Campbell sends message to Arsenal as Keane questions ‘senior players’

Joe Williams
Sol Campbell Arsenal

Sol Campbell says Arsenal “have to get comfortable with the fact that signings can go wrong” as they continue to build under Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners have now spent £131m this summer on the signings of Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale.

Arteta’s side got off to the worst possible start last weekend as they lost 2-0 to newly-promoted Brentford in the opening Premier League match of the season.

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Arsenal – who host Chelsea today – missed out on qualifying for a European competition for the first time in 25 years last season but Campbell has urged patience as it is currently a “building programme” at the Emirates Stadium.

“I think you have to be optimistic,” Campbell said on Sky Sports. “They have spent a lot of money, the most in the league. But you have to realise it is a building programme here, it’s not the Arsenal of the old.

“Yes, with defensive scenarios and the attacking scenarios they have to get better, we have to be more clinical, you know it is hard work and football is not easy.

“It’s not easy when you are at the top, Arsenal have been there and they want to get back up there. You have to have time, there are some good players out there but they need time. But there’s no guarantee, you can spend £50million, £60million, £70million on a player, it is a hell of a lot of money but sometimes it can go wrong.

“I think Arsenal have to get comfortable with the fact that signings can go wrong, but they have to keep on going.”

And fellow Sky Sports presenter Roy Keane has called on the club’s senior players to step up and help the Arsenal youngsters.

“When you are at one of these big clubs everything has its extremes,” Keane said.

“When you win a couple of games everyone thinks you are the greatest, when you have a bad start to the season like Arsenal have, the critics are going to be out.

“But what he [Arteta] would want today is a reaction from his players. They have invested and brought in some good young players, but that is the potential. And they need a reaction from their senior players, and that is still a question mark for me.

“The younger players need a helping hand from these senior players, they need to stand up and be counted and prove what playing for a club like Arsenal should mean to them.”

 

Arsenal Roy Keane

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