Skip to content

Ian Wright's ideal Arsenal manager: Attacking but with power

Nacho Monreal scores Arsenal's first goal of the game against West Ham
Image: Ian Wright believes the new Arsenal manager should bring attacking flair but with a powerful midfield and defence

Ian Wright wants the new Arsenal manager to maintain the attacking football Arsene Wenger cultivated, but to also add more power.

Wenger's 22-year stint at Arsenal will end this summer, and the search is already underway to find his replacement ahead of a busy World Cup schedule.

Ralf Rangnick is on Arsenal's list of candidates, while Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique is favourite with the bookmakers alongside former Arsenal captains Patrick Vieira and Mikel Arteta, but Wright has a clear idea of what the new manager should bring.

Image: Arsene Wenger will leave Arsenal this summer after 22 years in charge

He said on The Debate: "Arsenal have got a style of football that Wenger brought to the club, very entertaining, quick on the break, great football. Everything about Wenger is how I think the fans will want Arsenal to play.

"But what you need beside that is the hard work; when you think about Barcelona in their pomp, it was about a lot of hard work, winning the ball back and then attacking teams.

Live Nissan Super Sunday

"Arsenal with Wenger, through the unbeaten year and such, were unbelievable with their fitness, in the way they won the ball back and beat teams. They were an unbelievably powerful team.

"I'm sure that's what they want, and the coach that comes in, if I'm [Ivan] Gazidis, I want a manager who will try to bring that style of play.

Also See:

Mikel Arteta
Image: Man City coach and former Arsenal skipper Mikel Arteta has been linked with the job

"Obviously you want to be organised at the back, you want to be a lot more difficult to beat, because Arsenal at the moment are not very good without the ball."

Arsenal's chief executive Gazidis - the man who will ultimately recommend a new head coach to owner Stan Kroenke - believes Arteta could be the man to replace Wenger, Sky Sports News understands.

Despite former players Arteta and Thierry Henry being linked but having little managerial experience, and Vieira having only managed at New York City FC since 2016, Wright feels a clear plan of action is just as important as experience for the job.

"People are saying: 'Be careful what you wish for,' regarding the manager coming in, because Wenger has done so well with the club, but when you watch Arsenal and you watch how they defend as a team, attacking without the ball, they're very, very vulnerable.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Former Arsenal assistant manager Pat Rice says Wenger changed the way of thinking in English football

"The new manager who comes in, if he sees that, recognises that, and brings in the players that can focus and concentrate, all of a sudden you have a defensive unit sorted, and they can go forward and play freely.

"That's why I believe that if Arsenal do get the right man, we will see results on the pitch change very quickly, because if rumours are to be believed, they're not training as hard as the likes of Liverpool or Man City, in respects to the coaching side.

"We mention Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Mikel Arteta, it doesn't bother me, as long as they have a plan of action going forward, because the attitude of the players has to change and they have to get players in that buy into the plan.

"The fact is Arsene has set Arsenal in a certain way for many years, now you want someone to come in and set them on a new path."

Fantasy Six-a-Side
Fantasy Six-a-Side

Pick your dream team for Man Utd v Arsenal to be the latest £50k jackpot winner.

Around Sky