Why appointing Benitez as Wenger’s successor would be a huge mistake by Arsenal

According to former Arsenal defender Ray Parlour, Rafael Benitez would be a “great fit” to replace Arsene Wenger from next season.

Wenger announced last week that he will step down as Arsenal boss in the summer, ending a 22-year association with the North London club.

The veteran Frenchman’s announcement was imminent, which has now left Arsenal chief Ivan Gazidis with an uphill task to identify and appoint his successor. It will be a much tougher challenge for Gazidis and co. than they could have ever imagined.

However, with Ray Parlour suggesting Benitez as the right man to replace Wenger, will he be a good choice for Arsenal?

Newcastle fans have been pinching themselves since the day Benitez walked into the club to replace Steve McClaren in 2016. The Spaniard has transformed the club, lifting the mood around St. James’ Park despite their relegation two years ago and is doing a great work to ensure their safety in the Premier League this term.

One of the most astute and intelligent tacticians in modern-day football, Benitez has managed some of the top clubs in Europe and has a plethora of silverware in his CV. He is a manager capable of getting results out of nothing and was tasked with keeping Newcastle floating in the Premier League this season on a shoestring budget.

Benitez has done what was asked of him, guaranteeing Newcastle the safety, and has a great chance to steer the club to a top-10 finish. He has improved every player at Newcastle, with his man-management skills proving top-notch.

Benitez, for some reason, continues to be constantly underrated by a chunk of footballing romantics in England. Credit where it is due, he has done a brilliant job at Newcastle, far exceeding expectations with a team that has very limited resources.

However, not to forget, the Spaniard’s time at Liverpool ended sourly, while he struggled greatly at Real Madrid, lasting just seven months. While he has been an icon at Newcastle and boasts of an impressive CV, he is simply not the manager I would like to see at Arsenal.

Benitez’s style of play and methods are all about substance than style. He remains as one of the top managers in the continent but his style is simply opposed to what Arsenal fans have been watching for years. He doesn’t play an exciting brand of football and is all about safety first approach, which would not get the Arsenal fans behind him at any cost.

Benitez’s teams are organised, disciplined and conservative in approach, which is exactly in contrast to Wenger’s style of play. His attention to detail and the emphasis he places on the organisation are important which would often lead to the Gunners playing drab football in front of the fans.

In my opinion, Arsenal need a young manager with a footballing brain and fresh ideas to take the club forward. A manager who gives equal importance to both substance and style of play, capable of gambling and producing results out of nowhere is the one that Arsenal need.

Gazidis and the Arsenal hierarchy must not repeat the mistake Manchester United did while replacing great Sir Alex Ferguson. They need a plan and they need a design: a clear strategy for identifying who fits the bill perfectly to replace Wenger after this season.

That said, Benitez, for me, would be a major mistake by Arsenal.