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Tuesday 17 May 2011

Problems in the camp?

Szczesny tells it how it is

I read some interesting quotes from Wojciech Szczesny yesterday and they lead me to believe that all is not harmonious in the Arsenal squad. The young Pole is a confident boy and certainly doesn't seem afraid to give an interview at any time. At some point this will get him in to bother, with the wrong thing said to the wrong kind of journalist. Given that could be the case I am surprised that none of the tabloid muppets picked up on what he said with regards to his colleagues. The quotes were with regard to the Carling Cup Final and the effect it had on the team - Wojciech stated that he got over it straight away and looked ahead (I have no doubt that is the case) but that "I don't know about some of the other players." This is really a quite cutting comment and dangerously honest. It was clear to us that a number of the players have been badly affected by what happened at Wembley, and it had a huge bearing on the rest of the season, but I'm amazed that Wenger has allowed one of his players to offer the same opinion to the masses.
I feel there is a divide in the squad, and Vermaelen has followed up with his own critical comments based on what he's seen happen this season, as well as the debacle on Sunday. Szczesny too has stated that their was a "lack of focus" from certain of his teammates against Aston Villa. It is almost unheard of for players under Wenger to be making such critical comments of one another in public. The now famous squad meeting in early 1998 when Petit and Vieira were given what-for by the experienced English defenders was not known about until long after the event. I now see a situation where the genuine quality players in the squad, who genuinely work hard all of the time, are sick of the slackness that is prevalent in others. Let's be honest, can you really see the likes of Vermaelen, Sagna, Lehmann and Wilshere not getting seriously upset by people like Diaby, Arshavin and Denilson? Personally, I would see it as no bad thing to hear that there had been some trouble in the dressing room, or on the training ground, with one or two full and frank discussions taking place. Maybe then we might start to weed out the crap.

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