Emmanuel Petit believes Arsenal can once again dominate English football
Emmanuel Petit believes Arsenal can once again dominate English football
The Gunners great says that Wenger has put the club in pole-position for glory in the league this year, but says they must beat Chelsea in the Capital One Cup
The glory days: Petit believes Arsenal can be back to their best
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Emmanuel Petit claims Arsene Wenger is building a new era of Arsenal glory. Ex-Gunners midfielder Petit believes the Gunners will see off another of his former clubs in the Capital One Cup and it will put them on the road to success this season.
Petit
also says he is convinced that Wenger – whose contract is up at the end
of the season – will stay after being re-energised by Mesut Ozil giving
Arsenal a new lease of life.
World Cup winner Petit, 43, who also
had three years at Chelsea, said: “There are new expectations at
Arsenal. Eight years without a trophy is a long time, the fans are
starving for success.
“It doesn’t matter what the trophy is – just
as long as they win one this season. Look at what happened when they
lost to Birmingham in the final. The expectations were huge and losing
it really hurt them.
“The Capital One Cup is a trophy,
the first one they can win. Psychologically it is huge, it’s huge for
both clubs but for Arsenal they need to end this run and I think they
will.
“You cannot afford to make differences between trophies. You
need to have a winning spirit which means you go out to win every game.
You can’t pick and choose. You need a winning mentality.
“Success will bring more success. But it is so important now to win a trophy and add success to the wonderful football.
“They
are enjoying their football, they are playing fantastic one-touch stuff
as good as when Cesc Fabregas was there. Mesut Ozil has been a
fantastic signing for them.” Mesut Ozil is the key for Arsenal, says Petit
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Petit believes Real Madrid’s loss of Ozil is Arsenal’s gain
and claims the Spanish side were crazy to let him go – even for £42m.
“Arsenal
are in a good place to win,” said Petit. “They have a world class
player, he has lifted them, given them belief and confidence is 50 per
cent of every successful team.
“I’ve been watching Ozil at Madrid and I thought he was wasted every time he pulled on the white shirt.
“They
did not play him in the way to get the best out of him. But Arsenal are
building a team around him, getting the best from him.
“What
makes Wenger special is that he doesn’t just buy talent, he buys a
player’s trust. With Ozil, he knew what effect he would have on the
pitch.”
Petit is also convinced that his former manager – who
helped lead him to a Double winning team in 1998 – will stay and says it
would be “impossible” to imagine Arsenal without Wenger.
Wenger
has warned that he will not make a decision on his long-term future
until later in the season to leave Arsenal fans wondering whether he
will sign the deal which is on the table.
Petit said: “I’m sure
Wenger will stay with Arsenal, it’s impossible to imagine the club
without him. If the club does not win a trophy then it will be hard for
him, but I think they will.
“But the fans must understand that he
has been the best thing to ever happen to Arsenal and he is responsible
for all the success in the past 17 years.” Old rivals: Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger
PA
Petit left Chelsea in the summer of 2004 when Jose Mourinho took charge at Stamford Bridge for the first time.
But
Petit admits it is Arsenal which is the team closer to his heart
because of the success under Wenger but he also says Mourinho will bring
the glory days back to Stamford Bridge.
Petit added: “I think
Arsenal will probably just about win, mostly because Chelsea have a
harder fixture schedule and having to play on Sunday rather than
Saturday makes it that much tougher.
“But Mourinho is like Sir
Alex Ferguson in that he doesn’t choose between competitions. You have
to want to win every single game and they are all important.
“I
think they will be successful this season but they will have to do it
his way. They don’t have a Drogba anymore and Mata is their best player
but it shows that if you don’t follow his orders then you are nowhere.
“Mourinho
brings passion, fighting spirit and determination into the dressing
room. He did that the first time around with Terry, Lampard and Drogba.
Terry and Lampard are still there. Chelsea will always fight for every
game.
“But I have a feeling that this could be Arsenal’s season this year.”
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