Arsenal’s Problems Run Deeper Than Personnel

These Arsenal players really need to look in the mirror.

Another week, another very poor performance from Arsenal. It was our first outing since the humiliating 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa and we dared to dream that there would be a response, some built-up anger that would be unleashed at Elland Road and blow Leeds away.

Instead, we simply got more of the same – giving the ball away constantly, no imagination, poor decision-making and creating barely anything of our own doing. While much has been said about the need for improved creativity up front – rumours continue to link us with Houssem Aouar and Dominik Szoboszlai – it appears that Arsenal’s problems run much deeper than personnel.

Although clouds have been gathering around the club in recent weeks, we were all given reasons to be cheerful when the team was announced. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was finally playing down the middle, Nicolas Pepe was handed just his second Premier League start of the season and Joe Willock’s inclusion meant we finally had an attacking midfielder on the pitch.

That positivity soon diminished once the match started, and Pepe’s red card at the start of the second half effectively ended our hopes of getting a much-needed win.

While it was always going to be difficult to get something from the game after the sending off, we must not let that fool us because even with eleven men on the field, Arsenal were well off the pace. However, despite the clear lack of quality in the side, it is the lack of professionalism that I find more concerning.

As fans, we are not under any illusions about this team. We know there are a whole host of issues to contend with, including the number of average players in the squad. We can also appreciate that we are in a transitional phase with a manager who is still finding his feet on the touchline.

Yet this does not excuse the basic errors we saw at the weekend, such as Dani Ceballos twice passing the ball out of play under no pressure, the half-hearted tracking back of Aubameyang as we hung on at the end, and Hector Bellerin making yet another foul throw-in – his fourth of the season and a league high.

Graft and commitment to the cause should be guaranteed in every game but for too long now, these players have been coasting through matches. It is simply not good enough.

It could be viewed as being harsh and reactionary to suggest Mikel Arteta is losing the dressing room – he could be – but every week we are witnessing such lethargic displays. Players jogging back into position and unable to string five passes together.

There is a distinct lack of care, concentration and professionalism in the way we are currently playing and Arteta must sort it out. Fast.