In an exclusive chat with Pokerfirma, the World Cup-winning icon weighs in on Arsenal’s striking issues and what Mikel Arteta must do in the summer and previews the Gunners QF showdown with Real Madrid.
He claims that something in Pep Guardiola, his old Barcelona teammate, has broken this season and discuss the latest transfer rumours and much more.
Q: Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he wants to play at the 2026 World Cup. Did his performances at EURO 2024 show us that maybe he should step aside and let someone else have a try?
Emmanuel Petit: When you have Cristiano Ronaldo in your team, you don’t know as a manager if you have to play him in the first 11 or as a substitute, because let’s be honest, at EURO 2024 his performances were not that good for Portugal.
But I think this guy has no limit. He treats his body very professionally, and he’s 40. People may think it’s probably over for him now, his international career, but this guy has so much motivation and anger, which I think could have a positive influence if he’s in the team.
When you have Cristiano Ronaldo, what do you do? Are you putting him in the first 11 every single game, or are you using him as a substitute for 30 minutes, 45 minutes? This is my question.
Cristiano Ronaldo is such a huge name that it’s complicated for any manager to put him on the bench. The Cristiano Ronaldo situation is a really difficult one for Roberto Martinez because he’s such a superstar. It’s very complicated for him – no manager wants to be the guy that tells Ronaldo you’re on the bench or you’re not playing anymore. Because of his profile, because of his status, he’s a very difficult player to manage.
Q: If Jack Grealish wants to get back into the England squad, does he need to leave Manchester City?
Emmanuel Petit: Jack Grealish, we know that he can show so much quality, but we haven’t seen it this season.
I don’t know what’s happening with him because Pep Guardiola seems to keep him on the bench. He doesn’t have any confidence in Grealish anymore, he doesn’t believe in him and he doesn’t trust him because he’s not in the starting line-up for Manchester City. .
Jack’s in trouble with Pep Guardiola, but as well, he’s out of the England team. He missed EURO 2024, and his international career is at a crossroads, his City career too.
Grealish needs to ask himself, can I get into the England team and represent my country at the World Cup if I continue to be a bit-part player at Manchester City? If you want to play for your national team, you have to compete every single week in the starting line-up, you need to show the quality that you have and your ability as a footballer on the grass, and Jack hasn’t been able to demonstrate his ability for months now.
I don’t know what’s happening with him. Did he lose the passion for the game? His motivation is not there anymore.
The solution is simple: look in the mirror and ask yourself, how do you want the remainder of your career to go. Look at yourself, first. Find the answer.
He hasn’t shown the desire or the fight to be a first team player for Manchester City. He needs to get that back if he wants to keep playing at the highest level.
Transfer rumours
Q: Harry Kane has got a release clause in his contract that will allow him to move for a certain fee next summer. He’s been linked with a move back to the Premier League – could you see him joining Arsenal or is that a fantasy given his Tottenham connections?
Emmanuel Petit: I don’t think Harry Kane will ever play for Arsenal! We all know why he left Spurs, he didn’t win any silverware with the club.
He’s such a huge striker. He’s up there with the best 9’s in the game. He’s demonstrated that throughout most of his career and he’s been brilliant at Bayern Munich since he joined the club. He’s scoring goals every single weekend.
He left his club, Spurs, to win trophies, and he’ll do that this season. Why would he want to return to the Premier League in the summer or the January window – I just don’t see why he would come back, and especially not at Arsenal with the history that he has.
He’s having a really good time over there. He’s got a great chance to win the Bundesliga. He’s still involved in the Champions League.
If he returns to the Premier League, the only reason would be to break Alan Shearer’s goalscoring record. If he joined Manchester United, or if he went back to Tottenham, even Arsenal, there would be no guarantee that he would win silverware. He’s virtually guaranteed trophies at Bayern. He’s getting older, the clock is ticking, I suspect that he wants to hoover up as many trophies as he can with Bayern.
Q: Do you expect Marcus Rashford to be a Villa player next season, or do you think he will have offers from ‘bigger’ clubs?
Emmanuel Petit: Rashford is having a good time at Aston Villa. Step by step, he has to return to his best level. And for the last two, three years, I think he disappeared from the radar, so the most important thing for him is to get back to his best level by paying regular football.
He made the move in January and was back in the England squad. It looks like he made the right decision for his own career in terms of leaving United. Should he go back to Manchester United in the summer? I don’t think so.
Rashford needs to concentrate on getting his fitness and his game back. That’s his number one priority between now and the summer. He shouldn’t be thinking about where he will be playing next season, he should be thinking, ‘I’ve been given a chance to rehabilitate myself, playing under a top manager at a top club, playing Champions League football,’ I need to use this opportunity to get my passion back and show the world I’m a top player.
At Manchester United, he disappeared for a couple of years. The most important thing for him is to come back to the right level. And then after that, maybe he can think about something else, but put those thoughts on ice right now.
