Former Arsenal striker John Hartson has heavily criticised his former side following their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace.
Speaking to BBC 5 Live, as cited by the Telegraph, Hartson criticised Arsenal’s performance against the Eagles, which he labelled as ‘inept’. Furthermore, he joined the growing number of fans and pundits who believe that Arsene Wenger’s time at the club is up.
Last night you would call that performance inept. There was a lack of leadership, lack of togetherness. The players are playing as individuals, they don’t look like a team. There’s a lack of fight and that’s four [away] losses on the trot for Arsenal, that’s the first time in 20-odd years that’s happened to Arsene Wenger.
Hartson also said that he doubts Arsenal have the quality to win the Premier League title that fans are so desperate for. He highlighted Arsenal’s 10-2 aggregate hiding at the hands of Bayern Munich as evidence of their inability to challenge for the league.
I just don’t think they’re at the standard or the level of a team that are capable of winning the Premier League.
The expectation of some of these players is through the roof, and it shouldn’t be because they aren’t up to it. And they fact they went out of the Champions League 10-2 to Bayern Munich, that just goes to show the quality of the player that Arsenal are putting onto the field.
Furthermore, Hartson said that if Arsenal want to win the Premier League, they will need to be far more liberal with their spending if they want to attract the quality of player that they will require.
You look at Griezmann this summer, he’s available but you know he’s only going to go to Chelsea, Manchester United or Manchester City because he’ll probably cost around the £80million mark and he’ll go on to over £200,000 (a week) wages. Arsenal don’t pay that. They don’t even entertain that.
The Gunners currently sit sixth in the table, seven points off Manchester City in the final Champions League spot.
