Arsenal need to make a managerial decision soon, urges Freddie Ljungberg
Having parted ways with Unai Emery 18 days ago, Arsenal are yet to make a decision over their managerial future and Interim boss Freddie Ljungberg has urged the club to work faster. The Gunners are struggling to maintain the semblance of a top four challenge and sit seven points off fourth.
The Gunners have struggled since the club sacked Unai Emery with them winning just one out of their last five games in all competitions. That includes a 2-2 draw against Standard Liege, a 2-1 loss to Brighton and a 2-2 draw to Norwich City which has seen Freddie Ljungberg come under immense pressure. The Swede’s issues have been exasperated by the fact that he has not been allowed to bring in a back room staff with him operating with just Per Mertesacker to help.
However, with Manchester City convincingly beating the North London giants, the club struggled to even get a shot on target with them ending the match with just the one. It was a disappointing show of football and it saw Ljungberg urge the club to make a decision and appoint their next manager before things become even worse. The Swede even went on to admit that the pressure is far too much on both him and Per Mertesacker with the German now working two jobs for the club.
"It's a great honour to do this, but Per is doing two jobs. I've said it [the managerial situation] needs to be cleared up, and it would be good to make a decision regardless of what it is," Ljungberg said reported ESPN.
The 3-0 loss to Manchester City now means that Arsenal sit seven points off fourth-place Chelsea despite the Blues losing to Bournemouth on Saturday. However, what further adds to their troubles is the fact that they are just seven points about the relegation zone with a negative goal difference and the club are on their worst home run in decades. Things clearly need to change and Ljungberg even went on to admit that there is a massive gulf in difference between Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.
"We all have to look in the mirror. They are better than us, that's just a fact. We need to be realistic. There is a gulf in quality between us and City," he said. "This is hard -- Liverpool and City are in a league of their own," he added.