Q: If you’re Mikel Arteta, which Victor would you break the bank for this summer: Osimhen or Gyokeres?
Emmanuel Petit: If I was picking between Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen, then I would go for Osimhen. Osimhen has more pedigree than Gyokeres – he would be the better choice for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.
But, if I had to choose one striker that Arsenal should break the bank for this summer, then I have to put Alexander Isak in front of both Osimhen and Gyokeres.
Isak already knows the Premier League, there’s no adaption period. He’s off the shelf, ready to deliver. He has shown so much quality. He’s a top striker in the Premier League. He can score against any team, and I think he can add quality to Arsenal up front, which is something we need.
Arsenal are missing a top, top player – a difference-maker – in the striker position. They are missing someone that can provide a physical presence and someone score goals.
Arsenal just has plan A at the moment, they don’t have a plan B. They are missing a striker.
Isak has shown great qualities with Newcastle. I’m thinking about how he would link up with the likes of Odegaard and Saka, he would fit like a glove into that team. He’s got the DNA of an Arsenal player. If they could get him, that would be something amazing for Arsenal.
Arsenal has been struggling the last two or three seasons with Manchester City and Liverpool right now. They need guarantees. They must sign a top, top player in the summer That means they have to splash some serious money. If they can’t get Isak, then perhaps turn to Osimhen, but see if you can get Isak first.
Q: What would you think if Vini JR. joined a Saudi club in the summer?
Emmanuel Petit: Well at the end of the day it’s all about money, and you know the money that Saudi Arabia is able to put on the table for top players. It’s sometimes a shock to see some top players targeted by Saudi Arabia, but with the money they’re offering, who can say no actually?
Vini JR is 24. That’s very young to go to Saudi Arabia. If he were to move, it’s probably too soon for me, but at the end of the day if someone comes to you and puts that much money on the table would you refuse?
It’s easy to criticise players for taking the cheques, and we all know Vini is well paid at Real Madrid, but we’re talking about obscene amounts of money here.
I think he wants to stay at Real Madrid. I think he would love to sign a new contract and stay in the Spanish capital. Maybe all of these rumours are floated by his people to get a better deal at Real.
Q: Chelsea have been linked for a move for Vini JR. Are they dreaming?
Emmanuel Petit: Vini JR and Chelsea? I know it’s my old club, but we need to be serious here (laughs). No, honestly, no chance that Vini JR is going to be playing his football at Stamford Bridge next season.
Why would any player leave Real Madrid and join Chelsea? Chelsea have an interesting project, no doubt about it, but they’ve been targeting young players for the last two, three years now. They’re not signing ready made superstars anymore.
Vinicius is still young, and I think that he could be very good for Chelsea. Name me a club that wouldn’t love to take him.
I don’t think that Vinicius would like to come to Chelsea right now, I think he would love to stay at Real Madrid, otherwise he’ll go to Saudi Arabia.
Q: Would you have moved to the Saudi Pro League?
Emmanuel Petit: If I was offered that opportunity towards the end of my career, you would have to be a fool not to consider it because of the sums we’re talking about. If I was 24, I would probably think twice about it.
At 24, you want to play with the best players in the world, and I think La Liga and the Premier League are the best competitions for players in the world. I would think to myself that I have time to go to Saudi Arabia towards the end of my career, and I’m already earning a lot of money with my club. I’m playing against top players and I’m enjoying my game. So why should I leave for Saudi Arabia?
If I am 30, 31 years old, then it’s completely different. That could be my last big contract. It would really depend on my age, but as I said, it’s easy for fans and pundits to criticise players for moving there, but if you were offered 10 times your normal salary to go and work there, would you be able to turn it down?
Q: Kieran Tierney will be returning to boyhood club Celtic in the summer. Sometimes, do footballers just need the love and security of home and is that what Celtic will offer him?
Emmanuel Petit: Whatever people will say about Kieran Tierney, I think he’s been really unlucky with injuries and, whether or not you think his transfer to Arsenal was a success or not, he’s grown as a footballer. He’s gained some incredible experiences that will only benefit Celtic and his teammates.
He was a key player for Arsenal, and then he got injured. They spoke of him as a future captain at one point. He lost his spot, and then he and the courage to go and try something different and went and played in La Liga for a season with Real Sociedad. Celtic will be getting a better player back than the one they sold, it’s never been a question of ability, it’s always fitness.
Tierney lost his spot in the first eleven, he came back, and they moved on, they signed Zinchenko to play as inverted fullback.
I presume that when you lose that confidence from the manager, when you are not considered as a top player or a first choice, then you lose your confidence a bit and
I can understand that sometimes a player wants to feel at home, to feel loved and this is why I think that going back to his boyhood club Celtic will be a good choice for him.
