When it rains it pours.
Things are not going particularly well at the Emirates Stadium currently, with the club’s disappointing transfer window only increasing scrutiny on a start to the season which has seen Arsenal take just three points from their first three Premier League games.
While the club’s current French contingent reportedly (and unsuccessfully) tried to convince Thomas Lemar to join the club on transfer deadline, their compatriot and Gunners legend Emmanuel Petit has had some harsher things to say about his former side.
The former Monaco and Chelsea man spent three seasons at Arsenal, during which time he won the World Cup and Euro 2000 with the France national team.
It's quiz time https://t.co/OlCEUaTnYD
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) September 3, 2017
“So few of them look happy and motivated. How can that be?”
Speaking to the Mirror, Petit – who won the league and cup double in his first season at Highbury – hit out at the players for their lack of motivation to play for a club the size of Arsenal.
“When I see them play they seem to play without motivation. The blame is put on Arsene, but I cannot see that it is all down to him. Why should it be? Why should a player need motivating to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, in one of the best stadiums in the world? Some of them do not seem to know what it means to wear that Arsenal shirt.”
While on the surface this criticism appears to be your typical “former footballer criticising modern players for lack of pashun” shtick, few football supporters – Arsenal fans or not – could disagree with his assertions.
“They get good money to play for a club like Arsenal. Yet, so few of them look happy and motivated. How can that be? Someone should sit them down and tell them not to act like babies and kids. They should be proud of wearing that Arsenal shirt. Many of those players do not seem to realise how lucky they are to be at the club. I just want to shake the tree and tell them how fortunate they are to play at a club of Arsenal’s standing. If Arsenal are to achieve anything this season, then the motivation must come back into the team. And the players have to be responsible for that.”
