Pep Guardiola has been the subject of some criticism again this week as his Bayern Munich side limply lost 3-0 to former club Barcelona at the Nou Camp.
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Arsenal transfer news
However, there can be no question that the Spanish tactician would still be the right man for Arsenal – and at precisely the right time; another FA Cup win should be on the horizon this season to continue that growing ‘winning feeling’ at the club after such a long silverware drought prior to last season.
Still, the club is no closer to really challenging for the Premier League title or the Champions League under Arsene Wenger, who deserves one last chance to go out on a high, but who really must move on if the club are to move in the right direction. The signings of big names like Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are the start of that, but now they need an elite manager to lead this group of talented players who can do so much better. That’s without even mentioning the calibre of player Guardiola himself would help attract in the transfer market.
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Guardiola has arguably taken Bayern backwards, but that was the only way it could realistically ever go after taking over from the treble-winning Jupp Heynckes, and even then he has still delivered two Bundesliga titles. Whatever people feel about his achievements in Germany and Spain, he has the know-how to see out title wins, having done so in five of his six full seasons as a coach.
And while he has struggled to keep Bayern along the dominant lines they were mant to be on after 2013, he won’t suffer that same pressure at the Emirates Stadium, when he can only really take the club forward; Arsenal are better than just winning the FA Cup, and would dearly love to be champions of England again, whilst also making it ‘only’ as far as the semi-finals of the Champions League.
If Bayern have their doubts about Pep and other big clubs also ease off rushing to appoint him, then there’s no two ways about it – this is the time for Arsenal to get their man. It has to be now.