He’s going back to where he came from to try to rebuild himself. It’s very important for a player to feel desired and for a plyer to contribute. He will be able to do that at Celtic.
Q: Who should Liverpool sign as a replacement for Alexander-Arnold and what does he make of his decision to sign for Real Madrid?
Emmanuel Petit: It’s not just who are Liverpool going to sign to replace Alexander-Arnold, they’re facing the prospect of losing their whole right wing.
With Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold both potentially leaving, they will have to rebuild that. That’s a lot of chemistry up in smoke. How do you replace that? It makes recruitment for a new right-back and right winger an urgent priority for Liverpool this summer.
Arne Slot won’t want to lose two-star players after one season. Two players that will have played a huge role in winning the club a title unless something crazy happens. The impact of losing these guys will be huge. It’s very important that whoever replaces Alexander-Arnold and possibly Salah is the right fit for the club. They need to get the signings spot on.
One name that has been linked is Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, who has been great for them since he joined from Celtic. They also have the option of promoting Conor Bradley, who looks like a top prospect.
The appeal of Madrid is something that any player would be attracted to. What I would say, and I’ve said this before, sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for in football. If Trent defends like he has done in England playing for Real Madrid, I think the fans will kill him over there. It’s not going to be easy for him.
Q: Were you close to joining Man Utd in 2001?
Emmanuel Petit: Alex Ferguson called me when I was at Barcelona. And I saw Claudio Ranieri.
He came to my house to have lunch. And we had a very nice talk together for a couple of hours.
I had the choice to join different clubs back in the Premier League and I decided to go back to London and to Chelsea. In the end, it was very simple for me to make that decision
Premier League headlines
Q: Who will finish in the PL top 5 (likely good enough for Champions League qualification this season) can Chelsea qualify despite their recent form? Will Newcastle have enough to make it?
Emmanuel Petit: Chelsea and Manchester City, they are five and six points behind Nottingham Forest at the moment. When you look at the schedule of the games, Nottingham have big, big games coming up until the end of the season. But it’s the same for Chelsea, it’s the same for Manchester City. They’re all in a high-pressure situation now.
There are clubs behind them, teams like Newcastle and Brighton, Fulham and Villa that are not far from them. It’s going to be very competitive between all of those clubs until May and a lot of them are playing each other.
Chelsea are playing against Nottingham Forest in the last game of the season.
Who knows who will finish in the top five. Things move very fast in the Premier League, and there’s still nine games to go.
Nottingham Forest have shown great character and personality. They deserve to be where they are.
Fifth position would probably qualify for the Champions League, so I don’t see why Chelsea should not be able to keep this position. If I had to name the five, it would be Liverpool, Arsenal, Forest, Chelsea and City.
Q: Who’s been the biggest disappointment of the season so far?
Emmanuel Petit: The biggest disappointment, and it’s hard for me to say, but it has to be Manchester City. What’s happened to them this year? I’m very surprised by it because they were champions last season. They’ve been the team to beat for years in the Premier League. They’ve been the reference for what a dominant team looks like across Europe. They’ve been among the best in the league and the Champions League.
The decline of this team has been shocking. They’re fifth in the table. They didn’t put up any kind of challenge for the title, they’ve given their crown away this season. They couldn’t even make the Champions League KO rounds. This is something that no one could bet on at the beginning of the season.
City’s season rides on winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League, and that is not what we’re used to saying about that football club.
Q: Who have been the three biggest managerial disappointments?
Emmanuel Petit: It’s hard for me to say that the most disappointing manager this season so far has been Pep Guardiola, but I think he’s in that group.
I would put Ange Postecoglou in that group, even if I think he’s not the only one responsible for the situation at Spurs.
I would point the finger at Amorim at Manchester United, but I think he follows the path of so many managers that failed at Manchester United. Is Amorim responsible for the mess at Manchester United? I don’t think he is – the problems run a lot deeper than the dugout.
United are still in the Europa League. If they win that competition, they will automatically qualify for the Champions League. If Amorim can do that, then he has to be considered a success this season despite everything else.
I’m looking at the Premier League table, and I’m seeing a lot of top clubs who aren’t where they should be in the table, and City, Spurs and United are the biggest cases.
Chelsea
Q: How much is Cole Palmer’s recent decline down to Maresca’s tactics given where he has been deployed in Chelsea’s front line?
Emmanuel Petit: Cole Palmer, I think he’s better when you play him as a central midfielder right behind the strikers. I know he can play on the right-hand side. He has done that so many times, but I think he prefers to play right behind the striker to be able to manage the game and to be dangerous every time. When you play him as a number 10, that’s his best position.
And we have seen recently, the last few weeks, I’ve seen frustration in his behaviour. He showed that during some games, and with his body language as well.
He hasn’t scored for the last few games – I can’t remember the last time he scored a goal.
