It might not have been the wielded axe that some were wondering about, but the sacking of Steven Morrow and several of his staff was the first sign of Edu taking a look at the structures at Arsenal and acting with authority.



Relations had not been ideal between Morrow and Per Mertesacker, head of the academy. In an ideal world, the decision makers responsible for scouting, recruitment and player development would share a healthy rapport with the best interests at the club in mind. But the disharmony was problematic.



One of Edu’s first observations when he returned to Arsenal last summer as technical director was surprise at the sheer number of staff across various departments. The club have been explicit in promoting youth development as a key part of their operation. So if this was a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth, it was time to simplify the menu.



Morrow had, of course, been a midfielder at the club a generation before Edu, a...