Patience is in short supply in the world of top-level football. If there are no results, there isn’t much you can do to appease the supporters. Signing players can help, but what happens if you buy players and end up in worse shape? Arsenal’s technical director Edu has already got some explaining to do.Even though he isn’t the one to speak to the media regularly, the Brazilian spoke to Sky Sports in an attempt to paint a brighter picture of his team despite the fans being less than impressed by the arrivals of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Aaron Ramsdale, Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares.”Firstly, they have not seen the team playing together yet. That’s one of the reasons, but I think we have to see the wider context than just to see the money around the transfer window. We signed six players who are under 23, which means a lot in terms of our planning.”Edu with Thierry Henry in 2005 (©AFP)In recent years, Arsenal have tried to bring in young players and to extend contracts of their prospects like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. That is not necessarily wrong, but the fact remains that the club failed to qualify for any European competition for the first time since 1995 and that they are currently bottom of the Premier League table with three defeats in three games.”I really understand that the fans are disappointed with the results, but I’d also like them to understand the the direction we are going as a club. Of course, it has hurt us to be in that situation. We are hurt, I am hurt. I don’t want to see the club there, but I want to see the team playing together. To be fair, we have had three games, and I haven’t seen the team playing together yet. In all three games we have played we have had some difficult moments in terms of Covid and injuries. I want to see the team play together and then let’s judge the team when they play together. Then, after that, no problem.”11 September: (1.60) Arsenal (4.00) Norwich (5.70)So, according to Edu, the team he is building is one for the future, but the team is currently underperforming because the new signings haven’t been available to play together yet. The Brazilian keeps contradicting himself because it seems that Arsenal aren’t quite sure what their transfer policy really is. Is it to invest in players who can improve the team right away or those who would become stars of the future? What would it mean to the club’s future if the team finishes in the bottom half of the table this season?”The balance is not easy to get, but again, we believe in what we are doing. Talking about my role, I understand the pressure. I understand the pressure on me, Mikel, the board and the club because the situation we are in now is not acceptable. But, now is the moment for everybody to be together, and I would like to see people step forward in difficult moments and take responsibility. I am responsible for what we are doing.””To create a good foundation, you need time.” ⏰In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Arsenal technical director Edu defends the club’s transfer policy after their poor start to the season and talks about his own role and that of Mikel Arteta…⬇— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 4, 2021 Responsibility and patience are going to be two keywords in the coming weeks and months. Let’s see if there will be enough of those two virtues.
