“Something needs to change” - Ian Wright issues plea to Arsenal hierarchy with warning about Mikel Arteta requiring ‘help'

Ian Wright urges Arsenal board to back Mikel Arteta in January window
Ian Wright urges Arsenal board to back Mikel Arteta in January window

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has urged his former club's board to back Mikel Arteta in the January transfer window. The pundit believes the Gunners are in dire need of reinforcements to turn things around this season.

While Arsenal are second in the Premier League, they are a substantial six points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. The north Londoners seem like they have a mountain to climb to end their title drought this season.

Meanwhile, the Gunners suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals at the Emirates on Tuesday (January 7). Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon got on the scoresheet to secure a crucial away win for the Magpies.

Arsenal lacked decisiveness in the final third, with Gabriel Martinelli hitting the post and Kai Havertz missing a free header. And Wright believes it's up to the board now to make crucial changes and help the Gunners return to winning ways. He said (via The Independent):

“You’ve got to look at the board now. I don’t know what you do but you’ve got to try and do something. He [Arteta] needs help. I know it’s very difficult in this January window, but he needs something else because if it’s going to carry on like this, it’s going to be very difficult to score.
"We’re not scoring with the corners, we’re not scoring with the chances we’re making, something needs to change. Something needs to happen.”

Arsenal will next face Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday (January 12).

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta criticizes Carabao Cup ball after Newcastle loss

Mikel Arteta has criticized the ball used in the Carabao Cup, claiming that its trajectory differs from that of a Premier League football.

The balls used in the Premier League are manufactured by Nike while the Carabao Cup footballs are made by Puma. Clubs participating in the tournament are given the Puma footballs beforehand for training.

Speaking after the Newcastle loss, Arteta told reporters (via BBC Sport):

"We kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it's tricky that these balls fly a lot so there's details that we can do better."

The Arsenal boss added when asked to elaborate further on the ball:

"It's just different. It's very different to a Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies different. When you touch it the grip is very different as well, so you adapt to that."

Representatives from the EFL have responded to these claims as well. A spokesperson from the organization insists that they have received no other complaint, with the ball being used in other European top-flight leagues as well.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava
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