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Martin Keown has stated that now is “not the time to panic” for Arsenal as Invincible asked their former club to back Mikel Arteta in the January transfer window.
The Gunners, who are ranked 15th, have had their worst start to the season since 1974-75 after winning just one of their last nine Premier League games.
And the FA Cup winners are approaching the first anniversary of the Spaniard’s appointment closer to the relegation zone than they are to the Champions League venues.
But Gunners legend Keown has insisted the Spanish manager should get more time, and more support from the board, after 50 games in his first coaching job.
(Image: www.mattjalexander.com)
“I think this is not the time to panic,” said the former England defender. “Arteta has shown that he can win. People always said, ‘Trust Wenger.’ Now we have to do that with Arteta.
“He wants to make changes, and sometimes when you make changes, you go back first before you can move forward.
“In the meantime, confidence has been greatly undermined by the results, so it’s a difficult time now. I think it was a bit surprising to the coach how they were dismantled by Aston Villa and haven’t really recovered.”
“It needs to be backed up. I’m very happy that (coach) Edu is speaking in support of the coach now; I should have talked much earlier.
“I think if all the fans could come back for some miracle next week, they would be behind the coach.”
(Image: POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have been hungry for title glory for a while, but things could be turning as a new Arsenal team chart a course for success.
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New signings Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey have started to work after their big summer arrivals, and the new Gunners are doing their best for a top four spot and Europa League glory this season.
Mesut Ozil’s situation continues to hang in the background and there are plenty of things to do in North London to keep up with.
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Keown, a longtime supporter of Ronald McDonald House charities, has welcomed Arteta’s return to fielding a three-man center back with wingers.
“The long-term vision he has for the team in terms of how they want to play was affecting short-term results,” he added. “They needed to go back to the previous five, but then you can’t be that creative.
“I feel like the transfer window can’t come early enough for him. The midfield area is still a problem. He needs Thomas Partey back and he also needs another top-class midfielder to join him.
“You look at Hojbjerg at Spurs and you think: ‘Why were Spurs the only team chasing him?’ He is a good player who has made a difference.
“Until he can control the midfield, he can’t play the four-defense system that he wants.”
Arsenal have accumulated more red cards (three) than points in the six Premier League games since the victory at Old Trafford. The next three games are against Everton, Manchester City and Chelsea.
Keown added: “Bad discipline is costing them right now. And Willian looks like he’s been taking a vacation ever since he was there.
“You need character and personality. It’s often about how you respond to that adversity. It should hurt to the core when they hit you. “
- McDonald’s Fun Football Ambassador Martin Keown spoke at the unveiling of a new playground made from 1 million recycled Happy Meal toys at RMHC Oxford, the first of at least 15 to be built over the next year. For more information, visit mcdonalds.co.uk/family.
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