Mikel Arteta has been falling under ever-increasing pressure at Arsenal, with the Gunners currently bottom of the Premier League table, but Mikael Silvestre has warned that parting with another manager will cost the club valuable time and money.
Questions are being asked of how long Arteta will be sticking around on the back of a pointless and goalless start to the 2021-22 campaign from a beleaguered north London outfit.
Silvestre concedes that there will come a time for big decisions to be made, potentially after a derby date with Tottenham on September 26, but hopes patience will be shown with a man that has delivered FA Cup glory at Emirates Stadium and been backed in the transfer market.
What has been said?
Former Arsenal defender Silvestre, speaking in association with BettingExpert, told Goal of Arteta's precarious situation: "Everyone was wishing for Arsene [Wenger] to leave, but the question is do you give more time for Arteta to put this club together?
"We have to realise that the team and the squad wasn't 100 per cent ready, there were injuries, Covid issues for the start of the season. There are a lot of things that need to be addressed quickly.
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"I am always in favour of giving the manager more time. After the derby, then it will be time to assess if there was any progression.
"Forget the results, there should be some progress on the pitch if everyone is fit and ready in the starting XI. If there is no progress, then the question will be asked."
Will a change be made?
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Arsenal continue to struggle for consistency despite investing a record £145 million ($200m) on fresh faces during the last transfer window.
With expectations still high at Emirates Stadium, Arteta faces a race against time to prove that he is the right man to guide the club towards a brighter future.
Various potential successors are already being speculated upon, with former Chelsea and Inter boss Antonio Conte currently out of work and available, but Silvestre has urged the Gunners against any snap judgements - especially one that could bring in another boss that favours a different style of football.
The Frenchman added: "We have seen that at [Manchester] United before, there were many different managers with different styles of football.
"It's really important that the club keeps its identity. Mikel right now is best placed to do the job and he needs backing from the players. He needs to make sure they believe in him.
"After that, if you have to make a change then you pick the manager that will be happy to use the £300m spent in the last few years on new players.
"You don't want another manager with a different style of football who will ask you to write more cheques and buy more players for his football."
Arsenal will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a crunch clash with Norwich at Emirates Stadium - with the Canaries also waiting on their first points of the season.
