Joe Cole SLAMS Arsenal’s pitiful display at Man City as furious supporters turn on Mikel Arteta

The Arsenal implosion continues to baffle and frustrate, with Joe Cole blasting the Gunners after their collapse at Manchester City while fans piled-in to Mikel Arteta.  

The fallen London giants went in 3-0 down at the Etihad with calamitous defending and mindless mistakes characterising their play. Granit Xhaka’s 35th minute sending-off for a wild challenge on Joao Cancelo was simply self-punishment, before Pep Guardiola’s men bagged another two goals. 

Three games into the Premier League season the Gunners still haven’t scored a goal, instead watching nine fly past Bernd Leno in their worst start to a Premier League season in 118 years. 

Arsenal were thumped 5-0 by Manchester City on Saturday as their crisis futher deepened 

Granit Xhaka (right) was sent-off in the 35th minute for a mindless challenge on Joao Cancelo 

‘It’s hard to find positives for Arsenal because at times it’s been disarray,’ ex-Chelsea star Cole said on BT Sport pundity duty. 

‘You have to stay on your feet, stay concentrated and don’t do anything rash. In modern football you cannot leave the floor. 

‘Granit Xhaka has done it many times before – he’s just signed a new contract, he’s a senior player on the pitch. In a moment when you need someone to have a cool head, he’s gone through him and it’s a sending-off.’     

Jolean Lescott added: ‘It’s an erratic tackle. It’s going out for a throw in the final third, there’s no need to make that tackle.’

Arteta has spoken of his ‘project’ at Arsenal since he joined but it’s becoming painfully obvious that the former Gunners midfielder doesn’t have the answer to this deepending crisis. 

Gunners fans can’t believe where they’ve have fallen to from the heights under Arsene Wenger

Any lingering support for the manager is dwindling, with Piers Morgan among those who have had enough: ‘Xhaka is braindead. What a stupid reckless tackle. 

‘Arteta actually gave Xhaka a congratulatory pat for getting stupidly sent off when we were already being thrashed. He should be fired for that alone. This perfectly sums up Arteta’s leadership – weak weak weak.’ 

‘Jokes aside, I honestly think we could be relegated this season if we don’t sack Arteta soon,’ @F1_Smithy added on Twitter. 

The Gunners’ north London rivals were delighting in the defeat, with @thespursweb saying: ‘We want you to stay, we want you to stayyy… Mikel Arteta, we want you to stay!’