Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly facing a backlash from his players over not taking responsibility for the Gunners’ poor season and blaming them instead.
According to The Sun, senior squad members have reportedly began to voice their concerns over Arteta’s tactical decisions and treatment of some players.
The club’s woes have come to the point where some senior players are questioning Arteta’s methods, such as leaving out players following a poor result.
Such was the treatment of club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was relegated to the bench for Arsenal’s dismal 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague in the Europa League quarter-final first leg after playing badly in the Gunners’ 3-0 Premier League loss to Liverpool.
Aubameyang came on to assist for the Gunners’ only goal, leading some players to reportedly question the wisdom of Arteta’s decision.
He came under fire for his tactics, team selection and leaving it too late to make attacking changes against Slavia, not introducing Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe, who combined for Arsenal’s goal, until the 78th minute.
Similarly, Arteta’s use of midfielder Thomas Partey is reportedly a sore point, with some in the squad feeling the manager’s tactics are not getting the best out of their £45million summer acquisition.
While accepting that they have not been playing well enough, members of the Arsenal squad are said to feel that Arteta is primarily shifting the blame onto them rather than taking more responsibility himself.
Arsenal are having a poor season under the Spaniard’s leadership, with the club languishing in tenth place in the Premier League, some 12 points off the Champions League spots.
In fact European football of any sort next season may well be beyond them with the Gunners seven points off the Europa League positions ahead of their match against Sheffield United on Sunday.
After drawing 1-1 against Slavia in the Europa League, Arteta said European football was a ‘minimum’ requirement and reminded his stars of his and their ‘responsibility’ to secure a place in continental competition.
He also boldly stood by his decision to drop Aubameyang and insisted the Gabon striker would not become another Mesut Ozil.
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