Glenn Hoddle Questions Arsenal Captain Bukayo Saka's Post-Match Demeanour
Former Tottenham and England manager Glenn Hoddle has raised concerns over Arsenal captain Bukayo Saka's demeanour following the Gunners' late collapse against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Hoddle singled out Saka for his reaction in a post-match interview after Arsenal surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with the Premier League's bottom club.
Arsenal's Costly Slip at Molineux
Arsenal appeared to be cruising to victory at Molineux after establishing a comfortable two-goal advantage against struggling Wolves. However, late goals from Hugo Bueno and Tom Edozie, with the latter coming in stoppage time, stunned Mikel Arteta's side and handed Manchester City an opportunity to close the gap in the title race.
The result left the Arsenal dressing room in a sombre mood, with captain Bukayo Saka admitting the atmosphere was "very flat" in his interview with Sky Sports. Saka expressed deep disappointment, stating: "I'm very disappointed with the result and especially how we played in the second half, it's far from the level that we've set this season."
The Arsenal skipper acknowledged the need for immediate improvement, adding: "It's time for us to reflect on the few performances and just fix the issues immediately so we can get back to winning games and going on a run and build momentum because we've lost that a bit right now."
Hoddle's Concerns Over Leadership and Mentality
While praising Saka's honesty, Glenn Hoddle expressed alarm at the captain's demeanour during the interview. Speaking on Premier League Productions, Hoddle remarked: "That's interesting, that, because he was the skipper tonight. For me, he was very honest, very honest there saying they need to do better... blah blah blah. But his demeanour for me wasn't right."
Hoddle continued: "Your demeanour needs to be a little bit more up, he was very flat, very flat." The former England manager went further to question Arsenal's overall self-belief after dropping points in successive matches against Brentford and Wolves.
Hoddle analysed: "I look at Arsenal against Brentford and Wolves and I just feel they're starting to doubt themselves. A few months ago they weren't doing that, they were authoritative and were saying, 'We're Arsenal and we're going to win the title'. But they're doubting themselves and now they're under pressure and it's all about the mentality, they need to be strong and together to come again."
Title Race Pressure Mounts for Gunners
The former Tottenham manager suggested that while Arsenal haven't reached a crossroads, they face significant challenges ahead. Hoddle warned: "It's not a crossroads for Arsenal but they need to start again, go again. They've got to go again but there's a doubt in their minds now, there's definitely a doubt and they've got a huge couple of games ahead for them. Unless they get a result at the weekend they will be in trouble."
The draw against Wolves represents a significant setback for Arsenal's title ambitions, particularly with Manchester City poised to capitalise on any further slip-ups. Saka's admission of a flat dressing room atmosphere combined with Hoddle's criticism of his leadership demeanour highlights growing concerns about the Gunners' mental resilience during the crucial final stages of the season.
As Arsenal prepare for their upcoming fixtures, the focus will be on whether Arteta's squad can rediscover the authoritative mentality that characterised their earlier season form, or whether the doubts identified by Hoddle will continue to undermine their Premier League challenge.
