Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has opened up on the reason behind the Gunners struggle this season, claiming there were people inside the club who were looking to do damage.
After guiding the Gunners to FA Cup and Community Shield triumph in his first three months in charge, Arteta soon faced lots of criticisms as fans began to question his ability to manage the North London club.
Before the eventual turnaround, Arsenal had went on a run of seven defeats from 10 league games and found themselves just four points off the relegation zone after being beaten 2-1 at Everton on December 19.
But, Arteta on his part, claims ‘a lot of things’ contributed to that sudden dip in form and believes that there were even people inside the club who were trying to ‘hurt’ the Gunners.
“The best thing has been to keep a team, a staff, employees and everybody together.
“In those circumstances when you are not winning and when there are so many people, some inside and some outside trying to hurt.
“To keep them together and block that and be so strong, I think that is some achievement, as normally when that happens, that cracks and everything falls and it didn’t.”
Arsenal embarked on a major squad overhaul as they released several players who had not been featuring under the Spaniard, including midfielder, Mesut Ozil.
Arsenal made major changes to the squad once the January transfer window opened, moving on several players who had not been featuring under Arteta.
Ozil’s contract was terminated by mutual consent which prompted them to keep German playmaker out of the club for six months having fallen from the pecking order under Arteta.
Shkodran Mustafi was also released, as was Sokratis, while Sead Kolasinac was sent out on loan to Schalke and William Saliba joined Nice for the remainder of the season
The Gunners are currently occupying the ninth position on the Premier League table with 58 points from 37 matches.
Arteta’s men will end the current campaign with the awareness that a Europa League spot has eluded them when they host Brighton on Sunday for their last premier league game of the season.
