Mikel Obi noted that no one among Mikel Arteta’s men “is willing to take responsibility on the pitch.”
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Chelsea and Super Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi has suggested that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta must motivate his players if he intends to lift the English Premier League (EPL) trophy.
The former Nigerian national team captain gave the advice on the latest episode of his Obi One Podcast.
Arsenal saw their quest for the EPL trophy—their first in more than two decades—suffer a setback after they lost 2-1 to Bournemouth on Saturday at the Emirates.
The result means Arteta’s men have recorded just one win from their last four games across all competitions.
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Meanwhile, on Sunday, their nearest rivals, Manchester City, cut the Gunners’ lead to six points thanks to a 3-0 thrashing of Chelsea.
This weekend, City host Arsenal at the Etihad in what may be a pivotal encounter in this season’s title race.
Speaking ahead of the match, Mikel Obi noted that Arteta’s men look as though they have run out of ideas, adding that nobody among them “is willing to take responsibility on the pitch.”
Speaking during the show, he said: “Arteta has to find a way to motivate this team.”
He added: “For me, they look like a team that has run out of ideas. They have no clue. When you watch this Arsenal side, there’s nobody willing to take responsibility on the pitch.
“There’s nobody willing to be ‘that guy’ who says, ‘I’m going to create the chances; I’m going to make us play well.’”
