EMERY NEEDS TIME TO GET HIS MESSAGE ACROSS
Legend Parlour calls for patience but insists defeat to West Ham is UNTHINKABLE
RAY PARLOUR insists Unai Emery must be given time to oversee his Arsenal revolution – but warned it would be unthinkable not to beat West Ham.
The Gunners legend believes Emery’s changes are already taking shape despite a nightmare start, which has seen them lose their opening games to Manchester City and Chelsea.
But Parlour admits the pressure is on for Saturday’s London derby when former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere makes his first return to the Emirates with West Ham. He said: “The start was always going to be difficult. Supporters will let you off because of how good Man City are. Chelsea is always difficult.
“But West Ham has got everybody expecting you to win, the pressure kicks in a bit, but I think they’ve got enough to win the game.
“It will always come down to results, but the bigger picture for the club is positive.
“At the moment, I feel he’s the right man, the only man to come in and he’s managed big clubs, you can see he’s intense on the sidelines.
“You can see him in training, the way he demands quality in every game, they look a bit fitter, sharper and we can’t get too carried away. If they beat West Ham and Cardiff then things will look a lot brighter.
“There’s been a change in attitude. Steve Bould has stayed and he says he drills them, he goes up to players and talks to them oneon-one, you can see him really coaching them, how he wants to set up the team and the system.
“What I like about him is that he’s not scared to leave players out.
“I guarantee that Matteo Guendouzi (circle, top) wasn’t on the team sheet in pre-season, but now he’s started the season and that shows he’s not afraid to make changes and bring players in.” Former midfielder Parlour also warned that the club must pull out all the stops to keep Aaron Ramsey (bottom) with the Wales star out of contract at the end of the season. Parlour said: “He’s a very important player and I’d be gutted if he left. “But his representatives are trying to get the best deal, being realistic it’s his last big contract because of his age and he’s probably looking at Ozil’s contract and thinking, ‘I should be close to that’. He’s a very important player, goalscoring midfielders are so hard to find.
“Frank Lampard would score goals from midfield and Aaron scores big goals in big games, he’s important to the team and also to the dressing room because the young British players will look up to him.
“I hope he stays, but it will come down to the finance package he will get or Arsenal have to make a big decision and maybe think about having to sell him in the window in January.”
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