Robert Pires Tips Arsenal for Season of Success

You don’t imagine that Arsene Wenger spends much time worrying about the fortunes of those players he has sold during his time at Arsenal.

The Frenchman’s focus has always been on the future—his plans for the next game, the next year, and the next generation have always taken priority over any glances over his shoulder.

For those players that leave the North London club, however, it is often a completely different story. Many struggle to adapt at their new club, unprepared for the completely different structure of their new home.

Many end up regretting switching teams.

Other ex-Gunners settle into their new club seamlessly, highlighting their inherent quality and going on to achieve even more success. Yet even they often struggle to completely leave behind their time at the Emirates Stadium.

Or Highbury, in the case of Robert Pires.

The 34-year-old Frenchman, now of Spanish side Villarreal, played 189 games for the Gunners in a six season span at the club, before leaving England at the end of the 2005-'06 season.

Infamously, Pires' glittering Arsenal career ended with a whimper rather than a bang, after Jens Lehman’s sending off in the 2006 Champions League final forced Arsene Wenger to withdraw the right midfielder in order to bring on substitute ‘keeper Manuel Almunia.

Pires, however, harbours no hard feelings—and still follows the fortunes of his former club. Speaking to Guillem Ballague;

“I watch their games all the time, never miss a match,” he admitted.

What has he made of their progress since he left?

“I think they have moved up a level. I believe that this will be their year. The players are much stronger, they are a young side that has gained a lot of experience.”

Having just come off the pitch after Villarreal’s 0-0 Champions League draw with Manchester United, Pires also admitted he had seen little to scare him from his former rivals to scare him;

"[Old Trafford] is always a very difficult place to come to, no matter who you are, but we played the game we wanted to play…it was only the post that stopped us from taking the lead,” the Frenchman revealed. “They seemed a little short of pace.”

United’s poor form, coupled with the emergence of his former club’s youngsters, has led Pires to feel very optimistic about Arsenal’s potential for this season.

“I don’t know, I just have a very good feeling about Arsenal this year. I don’t know whether it will be the Premiership, or the Champions League—but I believe they will win at least one title this season.”

Gunners’ fans will doubtless hope their former hero’s predictions will be proven correct.