Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta slammed over ‘lack of ambition’ as new transfer plan emerges

Arsenal’s next game is a tough test away at Nottingham Forest as they look to return to winning ways following a painful 1-0 defeat to title rivals Liverpool at Anfield last time out

It’s not long now before Arsenal make their return to Premier League action after going into the international break off the back of a painful defeat.

The Gunners were handed a 1-0 loss against title rivals Liverpool at Anfield last time out, thanks to Dominik Szsboszlai’s superb free kick, giving the Reds a slight edge in the race for the crown.

But there is still plenty of time for Arsenal to move into the ascendency after Mikel Arteta welcomed his players back to the training ground.

Arsenal are preparing for a tough trip to Nottingham Forest this weekend, with Arteta’s former Spurs rival Ange Postecoglou now in charge following the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo.

Mirror Football has taken a look at the biggest news and gossip surrounding Arsenal ahead of the Premier League’s return.

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Clichy slams Arteta’s “lack of ambition”

Arsenal have come under fire this season over their style of play under Mikel Arteta, who has put a focus on defensive solidity and being a threat from set-pieces, rather than being free-flowing in attack.

While the Gunners thrashed Leeds United 5-0 in their second game of the season, they only beat Manchester United 1-0 in the season opener thanks to a goal from a corner and looked timid up front against Liverpool.

Gael Clichy, who was part of the famous 2003-04 Invincibles side that won the Premier League without losing a game and believes the club’s former identity of playing with style under Arsene Wenger has gone.

He added that he was concerned about Mikel Arteta’s ambition at the club, claiming they were “excited “not to lose a game”.

Speaking to Metro, he said: “Arsenal is coming to a place where the idea and identify of Arsene Wenger’s football is not seen much anymore. We don’t talk about how well Arsenal played these days, we talk about how difficult they are to break down or how impressive they are on set pieces.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s fantastic and it’s part of the game you need to exploit but if we talk about what Arsenal used to be and what Arsenal is today, there’s nothing to compare anymore.

“We have to accept the manager wants something different. And maybe with the wingers and striker we have, we see more of this old-school way. But we also have to tell it like it is – we have also maybe seen a lack of ambition from Arsenal as a club and from Mikel. When you look at that game against Liverpool, you can see a team that is not concerned about winning but a team excited not to lose a game.”

Arsenal could move for January loans

Arsenal spent big this summer, splashing out more than £250m on some major signings – such as Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke.

And while Mikel Arteta will be fairly happy with how his squad is now shaping up following the summer window, he might fancy a couple more arrivals in January to keep his squad ticking over.

Last season, the Gunners were hit hard by an injury crisis after Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were both ruled out for the season, while Bukayo Saka was also sidelined for a lengthy period with a hamstring blow.

We’ve already started to see a handful of fitness issues in the Arsenal squad this season after Saka and Havertz picked up more problems, while William Saliba is also expected to be out for a while longer.

That might mean Arteta could be tempted to delve into the market in January to secure some loan deals – according to Football London. That was something he couldn’t do last season after already filling his two-player quota with Raheem Sterling and goalkeeper Neto.

The report says transfer chief Andrea Berta would have the freedom to explore such deals with those two loan slots still open.

Bothroyd was “one of Wenger’s best players”

Remember Jay Bothroyd? He was once tipped for big things at Arsenal but never managed to deliver on his huge promise.

The striker didn’t make a single appearance for his boyhood club, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t make an impression during his time with the north Londoners.

Bothroyd would go on to become something of a career journeyman after picking up 600 appearances for a range of clubs in the Premier League, Championship and even in Thailand and Japan, scoring 175 goals along the way.

Now retired and aged 43, Bothroyd has been speaking about his early career and made a huge claim about his former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. He said the Frenchman sought him out during an England camp at London Colney and hailed him as one of the best players he had managed.

“I go upstairs, as soon as I walk in the room, he comes from behind his desk,” he told the Beast Mode On podcast. “He came and gave me a big cuddle. And I was like, in that moment, I had tears in my eyes because it was like he kind of gave me the cuddle, and then he grabbed my shoulders.

“He’s like, ‘I knew it. I knew you could do it. I knew you had the talent like that.’ And I said, ‘Thanks boss,’ and I was like, ‘Again, I just want to apologise for my behaviour back then. I was a completely different person.’ “And he’s like, ‘Don’t worry about none of that. These things happen. You created a pathway for yourself, and you still got yourself back to the top.’

“Then he says to me, ‘Do you know one thing? One thing that I always took from you as a kid then, you were one of the best players I’ve ever worked with, even up until this point now.’ I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ And he was like, ‘You are one of the most talented players I’ve ever worked with in my career as a manager.'”

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