Unai Emery has admitted that the Arsenal players were trying to pick the matches they wanted to play in, giving no importance to the Europa League.
This would definitely infuriate the club’s fans since it is a clear indication of what has been thought to be wrong with the Gunners and their inability to win trophies in recent times – the winning mentality.
Supporters, analysts, pundits, football moguls – all have criticised Arsenal for the lack of killer instinct when it mattered the most, which the team have been diseased with over the later part of Arsene Wenger’s 22-year reign.
Unfortunately for Emery, he alone will have to tackle that problem head-on if wants to become successful in North London and the Spaniard seems to be doing his part, shaking up the players’ beliefs.
“My titles in this competition are no guarantee,” said Emery. “Each match, each year is different. The first idea was to transmit to the players this season is that we go for every competition. Now we are in the Europa League. We needed to feel this competition was an important competition.
“When we started playing in the first matches, some players preferred to play Premier League. Okay. I explained then to every player that we needed the focus on every competition.
“I am going to decide when you are going to rest or not. I don’t want you to think you might not play in the early rounds and yet when we arrive at the semi-final or the final you say to me: I am here to play. No. I want you here, I want you ready to play, and you will be ready to play throughout.
“Of course some injuries can stop you playing. But the focus all the season is in this competition with a big focus and a big ambition to do something important. And to feel this competition like we want it.”
See Also: 5 Players Who Rejected Arsenal
