Petit: Arsenal Are Three Games From Greatness and the Critics Can't Handle It

Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has delivered a passionate defence of Mikel Arteta 's side as they close in on a historic double.

The World Cup winner has backed Arsenal to win the Premier League , dismissed the ongoing criticism of their style of play, and assessed what Viktor Gyokeres needs to deliver in the Champions League final against PSG .

Petit has also explained why Bukayo Saka 's return could be the decisive factor in both competitions and why he believes Manchester City face a far tougher run-in than many are acknowledging.

Arsenal

Could Arsenal Have Won the Treble if Saka Stayed Fit?

Viktor Gyokeres was missing Bukayo Saka ; he was out for months, while Martin Odegaard spent long periods on the bench. Can you imagine where Arsenal would've been if those players had been fit all season? We can see now how badly Saka was missed; his return might be what wins Arsenal the Premier League and the Champions League . Without him, it could've been nothing. I think he's mentally and physically fresh. He's got some life in his legs; Arteta is managing him carefully because you cannot take any risks with him. They still have four games to play, three in the Premier League and one Champions League final.

So, don't rush him. They are winning games, and he's been important in the last few. The next game against West Ham will be very important for both teams. I presume Saka will be crucial. Saka and Odegaard have been among their best players for years. They were missing those guys. It's like asking Pep Guardiola playing without Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva .

Do Arsenal Face Harsher Scrutiny Than Other Clubs?

Arsenal got accused of bottling it; now Man City have slipped up, and no one has mentioned bottling it? I can understand the criticism. Sometimes, I feel bored when I watch Arsenal , but they missed long periods without Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard , their best player and captain.

They got to the Carabao Cup final, FA Cup semi-final and are in the Champions League final and leading the Premier League . The criticism has been ridiculous. The amount of games Arsenal has played makes them the most competitive team so far because they have been playing much more than anyone else. Looking at that, I think the return of some players could be a factor. I hope Jurrien Timber will be back soon; he could be very important for Arsenal . Watching City slip up against Everton , it made me think about if it was Arsenal , they'd be accused of not being strong enough mentally, having led the game and almost lost. I think you could say City bottled it as well.

People say Arsenal are too defensive and not romantic to watch, and they are boring; the reality is that they are three games from winning the title.

Which Trophy Will Arsenal Win This Season?

Arsenal could win both trophies, but after what they have been through over the last few seasons, the Premier League would be enough. What I would say is that it's not a coincidence that they can win the Champions League for the first time and end their Premier League drought in the same season; things happen for a reason. Arsenal are going to win the Premier League . Even after losing at City 2-1 and dropping the nine-point advantage they had, I was always confident because I knew those guys were going to come back. I didn't see City winning every single game. And this is exactly what happened against Everton , but it could still go down to goal difference.

The last three games for Arsenal are West Ham , Burnley , and Crystal Palace . Two derbies and one against Burnley , who are already down. You could say it's nine points, but West Ham will probably play like it's a final. But if you look at City 's schedule, they play against top teams who are very confident, actually. They have to go to Bournemouth . Look at Bournemouth ; they have been one of the best teams in the Premier League for weeks now.

The same with Brighton , and City play Aston Villa in the last game. Aston Villa are struggling to keep their position on the table. So I wish City good luck as well, but as I said, I see Arsenal winning the Premier League . I'm not sure about the Champions League final, but I think if you ask me to decide, I will take both. But if I have to make a choice, I will say the Premier League first.

Champions League

Did Arsenal Deserve Their Champions League Final Spot?

Arsenal controlled the tie against Atletico, but again we heard the same critics again, a lot of people are complaining about the level of display, the way both teams were playing, very tactically, very strong structure defensively.

Arsenal did what it takes to go to the Champions League final. So I think it's a huge improvement. The critics talk about how Arsenal play, the fact that they struggle to score goals, but they've been in almost every single competition until the end, except the FA Cup .

This is the only team in Europe who has done that. And despite the fact that they are struggling to score goals, they still win games. And I think this is the most important. History will remember the trophies for a couple of years. Who cares about how Arsenal reached the final? To be honest with you, let the noises spread and stay focused on the Premier League and the Champions League final.

Is the Criticism of Arsenal Complete Nonsense?