When you look at his record, he’s one of the best in the Premier League in terms of creating chances for his team, scoring goals and assists, but because of his numbers last season, and what he was doing earlier in the campaign, it’s a surprise to see him labouring. I do think that is completely down to where he’s been asked to play recently – he’s wasted on the right flank.
Is Maresca responsible for that? Of course, because he’s the manager who puts the first 11 out, and has decided to play him there. I think it’s a mistake.
Q: Is there a chance Palmer may leave if he can’t play Champions League football next season?
Emmanuel Petit: I wonder if Chelsea will lose him in the summer if they don’t qualify for the Champions League.
I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t know if Cole will be pushing to move on, but what I do know is that we’re looking at a very frustrated Cole Palmer at the moment, and that when players become frustrated, things can happen.
I don’t think Palmer’s Chelsea future is certain at the moment. Clubs should always protect their best players, and I don’t think that Maresca has done that by playing him out of position.
He’s been Chelsea’s best player since he joined, and maybe he’s thinking to himself, why am I the guy that is being moved around to accommodate players that are not as good as me or who haven’t performed as well as I have.
If this continues, then perhaps he could see his future elsewhere, and he’s one of the few players in the world that has the ability to basically pick his next club. Everyone would want him.
Q: For the first time in 25 years Chelsea have gone two seasons without winning a trophy – do fans need to brace themselves for this new norm in this post-Abramovich regime?
Emmanuel Petit: It’s been so difficult to manage the dressing room with all those players. Lots of young players, things have changed so much from top of the club to the dressing room.
I think they’re going to win the Conference League, and I’m pretty sure that they will qualify for the Champions League. I know that the fans are expecting the club to play among the best clubs in the world. That means playing in the Champions League, so reaching the Champions League would be something very important for the club and especially for the players.
Some of them have shown great ability but they’ve got a big step up in front of them.
If they want to reach the next level individually and collectively, they have to play in the Champions League. For me, this is very important for the commitment of the players and for the future of the club as well because the best players want to play Champions League football.
Q: After failing at Old Trafford and now Stamford Bridge, is Sancho out of his depth within the Premier League, or is there an underlying attitude problem with Jaden Sancho?
Emmanuel Petit: I won’t say that he’s not good enough for the Premier League because that reminds me of the likes of Kevin De Bruyne. He was at Chelsea and then things didn’t go well for him, he returned to Germany and then came back. We all know what happened with him at Man City.
This question is the same for so many Manchester United players. I think some of them have qualities, but they don’t have the confidence. It’s been a mess at the club over there and for Sancho, I think he might be affected by the club’s struggles off the pitch.
I think there are questions about his weight, sometimes, and his ability to fight mentally. And this is something he has to learn, especially when you play for top clubs.
At the moment, I won’t say he doesn’t have the talent to play for the top clubs in the Premier League. But who knows in the future, things can change very quickly.
But at the moment, he hasn’t shown the quality to stay at Chelsea, and he hasn’t shown the quality to even be at Manchester United, and that’s really something because they’re having a rotten season.
Q: Do you have any concerns about Chelsea’s ability to qualify for the Champions League?
Emmanuel Petit: No, not really. I think they’re going to win the Conference League, and I’m pretty sure that they will qualify for the Champions League. I know that the fans are expecting the club to play among the best clubs in the world. That means playing in the Champions League, so reaching the Champions League would be something very important for the club and especially for the players.
Some of them have shown great ability but they’ve got a big step up in front of them.
If they want to reach the next level individually and collectively, they have to play in the Champions League. For me, this is very important for the commitment of the players and for the future of the club as well because the best players want to play Champions League football.
Arsenal
Q: Much has been said about Arsenal’s need for a striker; however, does the real issues lie in the lack of squad depth – and have the club wasted millions strengthening areas (notably defence) that didn’t need fixing?
Emmanuel Petit: I agree with you. I’ve said that so many times. We’ve seen that for the last two seasons with Arsenal, especially the second part of the season when they were losing the top spot because they didn’t have the answers in the squad.
It was Gabriel Jesus two years ago, Saka, since December this season. Havertz went out for the season, and they don’t have any more strikers.
The depth of the squad has been important for Arsenal, especially when you play every three days. You have to rotate because the physical and mental demands are so high in the Premier League.
When you play for a club like Arsenal, the standards are very high, so you need to rotate. This is something that Arteta has been struggling with.
They spent so much money on different positions. Not all of those players have performed well. Most of them are good enough, but the fact is they spent more than £600 million pounds to improve the team and they’ve done it in some positions, but some positions are missing options.
They spend so much money on defenders, they’ve shown that they are among the best defences in the Premier League for the last two or three seasons, so it works, you don’t need to keep buying defenders.
You need to get players that are able to score or give assists. And this is the area that Arsenal has been struggling with so far.
