Mikel Arteta saw Arsenal go crashing out of the FA Cup as they were shocked by Southampton – with his actions on the touchline called out as he seeks to get the season back on track
Arsenal’s season continued to unravel at Southampton
Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott felt that Mikel Arteta was giving off “nervous energy that reflected onto the team” as the Gunners were dumped out of the FA Cup at Southampton.
The Premier League leaders were on the receiving end of a shock on the south coast, which meant a second trophy opportunity has gone inside a fortnight. Shea Charles scored the winner in 85th minute for the Championship side.
Arteta and his side had their sights set on an unprecedented quadruple back at the start of March, but can now only claim half of those honours, and even that could prove a tall order. Arsenal’s boss has faced questions regarding his ability to get over the line, despite the progress he’s presided over.
He often cuts an animated figure on the touchline, which has divided opinion, and as Arsenal tried to get back into the game at Southampton Walcott felt the actions of the Spaniard and his coaches were not helping.
He told BBC: “They have to not let the season run away from them. Everything they have built this season, don’t let it affect them. They have been in this situation before and they don’t want to relive that.
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“Visually watching Mikel on the sidelines, it was elements of previous years where that energy reflected into the team. It was a nervous energy, it was very tense. Not just Mikel but a lot of the staff were out there at times. It was like too many cooks in the kitchen, too many messages. Play your best team was the right thing to do tonight. It’s easy if I say that now, but you want a reaction off the cup final and it wasn’t that tonight, it was worse.”
Arsenal started without David Raya, Declan Rice and William Saliba – although the latter came on in the second-half when Gabriel was forced off with an injury concern.
Micah Richards was equally critical and believes that Arsenal’s struggles, coupled with some of the form City have shown, means that both domestic and European honours could pass them by – which would leave the Gunners six years without a trophy.
He said: “It was only a couple of weeks ago people were saying Arsenal could do the quadruple, Now they are in two competitions. Man City, after what they did earlier on, look like they are going to push them all the way for the league and the Champions League – anyone can win that.”
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