Scoring goals is the most difficult thing in football. But consistently not conceding goals is hard as well. Arsenal has been one of the best defences in Europe for years. They showed it again in both semi-final games. They didn't give Atletico chances to score goals. It was almost their own mistakes, like the header back from William Saliba . Gabriel was amazing on that occasion. Most of the time, it was very difficult for Atletico Madrid to create a single scoring chance. This has been the case for so many teams against Arsenal .

It's very difficult when you play a team like Arsenal because they are very well composed, with good tactical structure. They show confidence when they defend all together. This is something that you can criticise about Arsenal , but you cannot say that reaching the Champions League final and leading the Premier League , after going to the final in the Carabao Cup and the semi-final in the FA Cup , you cannot say that this team is not good enough to reach the final. I'm so tired of hearing that.

I was reading the newspaper this morning. I see so many former players say ridiculous things. I think they forgot how we were as players. I won games, sometimes playing badly. I won titles and trophies when I was playing efficiently as well. We just wanted to win the game. And this is exactly what Arsenal are doing.

Would Arsenal Have Preferred PSG or Bayern?

I don't think Arsenal would prefer either PSG or Bayern in the final. They play similar types of explosive attacking football, and Arsenal play more tactically. PSG and Bayern have been the most impressive teams in the Champions League this season, with a DNA of scoring goals; Arsenal have been the best defensive team.

I think either way, Arsenal would be underdogs, but if they play their tactical game, they have a real chance of winning the Champions League for the first time.

How Will Arsenal Get On in the Final?

PSG and Bayern were the most impressive teams in the Champions League . They have a DNA of exciting football and scoring goals. Now PSG are in the final, we know they will be very explosive when you look at the talent they have on the pitch. I don't think Arsenal can compete with the talent they have.

Having said that, no one is better than Arsenal at defending; that makes them a contender for the final. It will be a different approach against PSG to the one Bayern took. There will be two different visions and styles on show; PSG will be dreaming of two European Cups in a row, Arsenal will have to close the door on that. Tactically, they can do it, but Arsenal will be the underdogs.

Gyokeres

Has Gyokeres Proved His Critics Wrong?

Viktor Gyokeres is not a romantic player, nor is he the most gifted player. But honestly, I was thinking about the central defenders of Atletico Madrid . Le Normand was substituted, and the others found it so difficult for them to mark him.

Gyokeres gives 100% every time he's on the pitch. I know that it's not enough when you play for Arsenal , you want something more romantic after the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry . You could say that Arsenal deserves a striker like that. But this guy, despite the critics, despite the pressure, is trying everything he can on the pitch to make a difference. Recently, he has been a nightmare for defenders. He ran the channels; he held up the ball. He missed this great opportunity in the second half. He should have done better, but it was quite difficult technically. He was very important in both games.

Can Gyokeres Cause Nightmares in the Final?

In the Champions League final, Viktor Gyokeres ' performance depends on his teammates. I think his teammates are finally understanding his movement. It took months for him to settle properly into this team. The movement and the fight at Arsenal , which we were also missing with Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka absent for months, Gyokeres has come out of a terrible time. The rotation has also made it difficult for him, as he sometimes plays with Gabriel Martinelli on the left, sometimes Leandro Trossard , sometimes Kai Havertz , and sometimes Gabriel Jesus . I think the rotation is quite difficult for him because he was missing important players. As a striker, you need to receive the ball from your teammates and have an understanding of movement with them.

I believe his teammates didn't find that in the first couple of months, but from January , I think he's been doing much better. You can see that against Atletico , for example, or even against Fulham . I can see that his teammates are better understanding the way he moves, the timing of his movement, and they are crossing the ball much more to him than in the past. I think Gyokeres can do much more than that. He has brought a different style of striker than what we've seen before. However, you could also argue that Martinelli has not been a hit. Trossard , I think, is a better option on the left wing. But Odegaard was missing, as was Saka . Noni Madueke hasn't made a great impact at Arsenal so far. Even Jesus isn't a regular starter. So, I think Gyokeres was suffering because of that, too.

He's at the end of the spine, so if you can't give him proper service, he won't be able to do what some unbelievable strikers used to do, which is take the ball and dribble past three or four opponents. He needs his teammates to shine on the pitch, and I think he had been struggling to find that for months.

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