Gary Neville has claimed that Mikel Arteta will now be thinking ‘it’s me or them’ after a severe ‘lack of application’ from his Arsenal stars.
The Gunners had the better form going into the clash against Liverpool, but come away from their home clash with a 3-0 drubbing, leaving fans frustrated with what they had seen.
It wasn’t just the scoreline that was depressing, but the entire performance had nothing to take confidence from, and Gary Neville believes the forwards have to be questioned as explained on Sky Sports Monday Night Football segment (via football365).
GN said: “Calum Chambers is trying to get Nicolas Pepe forward there, look at him. He’s still pointing at him. Calum Chambers, an honest kid, trying to get him to move forward.
“All the way through the first half I was watching this and getting frustrated. I think Mikel was shocked by the lack of application from the front part of his team.
“It was a walk in the park for Liverpool. It was embarrassing. It was a really bad day for Arsenal. It was a dark moment, that.
“I think Mikel Arteta will be coming away from that thinking it’s me or them now. Arsenal have got a big problem with some of those players.
“He can’t implement his plan unless those players from Saturday decide they’re going to start playing for him, or he gets rid of them. And I doubt it will be the first one, because something didn’t feel right.”
While in hindsight it might seem easy to offload players you might no longer want, it took a number of seasons to move Ozil on, and the fees involved in signing Nicolas Pepe (which we are still paying) could make his departure difficult.
I’m sure Neville isn’t just pointing the figure at just Pepe however, and you also have to wonder how long the club can back the manager if certain sections of the first-team are not on board.
Could this be the start of the end for Arteta at the Emirates?
Patrick