This might really be the end of the road for Matteo Guendouzi

Mikel Arteta axed Matteo Guendouzi from the Arsenal squad that faced Southampton as the Gunners returned to winning ways at Saint Mary’s.

Arteta explained the decision to axe the midfielder as dealing with “internal issues” as revealed by the Mail.

In his absence, Arsenal secured a much-needed 2-0 win over the Saints, showing Guendouzi that they probably don’t need him to win games.

His antics in Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Brighton didn’t impress Arteta after he taunted the Seagull’s players (The Sun) for how much they earned and he almost picked a fight with Neal Maupay at the end of the game.

Guendouzi has struggled mostly since he joined Arsenal and although he had a good spell under Unai Emery, he has hardly shown Arteta why the Spaniard should rely on him.

Arteta is still studying his Arsenal team and the Spaniard will probably look to make some changes in his squad when the transfer window reopens.

I have a powerful feeling that Guendouzi may have blown his chance to have a lengthy career under Arteta.

Arteta is a manager that won’t tolerate poor discipline on or off the pitch, and Guendouzi has probably gotten into more trouble than the Spaniard can accept.

Tags Matteo Guendouzi

22 Comments

  1. His journey is over because he was benched for one game ? BTW , I don’t know why everybody thinks trash talking is bad. The only reason we know what Guendouzi said is because we lost. If we had won, we never would have figured out what he said.

    1. Nope,not because of one game.Theres some history and it starts as far back as Feb when the team was in Dubai

    2. Two incidents ? If the punishment was for fighting , then it’s appropriate . If it is for trash talk , it isn’t

  2. I fully expect Arteat to move Guendouzi on this window and will appaud him for so doing. Unsurprisingly, a nubner of younger fans supported and condoned Guendouzis behaviour on another similar thread to this one. They, wrongly, believe as so many youngsters do, that bad characters can totally transform themselves into good people.
    In my long life experience of what ACTUALLY happens, life has shown me that bad characters at 21 stay bad people and good characters at 21(and far younger still) remain good characters. Ther are atiny few exceptions but very very few and IMO Guendouzi will not change his arrogant stance ever, so I want him gone and think he will be sold, VERY SOON, hopefully for decent money. Rotten apples VERY rarely repair themselves.

    1. Sweet boys don’t win a thing . The last time we won something , we didn’t have players being good to the opponents . we fielded complete savages. Animals. Ashley Cole went a head to say , the day arsenal stopped being savage , is the day we stopped winning things. Think about it . Our exucuse for not winning thins is always , these guys injured our player . They broke our player’s leg , they pushed him into a board. Meanwhile , those that do those things get points ont he board , and we keep whining. Being nice wins you nothing. Most especially , being good in a contact sport actually puts you at a disadvantage. I’d encourage more savegery from our players . Sergio Ramos is the best because he’s savage . So is Busquets .

      1. Joe, there is a big difference between hard players and smart arse or dirty players. Arsenal had hard players and the opposition has to know that foul play will bring retribution.
        As far as “trash talking”, I really saw it when I played in a representative Rugby team on a tour of the western USA. Even back in 1979 it was a big thing there. While they talked trash, we let the ball do the work and ran in tries. It is best to let the quality of your play do your talking.

        1. Well said Ozzie. So many youngsters confuse trash talk with being hard, when all it shows is ACTUALLY how soft you are, where it matters, in inner resolve.
          True hardmen never went round shouting the odds like a little immature boy with far too high an opinion- and an undeserved one at that – of themselves and they don’t need to TALK. Hope you are reading this Joe A, as you may learn something important about how life actually IS , from two older and wiser Gooners .

  3. part of me likes the trash talk and the fact that he took a shot at Maupay – so see that is poor, but you can say that he cared and went after the guy who hurt the goalie (maybe that is my “Canadian” showing – you hurt the goalie you get decked!).

    He is young, I think it would be a mistake to jettison the kid – and I know there are a fair number who disagree. Just my view.

