Arsenal players must stop acting 'like babies and kids', blasts ex-Gunner Emmanuel Petit after terrible start to the Premier League season

  • Emmanuel Petit has become the latest former Arsenal player to criticise them
  • Gunners have lost two of their opening three Premier League gamesĀ 
  • Petit believes the players need a major wake-up call and are acting like 'babies'Ā 
  • The Frenchman claims many of the players don't look motivated to playĀ 

Arsenal players need to be told to stop acting 'like babies', according to former Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

Arsene Wenger's men have lost two of their opening three Premier League games, including a 4-0 defeat at Liverpool before the international break.

The nature of the defeat at Anfield, where Arsenal did not have a shot on target and had goalkeeper Petr Cech to thank for the scoreline not being even worse, led Wenger to call the performance 'disastrous'.

Emmanuel Petit has laid into Arsenal's players, accusing them of acting like 'babies and kids'

Emmanuel Petit has laid into Arsenal's players, accusing them of acting like 'babies and kids'

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger watched on during their 'disastrous' 4-0 loss at Liverpool

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger watched on during their 'disastrous' 4-0 loss at Liverpool

Dejected Arsenal players during their humiliating defeat at Liverpool last weekend

Dejected Arsenal players during their humiliating defeat at Liverpool last weekend

Former World Cup winner Petit, who helped Arsenal to the double in 1998, believes the players need a major wake-up call if the club are to achieve success this season.


Petit told the Sunday Mirror: 'When I see them play they seem to play without motivation. The blame is put on Arsene, but I cannot see that it is all down to him. Why should it be?

'Why should a player need motivating to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, in one of the best stadiums in the world? Some of them do not seem to know what it means to wear that Arsenal shirt.

'They get good money to play for a club like Arsenal. Yet, so few of them look happy and motivated. How can that be?

'Someone should sit them down and tell them not to act like babies and kids. They should be proud of wearing that Arsenal shirt.

Frenchman Petit celebrates scoring during his time at Arsenal back in 1999

Frenchman Petit celebrates scoring during his time at Arsenal back in 1999

Petit (left) was signed by Arsene Wenger in 1997 at the same time as Marc Overmars (right)

Petit (left) was signed by Arsene Wenger in 1997 at the same time as Marc Overmars (right)

'Many of those players do not seem to realise how lucky they are to be at the club. I just want to shake the tree and tell them how fortunate they are to play at a club of Arsenal's standing.

'If Arsenal are to achieve anything this season, then the motivation must come back into the team. And the players have to be responsible for that.'

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