Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has had his say on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, with the club trophyless for five years.
Parlour, 52, knows what it takes to win a trophy with the Gunners.
The north London legend picked up six major trophies during his time at the club, including three Premier League titles, in his 465 appearances.
So, the iconic midfielder would be in a fair position to judge whether Arteta is moving the club forward and has the capacity to lead them to silverware, or if he has taken them as far as he can, as some pundits may suggest.
Ray Parlour won three Premier Leagues with Arsenal
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Parlour, however, was quick to the defence of boss Arteta while speaking to NetBet Online Casino.
When asked if he is the right man for the job, Parlour said: "Yes for sure. I have no doubt Mikel is the right man for Arsenal.
"Arsenal are competing at the top of the Premier League and have come so close to a trophy.
Despite beating Everton 2-1, Arsenal were pipped to the title by Manchester City on the final dayPA"This season in the league, Arsenal have suffered with injuries and not had enough quality in depth to come into the team, but with the right signings in the summer, Arsenal will be stronger equipped to go one step further.”
Arsenal have gone on record about their injuries this year, with forwards Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka missing large parts of the season, although the latter has returned to action over recent weeks.
In defence, the north London titans are currently without starting centre-back Gabriel, who has been a real threat from set pieces. Ben White has also recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
However, many have argued that a lack of proactivity in the transfer window left Arsenal short, particularly going forward, and that has ultimately cost them this season.
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Parlour continued: “The Champions League has seen Arsenal go from quarter-finalists last [year] to semi-finalists now.
"So, you are constantly seeing Arsenal challenge and I hope Mikel can secure a trophy very soon."
Arsenal were knocked out by French champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-final, but their performances in the tournament were admirable.
The disappointment of this campaign has been their league form, which has been inconsistent since the turn of the year.
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Despite losing in the semi-finals, Arsenal had a stellar Champions League campaign particularly Declan Rice
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Arsenal currently find themselves 15 points away from champions Liverpool, with their ‘title challenge’ never gaining much traction.
Gary Neville had his say on the issue, saying he was ‘hugely disappointed’ with Arsenal for not mounting a challenge this year.
He told Sky Sports: “Arsenal should be closer to them [Liverpool] this year, and they’ve gone backwards.
“They should have added a striker last year in the transfer window, and they didn’t do it.”
The conversation has persisted around Arteta’s ability to get a team over the finishing line, with the Spaniard winning just an FA Cup and a Community Shield since his arrival as manager in 2019.
However, the progression during his tenure cannot be questioned - whether he can continue to move the club forward is the question.