We’ve seen the same problems reoccur for the last three seasons. When they lose two or three players to injuries, they lose their best players and it’s not the same Arsenal. Every single season, it repeats itself. That can’t be the case next season.
Next season, I think Arteta and the club know they need to improve their squad to allow more rotation. It starts up front, and in midfield.
Q: How long before question marks arise about Arteta’s capabilities of delivering the Premier League title, given the ease in which Slot has taken over someone else’s squad and will win the title in his first season at a canter?
Emmanuel Petit: I think he has done so well for the last three, four seasons. And again, It’s so frustrating what happened this season. I think the game against West Ham, when they lost at home against them, was a turning point. It reminded me of the game they lost against West Ham last season as well – West Ham are like Arsenal’s Grim Reaper!
The way they dropped in the Premier League, the way they lost so many points in the last few weeks. It’s linked with important players missing up front.
They haven’t rotated as much as they should have, even before the injuries. So many players are showing fatigue mentally and physically.
Coming back to Arteta, it will be very, very difficult next season to ask his players to go again.
If he stays at the club, and I would be more than happy if he did, Arsenal will have to send a strong message.
First of all, they have to keep their most important players at the club for the next season. Gabriel and Saliba are an example of players wanted by top clubs – they need to be convinced that they can fulfil their ambitions at Arsenal.
The second thing is bringing in the players you for the team for next season. Arteta has to send a strong message to his players, to the fans, and then maybe you can bring more confidence and more competitive players, more rotation for the next season.
For me, everything is linked.
Arteta needs to stay at the club, but they have to make a good plan for the next season.
Q: Arsenal home defeat to West Ham was the beginning of the end of Arsenal’s title challenge
Emmanuel Petit: I still remember the game against West Ham. I don’t understand what happened that day. Arsenal lost the plot.
It was a turning point in the title race. It reminded me of the game they lost against West Ham last season as well – West Ham are like Arsenal’s Grim Reaper!
Bowen scored the winner, so many Arsenal players on this occasion just let him go, collectively, it was such a poor goal to conceded. Declan Rice was involved in this moment, and nobody was marking the guy who scored the goal, and I didn’t get what happened that game.
So if you want to win the Premier League, you need to repeat again and again, every single game, the same things. Liverpool have done that, their regularity in their performances has been very, very amazing. They have been a top, top club. This is why they are top of the table with a 12 points difference with Arsenal.
For me this is very important, the spine of the team has to be efficient from the start until the end of the season if you want to win the Premier League.
Q: Is Hugo Ekitike the right player to sign this summer?
Emmanuel Petit: I just came back home, and I read some articles saying Arsenal are targeting Ekitike as a striker. And apparently, they’re not the only ones. Manchester United like him. Newcastle United like him. Liverpool are keen on him – a lot of big Premier League clubs seem to be sniffing around him.
Honestly, I’ve seen him playing for Paris Saint-Germain. He was a little bit too young to play for a huge club like Paris Saint-Germain.
Now, he’s having a good time in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt. I think it’s probably too soon for him to come to a top, top club like Arsenal or Liverpool – I’m not sure if he’s ready to be the main man at a club chasing a Premier League title.
Could he be a good replacement for Isak if Newcastle let him go? Possibly, but it’s still a huge amount of pressure to replace a player like that.
It’s a similar situation with Manchester United. Can he carry the burden of scoring the goals for that club at his age (turns 23 in June)?
Q: Martin Odegaard has said that he’s been disappointed with his season on a personal level. Does he carry too much of the creative burden for Arsenal?
Emmanuel Petit: Yes, Martin Odegaard does have too much creative responsibility in the team. At the moment, he is the only guy who can be creative from midfield, he’s alone in that. That has to change.
One of the reasons why Martin’s game hasn’t been as good as we know it can be is because he’s looking for movement in front of him, and it’s just not coming. He has a telepathic relationship with Saka, and he’s missed him. He needs players around him that can play combination football, one touch, pass and move, and Arsenal haven’t had those players fit for a long time.
In his last game for Norway, he got a hattrick of assists. He looks like he’s starting to get the juice back, and it’s coming at the right time. He will have been disappointed with how his Real Madrid career came to an end – he will have something to prove to Carlo Ancelotti, the manager that signed him and then sold him. He’s the captain of Arsenal – he’ll want to lead by example, and over the last few weeks he’s been looking a bit more like himself.
I hear that Saka could be ready for Madrid, which is massive for Arsenal, but also massive for Martin Odegaard two. Those two players bring out the best in each other.
Champions League
Q:Can Arsenal pull off the seemingly impossible and beat Real Madrid in the Champions League?
Emmanuel Petit: Real Madrid are the best team in the Champions League so far. If Arsenal are able to play as a team, if they are able to show strong character to play as a unit, why not?
I think that there is a chance to go through but it’s Real Madrid, and without strikers that could be very difficult.
