Mikel Arteta has refused to divulge details about Mateo Guendouzi’s latest omission for Arsenal.
The 21-year-old midfielder was left out of Arteta’s 20-man squad for tonight’s 2-0 win away to Southampton.
Guendouzi narrowly escaped a retrospective ban from the Football Association this week after appearing to grab Neal Maupay by the throat during last Saturday’s defeat at Brighton.
This isn’t the first time that the former Paris Saint-Germain talent has failed to make Arteta’s match-day squad this year.
When asked about the snub earlier this evening, the Spanish head coach simply said to Football London: “It was squad management.”
The refreshing thing about Arteta is that he seems to be something of a disciplinarian, despite only being a senior football manager for around six months.
He is still wet behind the ears, but he clearly isn’t afraid to show his teeth and Guendouzi – who has been linked to Real Madrid and Barcelona this week – will have to fall into line or else he won’t play.
If Arteta is big and brave enough to leave a superstar like Mesut Ozil out of his match-day squad, which he did last week against Manchester City, then clearly it’s a much easier decision regarding Guendouzi.
The Frenchman is undeniably talented, but there’s attitude issues that need curbing before he can realise his full potential and maybe, just maybe, these decisions from Arteta can help to ground him a little.
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