Three things we learned from the latest All or Nothing episodes
Three things we learned from the latest All or Nothing episodes
By Jonny Bray
Episodes four, five and six of All or Nothing: Arsenal focussed on the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the January transfer window and the impact it had on the squad.
Gunners fans have been saying for months that the decisions made in January may have cost the club a spot in the Champions League.
Many have also turned against Aubameyang, who clearly downed tools last season.
But few realised the impact those months had on Mikel Arteta, who took centre stage in episode six to highlight how the stress can affect those around him.
The series has been a smash hit so far, giving viewers a once-in-a-lifetime look at the inner workings of the club.
So, with that in mind, let's take a look at the three lessons learned from episodes four, five and six of Amazon Prime's All or Nothing: Arsenal.
The stress of the Arsenal job took its toll on Arteta
Episode six of All or Nothing gave Gunners fans the chance to look at the man behind the manager.
We met Arteta's wife and family and saw the impact the stress of the job can have on his home life.
Understandably, it was tough to watch at times, it's easy to forget how much stick the Spaniard received at points last season.
Following a tough January transfer window, which saw the departure of Aubameyang and a host of squad players, many fans were calling for his head.
It's a good thing Arteta had a close family unit around him in those moments, otherwise, we may have missed out on the stunning renaissance fans have seen at the start of this season.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang let the club down
When times are tough, you expect your top players to step up.
You expect them to act as a unifying force in the squad and a match winner on the pitch.
Aubameyang did not do that.
In episode four of All or Nothing, we saw first-hand how big a nuisance the Gabon star had become in the Arsenal dressing room.
He had to be stripped of the captaincy and forced to train with the youth team, yet he still had something to say when he left the club.
All or Nothing has highlighted what a toxic presence he was, and despite a solid start to life at Barcelona, it would be a mistake for any Premier League club to go near him again after what we have seen.
Letting so many players go in January was a mistake
If Arsenal had a stronger squad, they would have qualified for the Champions League last season.
It's a bold statement, but the injury crisis towards the end of the 2021/22 campaign really cost the Gunners.
And if episodes four, five and six of All or Nothing are anything to go by, then Arteta knew it would prove costly as soon as the transfer window closed.
The size of the squad was mentioned several times throughout all three episodes.
It's unsurprising knowing what we know.
It will be interesting to see how Arteta reacts as the misstep becomes more and more apparent later in the season.