We all know that Real Madrid are not at the peak compared to recent years. They are struggling, especially in midfield, but they have so many talented players, individuals that can make the difference. And again, this club has a special link with the Champions League. Every time the music plays, something turns on in their head.
They change, and they seem to have the X factor every time they play in the Champions League.
So it will be a huge, huge thing to go through against Real Madrid. For me, Arsenal are contenders, but they are not favourites in those games.
Q: How will Mikel Arteta look to stop the amazing forward talents Carlo Ancelotti has at his disposal?
It’s simple. They need to defend well as a unit against Madrid. They have so many top players that can make the difference and they’ve done it in the past in the Champions League. These are the kinds of players they have to come up against. If they can play as a unit and they can show great character defensively, then they will have a chance.
Emmanuel Petit: What is the key to Arteta and Co making it through to the next round and dethroning the 15-time champions?
It’s simple. They need to defend well as a unit against Madrid. The likes of Vinicius, Bellingham and Mbappe are players that can hurt you at any time.
They have so many top players that can make the difference and they’ve done it in the past in the Champions League. These are the kinds of players they have to come up against. If they can play as a unit and they can show great character defensively, then they will have a chance.
Then they would have to be very clinical. This is something that teams have been struggling with against Real Madrid in the last few years. When opportunity comes, when you have the chance to score, you have to take it. And we all know that Arsenal, at the moment, don’t have the striker for that.
And even when they have a striker, sometimes they need three, four occasions to score.
So they’ve shown great quality against PSV in the last games, but those were easy games for them. They scored so many goals, but this is the story of one or two games.
Arsenal has been struggling to score. If you have only two or three opportunities to score, then you have to take those chances. And this is something that Arsenal have to improve on as well.
I’ve seen so many games over the last few years when Madrid were dominated by opponents. Matches where the opponent were having so many chances to score, and they didn’t take it.
Real are very clinical all the time, so for me these are the two main things: play strong defensively, show unity, character and personality. But in the meantime, up front, when one opportunity to score comes up, you have to take it.
Q: Is playing at home first an advantage?
Emmanuel Petit: Well, there is a return game at the Bernabeu. Even if Arsenal win 2-0 in the first leg, does it mean that they are able to qualify at Madrid? I’m not sure about that.
So, again, I think the qualification would be important for two games, not especially the first one at home. The fact they’re playing the first leg at home, I don’t know if it’s an advantage or not.
Me, as a former player, I prefer to play the return game at home. Don’t ask me why.
Two games, they’re more like two halves. I think playing at home the first game, it could be something good for Arsenal if they take advantage of it.
Q: How do you stop Mbappe, Vinicius, Bellingham and Rodrygo?
Emmanuel Petit: I mean, it’s not just about stopping Mbappe, Vinicius, Bellingham and Rodrygo, it’s about stopping the whole team.
I think you have to be tight between the lines, and you have to be very focused from the first minute until the end of the game. In one minute, those guys can take the ball and they can kill you. So, concentration will be very important, communication as well, the movement and understanding between the players.
How do you defend against those guys? I think the answer is as a team, you have to be very good individually in your position, but as well I think Mbappe, Vinicius, those guys are able to kill you, one against one, so that means you have to be able to show character and to be strong, to be intelligent in terms of movement, and as well physically, I think you must be able to repeat the efforts on the pitch, and for me concentration and commitment will be very important in those games.
Q: What do you most admire about Declan Rice?
Emmanuel Petit: His energy, his leadership, his temperament, his commitment, his dedication to the game, but also his love for football. I think he’s the kind of guy that talks only on the pitch. We never heard anything bad outside the pitch. I think this is very important for me, and since he came into the club, he’s been a huge hit.
Last season he was honestly amazing. This season he’s been struggling in terms of performances. I think he looks tired as well sometimes.
As a manager, I think Arteta is very happy with him but I’m pretty sure all his teammates are very happy with him in the side too. You know what he can bring on the pitch every single game, and you know as well that even if he is not 100% fit, mentally or physically, he will give 100% on the pitch. This is something very important for me.
Q: Where does Declan Rice rank in the world’s top midfielders?
Emmanuel Petit: Last season he was probably top three in his position. I think he’s in the top ten in his position this season. It was a little bit more difficult this season. This season he started not in a good shape mentally and physically, and I think red cards, stupid red cards had an impact on his game.
But step by step, I think he has shown leadership across the weeks and months.
He was better last season than this season. Is it because he had the tournament at the end of the season with England? Is it because he didn’t get enough time to recover mentally and physically? That’s probably the case.
I’m worried about those guys that are going to play in the Club World Cup in June. They will finish late with no time to refresh mentally and physically. What’s happening in football nowadays, for top players and top clubs, the demands are huge.
Q: Would he have made a good partner for Vieira?
Emmanuel Petit: Of course, definitely. Definitely. Can you imagine those guys on the pitch together? Yeah, it would be excellent.
