Ray Parlour believes Mikel Arteta will avoid the sack even when Arsenal fail to win a single trophy this season but has implored the Gunners’ boss to oversee a significant clear-out in the summertime.
Defeat at Southampton on Saturday represented a significant shock to the system and means the north London club’s hopes of winning silveware now hinge fending of Manchester City’s Premier League challenge or claiming a primary ever Champions League crown.
After so many nears misses over the previous couple of years, the doubts have begun to creep in again in regards to the mental fortitude of a squad which still has all of it to prove.
Arteta will hope his stuttering side can get back heading in the right direction against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday before a vital game against Bournemouth this weekend which offers the possibility to open up, temporarily a minimum of, a 12-point gap.
Anything but three points against the Cherries would supply City with further impetus and with blood already within the water they’re unlikely to want any second invitation.
With the games coming thick and fast, Arteta will likely must rotate his squad and supply further opportunities to the players who let him down at St Mary’s.
Ben White struggled at right-back and was at fault for Southampton’s opening goal, while Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel Jesus and Christian Norgaard all looked wanting fitness and form.
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Arsenal’s squad underwent major surgery last summer and they’ll need to sell players within the close season in the event that they hope to make further improvements and Parlour believes eliminating the deadwood represents a priority task.
The Arsenal legend told talkSPORT: ‘There’s going to be numerous work done in the summertime because there’s numerous deadwood there. He must do away with quite a couple of players if I’m being honest.’
An FA Cup triumph back in 2020 represents the one major trophy won by Arsenal under Arteta’s management, but even in the event that they miss out again Parlour believes the Spaniard will remain on the helm.
He added: ‘I don’t think he’d lose his job. Who would you herald. I’m taking a look at it realistically, who could you herald for Arteta who could do the same job.
‘I don’t know there’s many managers on the market. Alonso I could imagine him going to Liverpool so who else is on the market. Luis Enrique would he go and leave PSG?
‘I can’t see a greater manager who could do a greater job. They’ve got the religion in him.
‘Zidane could he do it within the Premier League? Arteta it’s the way you lose it sometimes as well.
‘There’s a protracted solution to go but I actually consider he’ll be there next season even in the event that they don’t win anything. It’s a giant decision they need to make but I consider they appear at it and say who’s on the market?
‘They are going to have a look at other clubs as well and say how over and over do they alter managers? You may have a giant name and it may not work still.’
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