‘If players don’t have passion they won’t be at the club’
MIKEL ARTETA has told his underfire Arsenal players to convince him they still have “passion” for the club – or face a summer exit.
The Gunners manager’s ultimatum comes after an abject display against Liverpool at the Emirates on Saturday left them with winning the Europa League as their only realistic hope of a return to the Champions League.
After Sky pundit Gary Neville accused the club of having a “little mafia” up front with captain PierreEmerick Aubameyang facing criticism, club legend Emmanuel Petit has weighed in on the attack.
“When I look at the older players in Arsenal’s team, it’s like they think it’s a retreat football club, somewhere you just go for a vacation,” the former France World Cup winner told Ladbrokes at the launch of the 5-A-Side bet on Crystal Palace v Chelsea. “They have ambition, but I don’t really expect them anymore.”
Ahead of tonight’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Slavia Prague, Arteta, below, was certainly not in any sort of mood to leap to his players’ defence.
“Emmanuel knows the club really well and was here in the most successful years and he has that opinion – I have to change that opinion,” he said. “I am here to give my evaluation of what I see every day and where we are and I know where we are and where we want to go.We have to respect that.
“Showing passion goes with the character. People who are much more introvert or extrovert show to win big games
Tierney has picked up an injury and Aubameyang has faced scrutiny over his form much more emotion with their body language than others, but it does not mean it does not hurt. “But for sure people who don’t have that emotion, that passion or that commitment, they won’t be at this football club.” And as with Neville’s comments, it is about how Arsenal players respond to the criticism which counts in Arteta’s consideration.
“It’s just about how we take the criticism,” the Spaniard said. “It’s not good to get the criticism and feel guilty, because that guilt is going to be changed into fear. It’s about feeling responsible, and that is the key word for me. You have to be responsible every day for what you