“It’s not acceptable” – Former Arsenal captain highlights Gunners’ ‘mentality’ issue under Mikel Arteta 

Former Arsenal captain Gilberto Silva has labelled the Gunners' failure to secure Champions League football unacceptable whilst highlighting a mentality issue in the squad.

It had seemed likely that the Gunners would be qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since 2016 with three fixtures remaining in the Premier League season.

They sat in fourth, a point above Tottenham Hotspur, with games against their neighbors Spurs, Newcastle United and Everton to play.

But Arsenal capitulated at the crunch time, losing 3-0 in the North London Derby and 2-0 away to Newcastle at St James' Park.

It would be Spurs who would seal fourth place and in the process deny Mikel Arteta's side Champions League qualification.

Silva seems to think there is an issue of mentality at the club with the Gunners looking devoid of confidence in both those vital games.

He told talkSPORT:

“During a transition sometimes you lose also the mentality. I think this is what is hard because they had the winning mentality and at some point it seems like you’re losing this."

Perhaps alluding to the managerial side of things, he added:

“As we lost some points, you have to have people able to work with the players and to put them in the right mood, in the right way to think."

The former Brazilian international gave a brutal assessment of how things have gone for the Gunners, concluding:

“Listen we are in one of the best clubs in the world it’s not acceptable for us to do what we are doing. It’s time for us to do what is right and do it with the right mentality according to what the club needs.”

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Can Arsenal bounce back from a demoralizing end to the season?

Mikel Arteta will have to re-galvanize his troops

Arsenal had impressed throughout the campaign, perhaps playing some of the best football since the days of Arsene Wenger.

Their form following a difficult first three games of the season was remarkable, as they went nine games unbeaten until November 7.

But the disappointing end to the season was alarming given the promising position the north London side had put themselves in.

Many debated whether Arsenal were overachieving when they were in the midst of a top-four battle with Spurs, Manchester United and West Ham.

But in actuality, they were probably the team that most merited a top-four finish and would have made it if it weren't for Antonio Conte helping the Spurs turn things around brilliantly.

Now, all eyes will be on how the Gunners bounce back next campaign with their mentality under scrutiny.