If you have any problems in your life, don’t worry, at least you’re not Mikel Arteta or Edu. The Arsenal duo is under heavy criticism from both fans, sports pundits and former players for their bad performances and the players which they bought during the current transfer window. While a defeat from Chelsea was somehow expected, the opening day loss to newcomers Brentford was particularly painful. And now, with Manchester City game looming, it looks like Arsenal will be without points before the international break, which will put coach and the sporting director under immense pressure.Angry Arsenal fans harass Arteta for the worst Gunners season opening in the last 118 yearsAnd now, even their newly bought players are being criticized. And it’s non other than a club legend Paul Merson. Now a TV pundit, Merson was furious when he talked to Sky Sports about his former club. With around 20 billion Ksh spent so far, the Gunners are Premier League biggest spenders so far, with the likes of Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale all joining the club. It’s still not enough for Merson, who thinks Arsenal are buying the wrong type of player.”Why is someone like Danny Ings not playing for Arsenal? You cannot tell me he’s not good enough. Why are Aston Villa getting players like Ings, Emiliano Buendia instead of Arsenal? Who is making these decisions? Surely these players would have been on Arsenal’s radar?” the Highbury legend told Sky Sports.(1.30) MANCHESTER CITY (5.70) ARSENAL (9.00)He then continued to criticize both Arteta and Edu for their pursuit of players, giving the Odegaard transfer as a prime example of a wrong transfer policy.”What is the plan at Arsenal when it comes to transfers? And who is buying the players? If Arteta is buying the players, then he is under severe pressure. If Edu is bringing these players in and Arteta is having to work with them, then it’s a different story. Arsenal seem to sign players nobody else is after. When was the last time they beat someone else to a big signing? We are talking years. If you look at the signing of Martin Odegaard, he went back to Real Madrid after his loan and wanted to play for Real Madrid, not Arsenal. All of sudden Real Madrid say they don’t want him and he comes back to Arsenal where he knows he’ll earn a fortune and play every week. This is how it is now. Gone are the days when Arsenal would have said: ‘we’re a big club, we’re not going to get messed around, you cannot come and sign for us when you feel like it or when you’ve got nothing else’ ” said Merson.PLAYER RATINGS Ars-Che: Tuchel’s masterclass, unplayable Lukaku and Arteta’s playing with a fireThe England press is already contemplating who could replace Edu or Arteta (or both), and thile Marc Overmars, another former player and curent Ajax executive is real option for the Brazilian, coaching candidates being mentioned by various pundits (Antonio Conte, Brendan Rodgers) are not.
