Arsenal turmoil exposed as Gallas reveals bust-up

On the attack: Arsenal’s William Gallas

13 April 2012

William Gallas has revealed how Arsenal tempers erupted into a furious dressing room row during the game against Tottenham which ended in a 4-4 draw last month.

The Gunners skipper said some players turned on one of the club's top stars at half-time and he was forced to break up the row as it threatened to run out of control.

Gallas refused to name the player who was verbally attacked, but his admission that there are serious tensions within the club and his insistence that the younger players must toughen up will infuriate his manager and may see the central defender lose the captaincy.

The Gunners are nine points behind Chelsea and Liverpool in the title race and have lost four Premier League matches already this season - and the loss of Theo Walcott to a shoulder injury will add to their problems.

Gallas has been blamed for not giving the team leadership after he sulked on his own on the pitch after last season's draw at Birmingham and, recently, was criticised by Wenger for being pictured holding an unlit cigarette.

But the Frenchman has now defended himself, insisting the problems were being created by an unnamed player and that it came to a head at half-time during the draw with Spurs.

Gallas said: "When, as captain, some players come up to you and talk to you about a player ... complaining about him ... and then during the match you speak to this player and the player in question insults us, there comes a time where we can no longer comprehend how this can happen.

"I am trying to defend myself a bit without giving names. Otherwise I'm taking it all (the blame). It's very frustrating. I'm 31, the player is six years younger than me.

"There was a problem at half-time (in the Spurs match). The only thing that I could say at half-time was 'Guys, we resolve these problems after the match, not at halftime'."

The only 25-year-olds involved in the north London derby were Robin van Persie and Bacary Sagna, who started the game - and Emmanuel Eboue, who came on as a substitute. Gallas insisted that Arsenal had to win a trophy this season after going four years without silverware but that would only happen if the players found a new steel.

"We have to understand that to be champions, you have to play big matches every weekend and fight," Gallas told the Associated Press.

"We are coming up against teams who are not scared to play football against us, who are not scared to take us on at our place, and this is becoming dangerous for Arsenal.

"We are not brave enough in battle. I think we need to be soldiers. We have to be warriors. There are teams who can do it well against us, and we have to be able to face up to these attacks."

The skipper said the players need to show the same appetite that Manchester United's did and added that he felt big contracts may have taken some of their hunger away.

"That makes the difference, perhaps. You can rest on your laurels, that's for sure," Gallas added.

Walcott underwent surgery today on his left shoulder after injuring it in training with England. Wenger insisted though that it was just "one of those things" and he did not blame Fabio Capello.

MORE ABOUT

Arsenal

Theo Walcott

Arsenal turmoil exposed as Gallas reveals bust-up

Read More