Rio Ferdinand has revealed his belief that Mikel Arteta is identifying which Arsenal players he can build around this season.
It’s been a hugely underwhelming campaign for the Gunners as they have struggled to break back into the top four in the Premier League this season while they opted to sack Unai Emery.
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In came Arteta to replace him, and now they will look to begin a new process of building a competitive squad to allow the Spaniard to get them back into contention to achieve both their short-term and long-term objectives.
While there has been an improvement in the performances from Arsenal since he was appointed, it hasn’t led to a consistent run of results, and while Arteta will undoubtedly be looking to change that in the coming weeks, Ferdinand also believes that the Gunners boss is going through a pivotal process right now.
As seen in the video below, the BT Sport pundit explained his belief that the Spanish tactician is essentially identifying which players he feels like he can trust and build around moving forward, and so this is an important period for the current squad to prove their worth and secure a future under his stewardship.
Time will tell who establishes themselves as key figures in the Arsenal squad beyond this season, but it’s a fair point from Ferdinand and an interesting view to consider while seeing how they fare between now and the end of the campaign.
? "I admire the manager but it's ambitious!" – Joe Cole
? "I don't think they're in the race." – @martinkeown5
? "He's testing them mentally, seeing who has got the minerals." – @rioferdy5
Our team at Stamford Bridge discuss whether Arsenal can reach the top four… pic.twitter.com/Fzabuxy1jD
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 21, 2020