the ball away just a few times or made mistakes when the ball has been played directly from a goalkeeper in that holding role, but I wouldn’t say it’s all the way down to him.
‘I believe Arsenal’s biggest problem is their lack of attacking flair, their willingness to only take the shackles off and go for it. That for me, I’d be apprehensive about that as an Arsenal fan.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the most recent news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Man Utd urged to sign £42m Premier League ‘monster’ to exchange Casemiro
MORE: ‘Amazing job’ – Chelsea tipped to rehire club legend to exchange Liam Rosenior
MORE: Martin Keown names the team Arsenal must avoid to win Champions League