Denis Suarez ‘the one player Arsenal didn’t need’, says ex-Spurs boss Tim Sherwood in lengthy critique of Gunners
Unai Emery was slammed for signing midfielder and not a defender after a string of injuries caused the Gunners boss to play people out of position to cover at the back
TIM SHERWOOD claimed Arsenal did not need to sign Denis Suarez - instead suggesting they should have gone “all-out for a centre-half”.
The Gunners brought in Suarez from Barcelona on loan until the end of the season with an option to make the move permanent.
Arsenal boss Unai Emery made it clear signings would be limited due to lack of funds - with loan deals their only means of bringing in new recruits.
Emery opted to strengthen their midfield and brought in Suarez.
However, ex-Tottenham boss Sherwood claimed on Sky Sports that the Spaniard was not needed at the Emirates.
He also questioned the quality of the club's young Gunns and argued when Arsenal did have a good academy player, they loaned them out.
Sherwood said: “Their best assets are the ones they brought in.
“They paid top dollar for [Alexandre] Lacazette, [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, [Lucas] Torreira, [Matteo] Guendouzi but where are the academy players at Arsenal?
“They used to bring them through, used to give them an opportunity to play. They don’t even play now, we don’t see them. They’re all loaned out.
“I just think there is no long-term plan. There is no short-term plan, certainly. If there was one player they didn’t need it was Denis Suarez.
“They needed a defender, they need to go all-out for a centre-half but they didn’t bring one in.”
Sherwood’s comments come after Arsenal suffered several injuries at the heart of their defence.
Emery saw centre-backs Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos sidelined this season.
While defenders Rob Holding, and Hector Bellerin are still out injured - as Arsenal have had to resort to playing full-backs and midfielders at centre-half this season.