Mikel Arteta was so angry with one of Arsenal‘s training sessions at the end of last year that he wanted to kick four players out.
It is no secret at this point that the Spaniard is a disciplinarian. We’ve heard about Arteta’s non-negotiables on multiple occasions, and anyone who crosses that line have faced severe consequences.
Matteo Guendouzi, Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all pushed out of the club for the same reason, and it looks like four other players could’ve joined them in December last year.
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Arteta wanted to kick four players out of Arsenal training session last year
On the 29th of December in 2021, it was announced that Arteta had tested positive for Covid-19. That ruled him out of being present at the game against Manchester City on New Year’s Day and of course, the training sessions ahead of the game.
However, Arteta made sure to watch videos of every single session that Arsenal players were a part of at London Colney in the build-up to the game. Going by his comments, it’s safe to say that he wasn’t happy with four players.
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As shown in All or Nothing: Arsenal, Arteta said, as quoted by The Metro: “I had a lot of time to watch things, I watched 21 training sessions. There are a few players that train exceptionally well, there is a vast majority of players that train well and there is a group of players that they just come,’ he told the squad.
“The training session on Sunday, if I was here, four players they go out of the training session. Four! Four players after 15 minutes go.
“We are not training in the park, we are not in nursery, and we are not here wasting our time. Too many players laughing, and the other thing is complaining. Someone gives a bad pass, complain. I give a bad pass, it’s his mistake. No. We have to raise the level and it goes for everybody.”
The Insider’s View:
Irrespective of what your opinion of Arteta and his methods are, you have to agree that he’s doing everything he possibly can to bring Arsenal back to the top.
The Spaniard’s non-negotiables have, at times, puzzled many fans. Some feel he’s a bit too strict with certain players, but there’s no way you can question his intentions – he only does what he thinks is best for the club.
After showing big stars like Ozil and Aubameyang out, Arteta has clearly made a statement. The players either respect the rules put in place, or they can leave and find themselves a new home.
That’s absolutely the right thing to do, and we must stay, we’re better off without the troublemakers.
