HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN...
Keown shocked by decline of the Gunners but he backs Arteta to turn it around
ARSENAL legend Martin Keown cannot believe how far his former club has fallen.
For the 10th-placed Gunners tomorrow’s North London derby with Spurs is now just about playing for pride, a far cry from the glory days when Keown won trophies galore.
But the former defender remains convinced Arsenal have the right man in Mikel Arteta to revive their fortunes – although he will need huge backing from the owners to achieve success.
Keown (left), who won seven major trophies in two spells at the club, said: “Nobody expected Arsenal to be this low. It’s a club steeped in history and the third most successful club in England with what it has achieved.
“When you look back, Unai Emery finished fifth in the table and Arsene Wenger finished in the top four 20odd times, then fifth and sixth in the last two seasons.
“We are quite a bit lower than that but everyone is recognising this is a period now where this is a bit of a lull.
“There will be a level of patience, but they won’t wait forever.
“But sometimes if you get the right man in the building, and I think Arteta is that, they have to be patient and back him this summer to let him put more pieces into the jigsaw puzzle.
“He is in a results business and when you lose to Spurs, the fans are on your back so this is as much about keeping people on board.
“Beating Spurs at the weekend is a game about pride and looking to the future.”
Keown, talking as an ambassador for the FA and McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards, also believes the squad will need major
rebuilding having already undergone an overhaul with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi having been moved on.
Double-winner Keown thinks they may need the sort of top-quality arrivals this summer that Wenger ushered in when he first took charge.
But he also wants to see young talent given more of a chance.
He said: “Is the money going to be available? Because the team is crying out for investment and in the summer there are some big decisions that have to be made because a lot of the guys have already gone and the places are there now for the replacements.
“There are parallels now from where the club was when Arsene Wenger first took over - that big summer he had when he brought Over Vieira, mars,
Petit.
“Those guys came into the team and made a massive difference and boost for the squad.
“The young players are the strength of the team. Smith Rowe (below, centre), Saka ( far left) they’ve been outstanding and Tierney (left) looks nailed on. “One by one, the pieces are coming together very slowly. “I like Gabriel, I like Thomas Partey and I like the style of signing and they are more physical.” MARTIN KEOWN is launching nominations for the 2021 FA & McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards. To nominate your grassroots hero, go to www.mcdonalds.co.uk/awards