Arsenal team manager Unai Emery appears to be losing control of the team and of his players if new reports are to be believed. The Gunners were said to be making fun of the Spanish boss, and some players were reportedly mimicking him as a form of open disrespect.
While the reports remain unconfirmed, it was suggested that Arsenal's disappointing performance in the past games triggered the fallout. The Gunners were defeated most recently by Liverpool in a penalty shootout, and prior to that were the humiliations of losing to clubs that Arsenal was expected to dominate.
According to Metro, the players' displeasure on Emery seemed to stem from "performances well below expectations amid some rather strange tactical and personnel decisions."
Questions have been raised on why the Spaniard has been leaving out Mesut Ozil from Arsenal games despite the German's obvious ability to contribute on the pitch. Emery was also hounded by the clash of Granit Xhaka with club supporters, which critics said a situation that the manager had handled poorly.
Nonetheless, "he [Emery] still has the support of the Arsenal board," the report added.
The Daily Mail said Emery was being mocked for his poor English, specifically his greeting of "good ebening" that has become a catchphrase for post-game interviews and press conferences.
The ridicule has been described as "a lot more cynical than the light-hearted 'good ebening' internet memes," the report added.
It did not help on Emery's stature that Arsenal suffered losses on matches that could have been won. The penalty shootout against Liverpool came after the Gunners were leading in the game. And before that, Arsenal lost to newly-promoted Sheffield United and managed a draw with Crystal Palace - performances that put into question the manager's ability to lead the club and win championships.
Even former Arsenal players are joining in the discussions on Emery. Ray Parlour, who was a midfielder for the North London club, has a piece of unsolicited advice to give to the embattled boss. On the Ozil controversy, Parlour suggested that Emery sell the German playmaker.
"Should he be sold? Yes, he should be. If you're not going to play him on a regular basis you might as well get rid of him, yeah," the Arsenal icon was quoted as saying in a separate report by Metro.
Likewise, Parlour shared his thoughts on Xhaka's meltdown before the Arsenal crowd. Such an attitude disqualifies the Swiss from being the team captain, according to him.
While Emery is expected to last through the end of the season, speculations are running wild that the Arsenal board is considering Jose Mourinho, who last handled Manchester United as a possible replacement in the event of a sudden sacking.
