Unai Emery bemoaned the catalogue of problems that have plagued Arsenal's season as he admitted Granit Xhaka may not play for the club again.
The captaincy furore, sparked by Xhaka's bust-up with supporters against Crystal Palace which led to him being losing the armband, is the latest in a line of issues that have disrupted Emery's plans.
Arsenal's start to the campaign had already been overshadowed by Laurent Koscielny's shock pre-season strike and Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac being victims of an attempted car-jacking.
According to Emery, they have all been major factors in why Arsenal head to in-form Leicester under pressure after winning just one of their last six games and in danger of ending the weekend nine points off the top four.
Emery said: 'I'm not really disappointed with our work [this season].
'I am being realistic because some circumstances did not help us to achieve the best emotional balance because with that, best performance, best emotional balance.
'For the supporters, they have seen that their team needs more to improve to achieve the best results.
'I want to say to them, they must have patience and in some circumstances they did not help us but we are trying to achieve the best emotional balance with the players.
'Ozil circumstances, Kolasinac, Laurent Koscielny circumstance and, remember also, that if he was here that the captain would be Laurent Koscielny and that would give us no problem.
Then also, Xhaka's circumstance. Xhaka will be omitted from Arsenal's squad for the fourth-game running on Saturday after talks with Emery in which the Swiss midfielder confirmed he is not in the right frame of mind to play.
Emery said: 'We need a player like Granit Xhaka. But also, I don't know if he's going to play again. I don't know, because if he is available in his mind to continue helping us and continuing defending the Arsenal shirt, I think time is giving us that solution.'
Charlesugwu
1206
Koscielny is the only Arsenal player that saw tomorrow today.....and left no matter what.
Matabiluy
953
This is one of the reason we will forever miss Wenger, he would have sorted this out within a week, both player and fans could have forgotten this, what do we get from our stupid coach, na to dey open teeth upandown
ishti
858
Granit hasn’t commited half the crimes Unai has, if anyone needs to go it needs to be the manager.
medgunner
729
kinda feel sad for xhaka
mikekingsley
654
I know right from the beginning that Emery problem will be language barrier...Even right from all the interview he always says things that press won't understand and confusion among his statics on field.. These are all his problems but he was a good coach
zeubcmnt
378
I feel no ounce of compassion for Xhaka. The reaction on the pitch was an act of defiance and nothing else. The dude isn't emotionally devastated or distraught as his Emery apologist claim, he is simply deviant! The content of his so called appalling apology letter says it all. He just simply made up his mind not to turn up in that prestigious shirt again and he will be disappointed to hear that he has never been deserving of that shirt. Year after year, he gives us some lame and drab performance, committing blunders and fouls and repeating the same inexplicable errors over and over again. This is the 4th year running and you feel the Fans have no voice nor emotions such that they keep putting up with those underwhelming display week after week? Please if he chooses not to play again in those shirts, let it tell on his wages too. You can't refuse to play and still get paid. Let this be his ugly reality till he realizes his failings, if not sell his stubborn and sorry attitude by the next transfer window.
Buelmorsu
314
Emery has hardly been a resounding success but only if someone better (NOT Mourinho) is available should he be replaced. I doubt Klopp would be interested.
Vaeaekuz
124
Excuse after excuse, the mark a failure. Just resign,the Arsenal project is bigger than you. BYE Emery.