Mikel Arteta urges troublemakers to follow Cedric Soares' lead at Arsenal

dailystar.co.uk:

Have you been surprised by Cedric Soares' impact in the Arsenal side? Let us know in the comments section.“You can start to blame the coach, or your teammates, or the environment or whatever - and look for something else.“What he’s tried to do is improve, stay focused, to learn more and wait for his opportunity.

And when he needs to talk, he talks on the pitch - not into the microphone, where it’s very easy to talk.“That could be seen as a dig at the club's troublesome former captains, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil - both eventually given the boot by no-nonsense Arteta.Yet, equally, it could apply to some of current crop struggling to get a start into Arteta’s outfit, who head to Crystal Palace this weekend aiming for a sixth successive away win.While on international duty with Ivory Coast, the club’s £70million record-signing Nicolas Pepe spoke about playing second fiddle to England winger Bukayo Saka – available for Selhurst Park after recovering from Covid.Asked about Pepe’s comments and attitude, Areta claimed: “I want to hear that...

if it’s an honest opinion. I think with Nico it is because he hasn’t shown anything different to me.“But I don’t want players who have the complacency to say: ‘I accept this situation’.

They have to react, to improve and get to the different level of the player who helps the team more.“Pepe’s a very different character to Cedric, as you might expect, but he is another who, every day in his own way, will try his best to be ready for the opportunity.” As for the derby date with Patrick Vieria’s buoyant FA Cup semi-finalists, the Arsenal chief is expecting a serious examination of their top-four credentials.