Arsenal blasted by Ray Parlour for ‘testimonial’ approach to Villarreal game

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Club legend Ray Parlour has blasted Arsenal for displaying a lack of desire and leadership against Villarreal. The Gunners were dumped out of the Europa League on Thursday night, drawing 0-0 with the Spanish side to exit the competition in the semi-finals 2-1 on aggregate.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck the post twice and Emile Smith Rowe went close with a chip after a mistake by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, but they struggled to break down Villarreal.

Unai Emery’s side looked fairly comfortable throughout as Arsenal failed to apply much pressure in their biggest game of the season.

The Gunners looked disjointed and Arteta failed to turn the tide through his substitutions, with no chances dropping to Alexandre Lacazette, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli or Willian.

It was a hugely disappointing night for the club, who now face the prospect of playing no European football for the first time in 25 years next season.

Arsenal are ninth in the Premier League, 12 points adrift of the top four, with just four matches remaining.

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Parlour, who played for Arsenal in the famous Invincible season of 2003/04, was shocked by how poor they were last night.

“They haven’t been great at the Emirates, and that’s where you’ve got to make it a fortress,” he said on talkSPORT.

“You’ve got to make sure the teams coming there are fearful, but teams aren’t fearful of Arsenal, they probably enjoy going to the Emirates. It’s been really poor this season.

“It’s the first time the club won’t play European football since the beginning of my career under Bruce Rioch! We were 11th in the league in that season, Rioch lost his job and that’s when Arsene Wenger came in!

“Mikel Arteta will be so disappointed with his players. They should have been confident going into the game, they know what they had to do, they’ve got the away goal so go out there on the front foot, but it just didn’t work out like that.

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“It was like a testimonial in the first half, I just didn’t see any tackles flying in.

“I go back to Tuesday night, watching Man City vs PSG, and that was a proper game. It had everything, great football, tackles flying in, goal, opportunities for both sides, it was a brilliant game to watch – but I didn’t see that from Arsenal last night.

“I don’t see any leaders at Arsenal. Going back to my time, we had three or four of them in our team, Vieira, Keown, Adams, and when you weren’t doing your job you’d get hammered! But Arsenal don’t have any players like that.”

Areta is under serious pressure at Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game against West Bromwich Albion.

According to reports, former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri and Roma manager Paulo Fonseca have both been linked with the club ahead of what is sure to be an important summer for Arsenal.

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