Arsenal Urged to Follow PSG Example as Club Legend Tells Mikel Arteta to Take Tips from Luis Enrique

Club Legend Believes Arsenal Don’t Play Exciting Football

For the third consecutive season, Arsenal find themselves hovering around the top of the Premier League, chasing Manchester City’s shadow. Mikel Arteta’s project has delivered stability, structure, and undeniable progress, but one question lingers louder with each passing month: are the Gunners too cautious to truly break the cycle and lift silverware?

Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit certainly thinks so. The French World Cup winner has urged Arteta to take inspiration from Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain, pointing out that PSG’s transformation under the Spanish coach should serve as a blueprint for a Gunners side that, in his view, has become overly dependent on possession football and set pieces.

“They look strong,” Petit said when asked about PSG’s latest Champions League display. “They control the ball, they control the position of the ball, but they play straight forward. They play fast football. This is something I want to see with Arsenal. Possession is good, but if you don’t play forward football, possession can be boring.”

It was a sharp critique, but one rooted in admiration for what PSG have become — and frustration with what Arsenal still are not.

Petit Wants Arteta to Make Arsenal More Like PSG

FIFA Ballon d’Or Press Conference

When Luis Enrique arrived in Paris, the early months were riddled with uncertainty. Players struggled to adapt to his philosophy. Fans and pundits alike wondered if his approach would ever click. But eventually, the Spaniard made key adjustments: less sterile control, more direct intent. PSG suddenly went from meandering in midfield to cutting through opponents with pace and purpose.

For Petit, that switch is exactly what Arsenal need. He warned that without a willingness to evolve, Arteta risks falling short again.

“Give me the ball, I give you the ball,” Petit explained, mimicking the repetitive patterns that frustrate fans. “Possession is good, but it must lead somewhere. Enrique changed it. He went more direct and all of a sudden, PSG changed completely. They became brilliant. Arsenal should do the same.”

The message is simple: Arsenal must keep the defensive solidity and organization that Arteta has instilled, but they must also dare more.

Arsenal Have Failed in Three Straight Premier League Title Races

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There is no denying the progress Arsenal have made under Arteta. From eighth-place finishes to back-to-back title races, the Gunners have grown into one of England’s most consistent sides. Yet consistency alone has not been enough.

Three seasons, three chances, and not a single Premier League title. In 2022, they faltered down the stretch. In 2023, City’s relentlessness overwhelmed them. In 2024, the same pattern repeated: too many draws in games they dominated, not enough cutting edge to turn possession into victories.

For Petit, the lack of a “killer instinct” is what separates Arsenal from the champions they aspire to dethrone. “The football is too predictable,” he argues. “The set pieces, the recycling of the ball — it’s all fine, but it doesn’t scare opponents.”

Possession Without Purpose

Statistics back up Petit’s claims. Arsenal frequently dominate possession in the Premier League, often topping 65–70% in matches against mid-table opposition. But too often, that dominance results in sterile control rather than dynamic breakthroughs.

Compare that to PSG under Luis Enrique. While they too see plenty of the ball, their attacking intent is clear: fast transitions, runners beyond the striker, and midfielders willing to take risks in the final third. Kylian Mbappé thrives not just on individual brilliance, but because the system around him creates opportunities at pace.

Petit believes Arsenal’s current squad has similar potential — Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Ødegaard are all capable of thriving in a more daring system. But Arteta’s emphasis on control can suffocate that natural flair.

The PSG Example

Luis Enrique’s PSG are not perfect, but they are entertaining — and crucially, they are effective. The Spaniard found the balance between structure and spontaneity, discipline and daring.

Petit sees this as the exact example Arsenal should follow. He pointed to PSG’s 4-0 dismantling of Atalanta as a turning point, a performance that showcased what fast, attacking football can achieve even when injuries hit.

“That’s what Arsenal need,” Petit said. “Not just control, but intent. Not just possession, but goals.”

Next Up for Arsenal: Olympiacos in the Champions League

Arteta’s men return to Champions League action this Wednesday against Olympiacos, a tie that offers another opportunity to show progress on the European stage. Arsenal have looked solid so far this campaign, grinding out results and showing resilience. But critics argue that resilience alone won’t bring glory.

With growing pressure, Arteta must now answer whether his approach is enough to satisfy both supporters and legends like Petit. Will he double down on control, or will he embrace a bolder vision — one that mirrors the Luis Enrique model in Paris?

The Bigger Picture

Petit’s words come at a crucial time. Arsenal are not in crisis — far from it. But they are at a crossroads. The foundations are solid, the talent undeniable. What’s missing is the spark that transforms challengers into champions.

The PSG example proves that transformation is possible. Luis Enrique faced doubts, criticism, and skepticism, but by adjusting his philosophy, he turned Paris into a team that excites and terrifies in equal measure.

For Arteta, the challenge is clear: adapt, evolve, and inspire — or risk another season of “almost.”

Conclusion: Will Arsenal Listen?

Emmanuel Petit’s call is more than nostalgia from a club legend; it’s a challenge to Arsenal’s current leadership. Be brave. Be direct. Stop playing safe.

Fans at the Emirates have waited nearly two decades for a Premier League title. They’ve seen progress, but they crave passion, speed, and ruthlessness. Whether Mikel Arteta chooses to take a page out of Luis Enrique’s playbook could define not just this season, but the entire trajectory of his Arsenal project.

As Petit puts it, possession is nice — but it’s only truly powerful when it comes with purpose.