Arsenal boss begs for patience after worst-ever start
Robin Bairner
- 4 Sept 2021 17:11 BST
- 3 min read
Arsenal sporting director Edu has told fans to be patient with the Gunners this season.
The Gunners posted the greatest spend and net spend in the Premier League this summer, signing Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares.
Despite these acquisitions and the volume of money invested in the team, fans have questioned the value that the club has got in the transfer market – the area that Edu is directly responsible for.
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The Brazilian has not been helped as Mikel Arteta has watched the Arsenal side start the season in record-breaking poor form. Through the first three Premier League matches, they have neither scored a goal or even picked up a point - a first for them in the modern era.
“I understand the reason the fans are not impressed because firstly, they have not seen the team playing together yet," Edu told Sky Sports. "That's one of the reasons, but I think we have to see the wider context than just to see the money around it.
They have not seen the team playing together yet
- Edu"We signed six players who are under 23, which means a lot in terms of our planning. Normally, people like to see just one window, so I have to say it is the bigger picture because we started planning this squad a year ago in terms of consolidating the team and to try to get a better foundation.
"If you remember, in that period we renewed Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli a year ago with the intention to get that kind of base in the team. In a one-year period, we signed 10 players and seven of the 10 are under 23. We renewed seven players in this period as well, just in the first team. Five of the seven are under 23 as well.
"Why did we do that? Because we have a reason to try again to create a good foundation and then, one day, maybe we are going to sign one or two players only. But after that, it's impossible to sign one or two players only because we have a lot to do."
Arsenal will face Burnley at Turf Moor next week in a match that many feel Arteta must win to keep his job, despite reports that he will get until at least October to decide his fate.
