Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg are part of Unai Emery’s coaching set-up at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Robert Pires believes Arsenal’s current first team squad is lacking leadership and an English core.

The Gunners legend is not officially part of Unai Emery’s coaching set-up but remains a regular presence at the club’s London Colney training base.

Emery was handed a vote of confidence during the international break following a sluggish start to the new season which has left Arsenal playing catch-up in the race for Champions League qualification.

Arsenal spent heavily in the summer transfer window, recruiting the likes of David Luiz, Nicolas Pepe, Gabriel Martinelli and Dani Ceballos, but Pires fears a lack of English players is holding the club back.




Rob Holding and Calum Chambers were the only Englishmen to start in the recent 2-0 defeat at Leicester, and although the likes of Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Bukayo Saka are emerging talents, Pires admits adding experience is also necessary.

Calum Chambers and Rob Holding were the only English players to start in Arsenal’s most recent Premier League match (Picture: Getty)

‘We need English players because we are in England and nobody else has grown up with this mentality, he told The Athletic.

‘You need to be born here. It’s very nice when you get to discover new countries but for me when you play in England you need English players.

‘It’s a different time. But I used to play with David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Ashley Cole, Ray Parlour.

‘We’re talking about six English players in the team. We need similar players.

‘Of course I respect the Arsenal philosophy but we are in the Premier League and it’s so tough every weekend.’

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