Jamie Redknapp believes there are too many players comfortable playing for “nice” Arsenal.
It’s part of a pundit’s job to play armchair psychologist, and Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp has taken the time to deliver his latest psychological assessment from his own armchair. According to the pundit, if players want a comfortable life, they should play for Arsenal.
“If you want a comfortable life, play for Arsenal,” Redknapp said, reports the Express. “I look at the players they have – Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere – they don’t look under any duress.
“It looks nice. Almost as if you don’t have to go. You can stay if you want. I want to see some ambition in that club. I want to see players that want to go and win that title. I wasn’t lucky enough to do so, but looking at those players, I think the club is so nice.”
The comments really are a pundit’s cliche. It seems that only in England could a club that just spent £52m on a player be seen as unambitious. And it seems that only English pundits can determine how ambitious a player is without knowing them personally at all.
There’s an element of confirmation bias here as well, as for every Walcott who seems “comfortable” with his lot, there’s a Lucas Perez who doesn’t get to play at all despite being in good form. Danny Welbeck isn’t guaranteed next season either.
There’s also a lot of competition at the club, with the likes of Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere not even being first-team regulars in the last 12 months. Arsenal have signed Sead Kolasinac who will now compete with the likes of Macho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs for a starting place.
Arsenal have certainly proven they are ambitious, even if their results haven’t always reflected that. Sometimes, it’s down to the player to motivate and improve themselves.