Arsenal players are now starting to get really ‘irritated’ by what’s being said about them

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Miguel Delaney has revealed that Arsenal players are growing increasingly irritated by what’s being said about them and Mikel Arteta.

Arteta’s team secured a late point at home to Manchester City on the weekend, with Gabriel Martinelli’s immaculate lob cancelling out Erling Haaland’s early goal.

The result sees the Gunners fall five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after five matches.

The early points deficit is already eliciting talk about Arsenal’s ability to win silverware, with questions being raised about Arteta’s conservative approach and style of management.

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Arsenal players are irritated by discussions around the club

Gary Neville was critical of Arteta after the City game, slamming the manager’s pragmatic team selection decisions.

Meanwhile, Troy Deeney lambasted Arteta and the Arsenal players for their ‘victim mentality’ after the draw with Pep Guardiola’s men.

This sort of radical criticism around Arsenal after a slightly disappointing result has become commonplace, with many instantly going to extremes around the North London club.

According to Miguel Delaney via the journalists’ newsletter, this relentless hyperbolic discussion around the Gunners is frustrating the players.

“What certainly doesn’t help Arsenal is that this emotional energy is amplified by the discussion around the club,” Delaney wrote.

“Because of where the team are, it is like all debate around them has been pushed to extremes. Many of the players are known to be irritated by this.

“They feel they can’t just have a win, draw or loss, or good day or bad day. The belief is that every development is cast as a referendum on the team, and Arteta’s management.

“Many might say that the players even thinking about this proves the point. Others would insist it’s potential fuel.”

Arsenal players need to block out the noise

Arsenal are an excellent team and some of the sensationalist narratives around them are ridiculous.

It’s understandably frustrating for players to have to listen to pundits constantly questioning their manager and what they’re doing on the pitch.

However, Arteta needs to get his players to block out the noise and focus solely on their objectives.

While the Spaniard will no doubt try to use the discourse as fuel, to create a siege mentality, he should mostly insulate them from the public discussions and make them understand that these narratives ultimately don’t matter.

Otherwise, the players risk letting this emotional energy derail them psychologically.