BIG DUNC: I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE WE GOT CARLO
and his fingerprints were on Ljungberg’s team selection as 19-year-old Emile Smith Rowe made his first Premier League start while Reiss Nelson, 20, and Gabriel Martinelli, 18, made their third.
Arteta feels Arsenal’s exciting youngsters can deliver the drive he wants to change the culture and make the club successful again.
Mesut Ozil (below, in training yesterday) may struggle to fit in under his new regime and Ljungberg revealed he would not have picked
DUNCAN FERGUSON says he and the Everton players are in awe of Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti was confirmed as Everton’s new manager on a four-and-a-half year deal just before Saturday’s draw with Arsenal at Goodison Park and Ferguson says everyone is blown away by him.
The three-time Champions League winner has lifted trophies in Europe’s top five leagues and Ferguson claims his appointment is a huge statement by the club.
“Absolutely he’s got a presence,” said Ferguson (above), who will be one of Ancelotti’s assistants.
“Everyone knows he’s a winner. He’s got so many medals hasn’t he?
“We’re in awe of him really. We’ll go on Monday and we’ll go with everything we’ve got.
“It’s an incredible appointment isn’t it? One of the biggest names in football ever is at our football club. It’s an incredible statement, fantastic, and it just shows you how ambitious we are.
“I’ve had a word with him and I can’t wait to start learning from him on Monday.”
Gylfi Sigurdsson says the players are excited to be working with Ancelotti, who watched Saturday’s game from the stands, and says the Italian’s arrival underlines the ambition of majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and the board.
“I think that’s down to the chairman and the owner,” said Sigurdsson. “They love this club and they are always looking to improve the club and the team, so great credit to them to bring in someone of his stature.
“It’s not about just bringing someone in, they wanted to bring in the best manager possible and they have got a very good manager with a lot of experience.”