Arsenal manager Unai Emery told to make bold decisions and play wonderkids – just like Chelsea boss Frank Lampard
Arsenal manager Unai Emery has been told to make bolder decisions with his team selection and bring through more of the clubs wonderkids - just like Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.
A 2-0 defeat to Leicester City on Saturday saw the Gunners' poor start to the season continue and it's now their worst opening to a campaign in almost 40 years.
Reports suggest that Emery's job is not under threat right now but will be under consideration at the end of the year - despite bookmakers having him odds on to be the next boss sacked.
And with the Spaniard looking to turn the tide after the international break, he's been advised to take a leaf out of Chelsea's book and give their youngsters more chances.
Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino, speaking on the Weekend Sports Breakfast, believes Emery must throw caution to the wind and hand players like Gabriel Martinelli, who has starred in the Carabao Cup and the Europa League, starts in the Premier League - even if it means leaving out their top stars like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
He said: "Unai Emery has got big, tough decisions to make because the faithful are not behind him and they are not liking what they are seeing on the pitch.
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"Now, I’d suggest start making some scapegoats. Take people out who even some Arsenal fans might not be happy about. Put [Gabriel] Martinelli in there, the young kid, who has been exceptional and looks dangerous. Give him a chance.
"Put [Joe] Willock in there, don’t bring him on as a sub.
"Start making some decisions that might make some of their senior pros think, ‘I’m out of the door, the future might be elsewhere.’
"At the moment they will take Arsenal to a lower depth than they are.
"Look, he’s already done that to a certain degree with [Mesut] Ozil but it doesn’t feel like [Frank] Lampard has done with [Olivier] Giroud where he’s really been pushed aside and [Tammy] Abraham has become the No.1 and [Michy] Batshuayi has become the No.2, when at the start of the season he was probably the No.1.
"He’s made it quite obvious to him.
"That’s, unfortunately, management at times where you have to make big, tough decisions.
"I think he’s got those sort of decisions to make at Arsenal.
"I’d play Martinelli tomorrow. I’d say, ‘right, you lot up front, I’m going to get someone in who is going to run around for me, he’s a young lad and I’m going to give him a chance.’"