A Gunners legend has asked the French to focus on their football, rather than allowing external distractions to affect its performance
According to Gilberto Silva, Matteo Guendouzi has to learn to “watch his temper,” who says the Arsenal star is guilty of getting nervous and losing his focus on the field.
Guendouzi has become one of the most talented young players in the Premier League since joining the Gunners from Lorient in summer 2018.
The 21-year-old has already played 82 games in all competitions for the team in north London and has played a key role in the team since Mikel Arteta’s arrival in December.
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However, the French Under-21 international made headlines last weekend for the wrong reasons when he grabbed Neal Maupay after Arsenal’s 1-2 defeat at Brighton’s Amex Stadium.
Guendouzi avoided being punished by the football association for his actions, but was excluded from Arteta’s latest squad when the Gunners scored a 2-0 win in Southampton on Thursday.
Questions are now being asked about the future of the midfielder in the Emirates, but Gilberto remains an enthusiastic fan of the ex-Lorient starlet.
The Arsenal legend says that Guendouzi needs to work on the mental side of his game to reach his potential while avoiding controversial situations instead of actively looking for them.
“I like him. He seems to be a very interesting player. He has skills, he has pace to move forward,” said Gilberto on Collision from home Conference.
“But sometimes I’m just a little confused about what position he plays. Does he want to be like a number 6 to protect the back four, or a number 8 to go from box to box?
“If he wants to be number 6, he just has to play and pay attention to his temperament. Sometimes I see him a bit nervous, sometimes it’s unnecessary.
“He just has to play his game – he has quality. Don’t pay attention to other things. When I see him playing, in some situations he suddenly becomes nervous and loses his focus. “
Before Arsenal’s defeat in Brighton, they were beaten 0-3 on the first day of the Premier League restart of Manchester City, and a top 4 result now goes beyond Arteta’s side.
Silva, who was part of the famous Invincibles squad in 2003/04, has asked the leaders of the current group to stand up and be counted so the Gunners can get ahead under an ambitious young manager.
He added: “In our time we had a lot of managers in the team, on and off the field. Everyone spoke through their body language on the field, and frankly, I’ve really missed this at Arsenal in recent years.
“It is difficult to say that it is about leadership, because as far as I know they have some people who are leaders. But it’s hard to see exactly how this tour works.
“It is very difficult to see what arsenal is in, and you can say that over the past few years. But I hope you can find a way to return to the glory days.
“It will be very hard work for everyone in the club – the board, the staff and the players – and they all have to work together to change the situation.”
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