    1. And I don’t really have a good reason for why I think they should keep him I just have a sense that there could be something really good there – I know, I know – that and $2 will get me a cup of coffee 🙂

    2. Ah, but Lacazette had already taken a run at their keeper and knocked him down (just missed taking out his leg when he slid into his ankle). That should have been enough of a message sent.

      Also, in addition to the trash-talking, Guendouzi laid hands on Maupay’s neck and was lucky not to have been suspended for doing so. Arsenal is short-handed in the midfield and has a lot of matches to play in a short period of time. Whether suspended by the FA for attempting to choke an opponent or benched by the manager for his immature stupidity, either way, Guendouzi hurt his team at a critical time in the season. No excuse.

    3. It would be the biggest mistake in MA short managers life just because you don’t get on with him he is a fighter and boy do we need them

  4. Guendouzi is and should be gone. I don’t object to trash-talking, but you don’t risk a suspension by laying hands on an opponent’s neck when your team is short-handed at your position and has to play fixtures thick and fast, needing to get maximum points from them.

    When you are just 21 years old, you don’t argue with your manager or fail to follow his direction; you keep your head down, your mouth shut, and bust your butt trying to do what the manager wants. And, you don’t get into a fight with your teammates at practice; you try to listen and learn from them so that you can get better as a player (because, if you aren’t getting better, you are getting worse, because your opponents are working hard to get better every day).

    Guendouzi is still running around like a chicken without its head on the pitch, failing to track back at times as he free-lances when he shouldn’t. He is not playing well and isn’t willing to learn/do what the manager wants. He gets out of control on and off the pitch. In short, he is a liability.

    Yes, he brings energy, even if it is badly directed at times. Yes, he may begin to learn how to do what the manager wants and get better as a player. And, yes, eventually he will grow up and mature. But, Arsenal has enough liabilities on the roster now and can’t afford to wait to see when or if Guendouzi will mature on and off the pitch and reach his potential as a player. Arsenal needs players that will fit in the team and the manager’s system now.

    Because of his age and potential, Guendouzi will fetch a decent transfer fee this off-season. That may not be the case in the future if he continues his immature approach to the game. Now is the time to sell Guendouzi and use the proceeds to purchase a midfielder who can be a capable complement to Thomas Partey going forward. Xhaka, Torrierra and Ceballos are decent players, but they are not good enough to dominate the midfield against the top six clubs and Guendouzi isn’t going to change that anytime soon. Bringing in Partey and a good CAM could help to change that and selling Guendouzi could make that a possibility.

    1. I can’t argue with any of that. I think part of my reluctance, beyond my niggling belief in his talent, is that I have absolutely no faith in the club’s ability to use any found money in a better fashion.

      Will I burn a shirt if he is moved, no.

    2. What a fabulous and true post ,full of true worldly wisdom and beautifully written! Some fans need to ask themselves which do they support the more ; the club OR an immature , albeit promising, (and as yet ONLY promising player) when our TRUE need is NOW!

  5. Non sense…He will be back as Luiz!

    Luiz ruined that game with his shitty attitude for his new contract, forcing asking Arteta to bench him.

    He gets rewarded of a new contract for probably costing us 3 important points…

    Can’t blame Gendouzi to be arrogant with money comments then!

    How can Matteo learn if he benches him and rewards Luiz with new contract?

    He impose to young players what he would not to Xhaka or Luiz, force Saka to play LB because Xhaka won’t accept ..

    1. Is Luiz really good in the room? Is he an assistant in the making?

      There has to be something. I don’t think it is vanity/stubbornness on the part of coach or mgmt that is keeping him there.

      And to be fair, I do think that they need the body til the end of the season. With the pace of games and Arsenal’s injury record he may be back in (perish the thought).

      1. does Arsenal train on concrete or something, I have long wondered about that. Based on injuries they should be wearing bubble suits and practicing in swimming pools.

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