Arsenal: When Bernd Leno speaks, we should all listen

Different players get different levels of credibility when they speak, but for Arsenal, when Bernd Leno speaks, we better be listening.

Arsenal are in a state of flux, with a lot of moving pieces all trying to figure out how best to transition into a new era at the club. One of the steadiest pieces, though, is Bernd Leno. The savior at the back. The man stranded on an island. The guy who we can always count on to do his job and not leave us stressed.

As such, I will always hold what Leno has to say in higher regard, because of all of our players (and this may sound bad), he’s one of the few guys who I’m actually interested in hear from. Honestly, because who would know better than the guy that has so often been left stranded, alone, fending for himself.

And his recent statements should give us all hope that Mikel Arteta is doing everything right for the future of this club.

Bernd Leno recently spoke about how Arsenal weren’t “a team” under Unai Emery, and how Mikel Arteta has come in and changed things, bringing about a sense of unity. Specifically, he highlighted the “structure in the team”.

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“Before I don’t want to say it was a mess it was a little bit confusing, everyone was doing different things,” he added.

Again, who would know better than the guy so often stuck behind a defensive line that was everywhere, confused, doing different things? Leno has to have noticed a difference lately because his side has only given up eight goals in the last nine games (all with Arteta in charge) as opposed to surrendering 16 goals in the previous nine games (all without Arteta in charge).

Makes sense, right? Leno knows. Leknows.

I don’t often put a lot of credence in what players say because they are coached about what they can and can’t talk about. But when a guy comes out with something that’s truly honest, that you can look at and see some insight in, you pay attention. Especially if it’s coming from a source as reliable as Bernd Leno.

So rest easy, Arsenal fans. Our most reliable player believes that we are now in the right hands and headed down the right path. Quite frankly, that’s all I need to know to put my fears the bed. The same way I put them to bed knowing that Leno is in goal.