By Laurie Bonne
15 May 2011 14:50:00
EPL : Robert Pires , Blackburn Rovers v Aston Villa (Getty Images)
Related Links
Teams
Players
Aston Villa winger Robert Pires urges Arsene Wenger to recruit English players to put an end to Arsenal’s six trophy less seasons.
Criticism has rained on the Gunners’ manager after the club failed to get to the latter stages of the Champions League, lost the Carling Cup final to Birmingham and crashed out of the title race to recently crowned Premier League champions Manchester United.
Pires is confident that Wenger’s squad does not have what it takes to make a difference in big games and that there is a lack of English players.
He told the Mail: “I still think Arsene Wenger can bring trophies to Arsenal.
“I hope so for Mr Wenger’s sake because he is a good manager and no one can say otherwise.
“And I can understand why the fans are a little bit upset although Arsenal remain a very good team with very good players.
“There seems to be a new philosophy now at the club. But if they want to be successful there are two things. The first is that his squad is too young.
“And now he also needs more English players in his team. You need that mix.
“You need English players because they have the experience of the league. When they are mixed with the French, Germans and the Spanish, you have a good blend.
“But Arsene has taken his own direction and maintains his own philosophy. That’s his right and I respect that.”
Earlier this season, the 37-year-old spent some time training with Wenger’s first-team squad after his four-year contract at Villareal expired.
He also believes it was the Carling Cup final defeat, when a late blunder allowed Alex McLeish’s side to win the tropy, that has led to Arsenal’s season crumbling.
“When they lost the Carling Cup final they went lower and lower and their confidence was gone,” he added
“They were a little bit broken because if they had won it people would have said, ‘Yes, the first trophy for Arsenal for six years’.
“But after they lost there was more pressure on the next trophy — and the next one and the next one.
“They lost to Barca and Man United and then lost important league games. The first one was key.”