Q: Is Declan Rice essential to Arsenal’s title chances in future?
Emmanuel Petit: Yeah, definitely. Winning the Premier League is such a long journey, so difficult. Every single game is tough. Even against the bottom teams, it’s always a fight physically and mentally. If you want to win the Premier League, you need the spine of your team to be very strong. For me, this is very important.
And when you look at Arsenal this season, the spine of the team has central defenders, all the midfielders, number 10s, strikers, we’ve seen some players that have been struggling this season. Not in defence, I think they’ve done a great job again, but they missed some games sometimes, and because of that I think Arsenal dropped points.
Q: First memory of Roy Keane
Emmanuel Petit: Well, I wasn’t surprised about Roy Keane. I knew all about him watching the Premier League before I joined Arsenal.
If you look at those days, we all remember every time that we had to play against Manchester United it was always a massive battle between two teams. There were always fights within the fight.
But Keane and Vieira, those two guys there, they were always representing their teams, defining the big clash between Manchester United and Arsenal.
I remember so many times, arguments starting when you leave the dressing room before the whistle had even blown. The players would try and kill each other with their eyes, there would be a lot of horrible comments as well, on the pitch, off the pitch. Sometimes bad behaviour, trying to kick the s**t out of each other all the time. It was part of the game, we all knew that, so we were prepared for Keane. We knew that he played very close to the edge.
Manchester City
Q: What’s happened to Pep Guardiola this season?
Emmanuel Petit: Something has broken with Pep Guardiola this season. I won’t say he’s no longer a great, because he’s probably one of the greatest managers in the history of football.
He has changed the Premier League, but also so many managers and so many teams try to copy what Manchester City has done so far, I think this is remarkable.
But something has been broken with him. I don’t want to talk about his private matters, but I think what happened outside the pitch, maybe had a big impact on him. Maybe the players saw that.
I’m not there at the Manchester City training ground, but when you look at this team, they are not the same team from the last few years. We’re talking about guys that just won the Premier League, and we’re talking about a team and a manager that’s supposed to play at the highest standards domestically and in Europe, but we haven’t seen it.
The way they’ve fallen apart at the same time has been shocking to watch. They’ve lost so many games.
I didn’t see that coming. To be honest with Pep Guardiola, I think he has private matters that had an impact on not only as a manager, but as well as a human being.
His best players at Manchester City have not performed well this season. So many players are so far away from their usual standards. I think it’s quite a shock to see the difference between last season, something has broken at the club.
Q: Could Pep be experiencing his Mourinho-period as a manager in a sense that, once you lose the greatness, the aura, when the answers go, they never come back in the same way?
Emmanuel Petit: I think the fact that they didn’t buy new players during last summer had an impact on the players. I think a lot of players looked tired mentally and physically this season and starting with Pep Guardiola as well on the bench. He showed it so many times. He lost his temper.
He showed so many times that he was not controlling his emotion on the pitch and off the pitch as well. He’s had so many arguments with his players at the end of games this season. Against Brighton with the goalkeeper, the way he scratched his head as well, you could see that something wrong was happening to the team.
The way he was sometimes clueless as well on the bench. He was not able to find the right solution. This is something that was new for me to watch because I always saw that he always had ideas to find solutions, answers to his team problems. And this season I think he was not able to do that.
They need to change the team. This is why they spent money during transfer window in January, this market is not the best one to change your team. ‚m pretty sure that within the next transfer market they will work very hard to bring new players in.
We don’t know what’s actually going on with Manchester City, what will be the punishment with the club if they are found guilty of the charges.
So there is a question actually, maybe the hardship will force him to come back stronger. But again, as a human being, I think he’s been through difficult times. So there’s so many questions actually surrounding Manchester City and Pep Guardiola, but I won’t say that it’s the same as Mourinho. I think Pep Guardiola has done such amazing work at City and the Premier League.
Manchester United
Q: Your Paul Pogba, do you choose the MLS and Messi, Mourinho and turkey or a third spell at Manchester United?
Emmanuel Petit: Well, this is a question that’s very difficult to answer. Paul Pogba’s situation has been in the headlines for months and months here in France, what happened in his family, with his friend, with his brother.
The last time he played a game was 16 months ago. He’s training by himself, doesn’t have the chance to play, or even to train with teammates. I’m still pretty sure that he’s got a great heart, great abilities.
But how long will it take to come back to a good level, with revenge as a factor in terms of motivation, I don’t know.
I think he’s got this desire to come back into the game and to show that he’s not finished.
But how many top clubs actually would love to take a gamble with him? If I was the manager of a top club, I would gamble with him. I would bring him to the team. I will probably propose to him to sign a contract, but not with the kind of money he used to earn. I will probably make a deal with him, if you are able to come the way you were before, then we will probably sit on the table and speak about changing your contract.
