It’s a decisive year for Arteta, he has to deliver - Brady
‘A NEW BOARD IS NEEDED AT ARSENAL THAT HAS FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE’
FOR all the satisfaction Liam Brady draws from the presence in the Euro finals of graduates of the Arsenal academy he presided over for 17 years, he is acutely aware of his former club’s Premier League predicament.
Successive finishes of sixth, fifth, eighth and eighth have wounded the reputation of north London’s finest who probably held on to former manager Arsene Wenger for too long and his successor, Unai Emery, for not long enough.
Current boss Mikel Arteta is manning the trenches and coming under fire after Arsenal limped to fourth place in the London roll of honour behind Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham last season.
A successful run in the 2020 FA Cup gained Arteta breathing space last season but unless the Gunners are duelling for a top-four place by Christmas, he may not be around for the third round draw.
If that sounds harsh on the Spaniard, Arsenal’s demands, as set by Wenger, are high and must be met every season.
‘I think this is the decisive year,’ acknowledged Brady.
‘At the end of the season we need to be either challenging to get into the Champions League or get into the Europa League. If that doesn’t happen, well the pressure would probably be on the club to change.
‘It comes with the proviso that the club give Arteta money to get in who he wants.’
What areas do Arsenal need to strengthen?
‘Down the spine, at centre-back, midfield player to play along with (Thomas) Partey. They say (Granit) Xhaka might be going to Rome, (PierreEmerick) Aubameyang and (Alexandre) Lacazette are getting on a bit so support is needed up there.
‘The success at Arsenal has been the young players, (Bukayo) Saka, (Emile) Smith Rowe,
(Gabriel) Martinelli, while (Kieran) Tierney has been one of the few good buys.
‘Not many players have increased in value apart from Tierney which is an indictment, and Arsenal have spent heavily.’
Under Wenger, the Gunners were Champions League regulars for 19 consecutive seasons, finalists in 2006, but they last breached the last-16 hurdle in 2010.
‘You can soon lose it; that prestige of being one of the top clubs,’ said Brady.
‘Let’s face it, Arsenal never challenged at any stage for the Champions League this season, so things need to improve across the board. I mean that in the running of the club and the running of the team.’
Brady said he winced when Arsenal signed up for the European Super League in April.
‘It’s worrying that they didn’t have the sense to say, “Thanks, but no thanks”. The regime at Arsenal has changed dramatically. The old board is redundant.
‘You’ve got executives making the calls.
‘These executives are interested in money and don’t have the experience in football that the old board had to, maybe, say all that glitters is not gold. ‘That experience wasn’t there when the ESL decision was made. ‘That’s something that has to be addressed. A new board is needed at Arsenal that has football experience, as well as business experience,’ added Brady.