‘They’re not ready mentally!’ Former Chelsea star makes worrying Arsenal trophy claim

Former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf fears Arsenal’s season is on the brink of collapse and is concerned Mikel Arteta’s squad could yet end the season trophyless.

Hopes of ending a six-year trophy drought by winning one of the domestic cups has gone up in smoke after successive defeats either side of the international break.

An insipid performance at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final represented a major setback and Saturday’s defeat at Southampton only served to heighten the suspicion that Mikel Arteta’s side is set to crumble again at the business end of the campaign.

The Arsenal manager must now inject fresh momentum into Arsenal’s season with the first leg of the Champions League quarter final against Sporting Lisbon next on the agenda.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, visit the Emirates on Saturday as Arsenal resume their Premier League title quest with an opportunity to extend their lead at the top, temporarily at least, to 12 points.

Leboeuf, however, spotted worrying signs at St Mary’s and questioned the decision making of both the coach and players which displayed hallmarks of a mentally weak group.

He told ESPN FC: ‘Arsenal are maybe the best team in the world but you have to show even with different players and individuals you have to show your strength and you have to win against Southampton. That’s kind of a shame.

‘I imagine the times I was playing against Arsenal with Vieira, Petit and Ian Wright, so many others like Tony Adams it would never have happened.

‘Mentally they were too strong they were finishing all the work. You can see everyone is very fragile, coaching-wise because they don’t make the right choices.

‘But the players on the field don’t do the job they are getting very shaky because we are touching and going to the end of the season.

‘You can feel they are not ready mentally. They have to be stronger.’

Arteta will address the media again later on Monday with his squad due to travel to Portugal this afternoon but he has already insisted it is up to him and his players to produce an emphatic response.

Speaking after the defeat at Southampton, he said: ‘We have the most important period in both competitions ahead of us, and it’s now the moment when you have a difficult moment in the season, to show what we are made of – and it is now we have to show who we are.

‘Obviously, we’re very disappointed. We wanted to get back to Wembley as quickly as possible, and we haven’t managed to do that – so first of all, congratulations to Southampton for being there.

‘The game had moments, we had moments, where we had a lot of dominance from our side, and chances, and situations in and around the box that we didn’t capitalise on enough.

‘And then we have to accept we were poor in and around our box defending situations that normally we are excellent at. We paid the price.’