He’s 32 now. If he expects the same wages that he used to be on before, he can forget that. Honestly with everything that happened, not playing for the last 16 months.
I would say no to United, he needs a good environment, and he’s been at the club twice already, he’s been under criticism, with the press, former players, also the fans. I think Manchester United at the moment is not the best destination.
Q: Where are you on Bruno Fernandes? He’s obviously a great player, but he has his issues – is his situation a little but like when Robin van Persie left Arsenal? Does he need to leave to win the biggest prizes while he’s still in his prime?
Emmanuel Petit: Bruno’s one of the best players at Manchester United, but he’s shown so many times his frustration, so many times, the body language speaks for itself. And sometimes I feel pity for him because he wants to play with high standards.
He wants to be among the best teams in the Premier League. He wants to play Champions League games as well.
I think he’s fighting. At times, his frustration is going too far on the pitch with his teammates, and this is why I think what happens at Manchester United at the end of the season will be very important for the future of the club. For top players, something has to change in this team.
There are so many players at United who are not able to wear that shirt anymore, earning a lot of money. There are so many players not taking responsibility, hiding behind the manager. I don’t like it, to be honest with you. Fernandes can see that, he understands that much better than me, because he’s inside the club. I think that’s why we see him lose his temper. He’s seeing players that aren’t taking the role of being a footballer seriously every single day and it must be killing him.
I’m pretty sure that he feels very frustrated about the position of Manchester United in the table but also the standards at the club.
When I played against Manchester United back in the day, they were among the best teams in the world. They have not been there for the last few years. Back in the day it was very difficult to go to Old Trafford. Now I feel that it’s quite easy for anyone to beat them. All of a sudden, they lost confidence, they lost composure.
This is something that had an impact on the players but also on Amorim. And Fernandes, I think, when you look at him, he shows frustration on the pitch. How many times? I have no idea. I think it’s probably every single game. Something has to change, definitely.
Q: Can Man Utd win the Europa League and also qualify for the Champions League? Have you seen enough improvement under Ruben Amorim?
Emmanuel Petit: I don’t think there has been any improvement under Amorim. And again, is it because of the manager? I think it’s because of the players. Amorim tried to change his first eleven so many times. He tried to change tactically as well. He’s been struggling to find the right answer. Just like the former manager, before him, on the bench.
There is something new at the club as well with Ratcliffe, the new owner. I’ve been reading so many things, troubles at Manchester United on and off the pitch.
I don’t see any improvement, but I won’t point the finger at Amorim because I think so many players have been so far away from their standards, with huge wages on top of that.
I know that Radcliffe has said a lot of things like this in recent weeks. He made some comments in the press saying that a lot of players are earning a lot of money but they are so far away from what they are expecting back. So honestly, it looks like there’s a lot of work to do at Manchester United off the pitch. It’s massive summer at Manchester United and I think all eyes will be on Ratcliffe. He can’t keep making these statements and not act on them – the fans want to see action.
Managers
Q: If Fabian Hürzeler can take Brighton into the Europe or win the FA Cup, do you think he could be in for manager of the season, and do you expect him to be on the shortlist of bigger clubs if they pull the trigger on a manager?
Emmanuel Petit: Fabian Hürzeler reminds me of Graham Potter. He’s just come to the Premier League. He’s a young manager, obviously a bit younger than Potter was when he made the step-up from Swansea, but probably with less experience.
I think he would probably be among the best managers so far in this season. It’s pretty amazing to think that this is first season, and he is younger than several of his players, but he’s created an environment where they have all bought into his ideas.
If he reaches the European cup spots with Brighton, if he wins the FA Cup, that would be a big achievement.
Are other clubs going to be looking at him? I think they will be, he’ll be on a few shortlists, but I think it would be the wrong decision to leave the club anytime soon – stay at the club, keep learning and improving. Keep growing as a manager. Brighton are a top Premier League team.
Q: Can your old teammate Frank Lampard take Coventry into the Premier League?
In fifth place, in the play-offs now, why not? I wish him all the best. I think it would be a great achievement.
Emmanuel Petit: Frank’s a young manager. I think he needs some success after his recent years.
Coventry would need to make a very powerful commitment if they reach the Premier League because we’ve seen how so many clubs that get promoted find life so difficult in the top flight. Most of them come straight back down without much of a fight.
It would be a big achievement, a massive achievement, if he could get them promoted. In his last managerial jobs, he’s really struggled.
To stay up, that would be a very big task. They will be facing a huge challenge that would require a massive commitment from everyone at the club and the owner.
Everybody wants to come back to the Premier League. When you see a huge team relegated to the Championship, some of them are struggling for years before coming back to the Premier League.
I remember back in the day when we were playing against Coventry, so that would be a big achievement. Can you imagine? It would be such a big achievement for Frank Lampard and the club.
