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Mikel Arteta feels many Arsenal players were not at their best this season

Mikel Arteta has claimed during the pre-match press conference that many Arsenal players have failed to give their best for the club this season.

The North London club have had a dismal campaign that has seen them getting knocked out of the Europa League. They are also hovering around midtable in the Premier League as their chances of getting European football for next season are hanging by a thread.

As per recent reports, the owners of the club, Kroenke Sports Entertainment (KSE) have made a promise to back the boss and they will show this by strengthening the squad for 2021/22. There will also be a summer clear out to make way for new arrivals.

Speaking at the press conference, the Spaniard was asked about the efforts put in by the squad, to which he initially replied:

“With the majority of them, yes.”

But when further asked about how Arteta plans to change that, he added:

“Again, finding a different way to do it. Challenging them again. Putting somebody next to them to try to push them again. Some of them can get to a certain level and you cannot push them any further. You want to evolve them but it’s not possible.”

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This comment by the manager reveals a lot about what has happened to the Gunners this season. Though the team has looked good on many occasions, they have been derailed by individual mistakes at crucial moments. If that had been avoided, things could be looking a lot different.

It is necessary to bring quality players into the team, especially if the boss feels that those already at the club aren’t up to the mark. The system that is being implemented by Arteta, requires all eleven on the pitch to perform at an extremely high technical level.

It hasn’t always worked out but when it does, the North Londoners look superb. The FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City last year is a testament to this. But these kinds of performances need to be produced on a consistent basis.

Arsenal and Arteta have until the start of next season to figure out which players should be at the club. If those that remain can perform at the level expected by the manager, the team would be in better shape. This along with potential new arrivals will boost the overall quality.

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