Granit Xhaka has revealed that Arsenal’s mauling by Chelsea in the
Europa League final was met by a stony silence in the dressing room.
The Gunners went into Wednesday night’s game knowing it was win or
bust in terms of the Champions League having thrown away their chance of
a top-four finish when they ended their Premier League campaign with
just one win in their last six games.
But again they came up short, with Eden Hazard inspiring Chelsea to
victory in Baku - as the Blues ran riot in the second half to seal a
crushing 4-1 victory.
It was a defeat which reduced Lucas Torreira and Petr Cech to
tears, with Arsenal now having to face up to the realisation that they
will be playing Europa League football for a third successive season.
But there was no immediate post-mortem after the game or any harsh
words from Unai Emery. In fact, there was ‘nothing’ said at all,
according to Xhaka.
“Him (Emery), the players, nobody speaks in the dressing room,” revealed the Switzerland international midfielder.
When asked why Emery had remained silent, Xhaka added: “I don’t know. He was disappointed of course.
“I think we know what we played. We know we lost the game. It
is not about shouting. It is not about shouting everything if we lose.
“You can say a lot now but it is not the time to explain why
and what happens. I think it was a big chance for us and we don’t take
it.”
The manner of the defeat, following on from the disastrous end to
the season in the Premier League which saw defeats against Everton,
Crystal Palace, Wolves and Leicester in the final seven games, has
raised familiar questions about the mentality that runs through the
Arsenal squad.
Fingers have once again been pointed at Mesut Ozil following
another anonymous display, while Emery himself has come in for criticism
due to the end-of-season collapse.
Xhaka - who said he was ‘not the right person’ to ask about whether
the club had moved forward under Emery - insists, however, that
Arsenal’s abject end to the campaign was not down to mentality issues.
“It happened because we lost the games,” he said. “It
is not about physical or mental. I think we were ready. We trained every
day and if you are not ready if you train every day you have to change
your sport.
“I think we had a good season, if you take off the five last
games in the Premier League. We have a second chance [against Chelsea]
to come back and go to the Champions League but if you don’t take your
chances, you will stay in the Europa League.
“We opened the game too fast in the second half. At 1-0, you
still have 45 minutes to come back. We had chances as well but we made
too many mistakes.
“After, with the individual class from Chelsea, they can change the game.”
Calls for a major rebuild at the Emirates have already started following the defeat in Baku.
Arsenal legend Martin Keown took aim at Ozil once again after the
game, saying ‘something’s got to give’ in terms of the German playmaker.
“Ozil is your biggest player, and he cannot play away from home,” Keown said.
“They have Hazard, we had Ozil. He couldn't get Aubameyang or Lacazette in the game.
“[It was] a system failure for Arsenal. It really magnifies the
decline of Arsenal Football Club. It's nowhere near the club it once
was.”
Emery did hint after the game that changes would be made in the
summer and that some players would be moved on as part of the reshuffle.
When asked whether he wanted the club to now show some ambition in
the transfer market to help close the gap on those above them, Xhaka
said: “I don’t know what happens, what is the plan of the club.
“It is not my decision to sign big players or small players. I don’t know what the plan is now.”
Quizzed on his own future and a possible move away, Xhaka added: “Me? I have a contract here.”
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