Bradley Wright-Phillips on Arsenal and Wenger: Something has to change

New York Red Bulls striker Bradley Wright-Phillips, the son of Arsenal legend Ian Wright, insists that Arsene Wenger has to depart for the club to move on.

Wright-Phillips, a fan of the Gunners, has great respect for what Wenger has achieved at the club but for him the recent decline of a team that should be challenging for the Premier League title each season means something has to change.

"Wenger is a legend for Arsenal," he told ESPN at MLS Media Day. "He changed the game in England and he changed how Arsenal look. But I do think -- sorry Arsene -- I do think it's time for a change.

"I don't know if it has got something to do with the changing room because these guys might come in and play laid back like Arsenal do. As an Arsenal fan [I know] they play some of the best football but it doesn't really add up to wins.

"Hopefully someone can come in with some motivation -- we need a captain that is going crazy at players and making them work and understand what the games mean."

With star player Alexis Sanchez leaving for Manchester United, and the future of Mesut Ozil still unclear, Wright-Phillips is hopeful that their replacements, expected to be United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, can impress.

"I think guys like Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan -- those guys can make a difference," he added.

"[Aubameyang's] got goals in him. These guys score goals. Goals change games and I think that could make a difference.

"But if I'm being really honest, Arsenal need to have this season and maybe worse so something can change. Because if we finish fourth, nothing will change."