‘Arsenal should take a gamble on Vieira’ – Pochettino & Nuno don’t convince Parlour

Arsenal should be looking to take a calculated “gamble” on Patrick Vieira, says Ray Parlour, with a club icon considered to be a better choice to succeed Unai Emery than Mauricio Pochettino or Nuno.

The decision to make a change in the dugout has been taken at Emirates Stadium, with a Spanish coach paying the price for inconsistency.

Speculation regarding who the Gunners could turn to next has been bubbling away for some time, with various names thrown into the pot.

Article continues below

Editors' Picks

  • No clean sheets in 11 games & Fabinho injured – Should Liverpool fans be worried?
  • Madness at Mestalla: Chelsea are flawed but so much fun
  • Why is Chelsea's £71m record signing Kepa showing signs of struggle?
  • Sancho to Barcelona? Dortmund's £100m man must first prove he can cut it in the Champions League

Pochettino, fresh from being relieved of his duties at Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham, has seen his claims for an immediate return to the Premier League talked up.

Click Here: South Africa Rugby Shop

Wolves boss Nuno is the choice of many, while Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe and Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers have also been mooted as potential options.

Parlour, though, believes that Arsenal should turn to a familiar face, telling talkSPORT: “I have always said Patrick Vieira. I would take a chance with him.

“Of course it is a gamble, it is a massive gamble but every manager is a gamble.

“Look, Pep Guardiola started his career, how did Jurgen Klopp get his break?

“These sort of lucky breaks sometimes – I know for a fact he would be like Frank Lampard [at Chelsea] and the fans would give him a chance.”

Assistant manager Freddie Ljungberg has been handed the reins on an interim basis, with Parlour backing the decision to place trust in the Swede while decisions on a more permanent appointment are made.

“Freddie Ljungberg I would have to go with at the moment,” Parlour added.

“I am sure behind the scenes they will be really sounding a few people out.

“I know the Wolves manager has been mentioned, [Mauricio] Pochettino with his payout, I’m not sure how that will work.

“I am not too sure about Eddie [Howe] at the moment but he has done a wonderful job at Bournemouth. He might not want to go. He might be happy to stay at Bournemouth.”

Arsenal slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in their latest outing, with a Europa League reversal putting the final nail in Emery’s coffin and leaving the Gunners board with little choice but to make another change 18 months after seeing Arsene Wenger’s 22-year reign come to a close.