CLICHY MAKES ARTETA & WENGER COMPARISONS

Former Arsenal defender Gael Clichy has insisted that the Gunners' current manager Mikel Arteta can be like the club's former and greatest manager Arsene Wenger but raised the question of whether the Gunners will be willing to stick with him and give him enough time.

Arteta is currently enduring a mixed season coaching Arsenal and has suffered more than he has enjoyed this season on the hot seat. His Arsenal side are currently struggling and remain in mid-table after their stalemate against London rivals Crystal Palace at the Emirates stadium.

However, Clichy believes that if Arteta could be given enough time, he will turn things around entirely and will be ready to compete for titles in the nearest future as long as he is given the backing.

Arteta has not been Arsenal manager for that long, but he has already won the club the FA Cup and the Community Shield in the first few months of his Arsenal career, something Clichy believes is progress. The fact that the Spanish coach worked under his compatriot Pep Guardiola at Manchester City made people place expectations on him as they expected him to play the Manchester City pattern and challenge the big teams in the league for the top 4 positions.

However, that has not been the case, and Clichy has weighed in on the matter. According to Clichy, Arteta is still very young when compared to his fellow managers at other big clubs. He added that the pressure that comes with being a number 2 (referring to Arteta's time as Guardiola's assistant) is an entirely different one from the one that comes with being number 1.

He concluded by saying that the Arsenal board should also support the manager by releasing funds for him to sign his choice of players with.