According to Frank Leboeuf, the Arsenal team is not mentally prepared.

According to Metro Sport, Frank Leboeuf has cautioned that Arsenal runs the risk of having their season fall apart, claiming that Mikel Arteta’s players “are not ready mentally” as they approach a pivotal stage of the campaign.

In just two games during the international break, the team’s prospects of winning domestic trophies after a six-year drought vanished. Following a poor performance in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, Arsenal lost the FA Cup to Southampton, raising more worries that they would experience the same late-season problems that have plagued them in previous seasons.

Now, all eyes are on Europe, where Sporting Lisbon will play the first leg of their quarterfinal Champions League match. Prior to that, Arsenal will have the opportunity to momentarily extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to 12 points when Bournemouth visits the Emirates.

However, Leboeuf criticised Arsenal’s performance at St Mary’s, casting doubt on the team’s mentality and implying that their decision-making lacked authority and poise. The former Chelsea defender acknowledged Arsenal’s strength in an interview with ESPN FC, but he maintained that even a rotated team should have been able to defeat Southampton.

When Leboeuf thought back on the Arsenal teams he played against throughout his career, which included players like Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Ian Wright, and Tony Adams, he claimed those teams had much stronger mental toughness and often completed the task.

He points out obvious indicators of vulnerability and feels that the current group lacks that same resilience. In addition to criticising the players’ and coaching staff’s decision-making, he said that the pressure of the season’s last stretch seemed to be having an impact on them. He claims that in order to prevent more setbacks, the squad needs to develop mental toughness.

After the loss, Arteta acknowledged that his team’s performance was inadequate and expressed dissatisfaction that, despite controlling the game and creating opportunities, his team was defensively weak and failed to seize them.

Arteta emphasised the necessity for a quick response, stating that the team must demonstrate their character now that two contests are still going on.