Laurent Koscielny has questioned Arsene Wenger's team selection following Arsenal's dismal showing in the 3-1 defeat at the hands of Chelsea on Saturday.
The Gunners were easily brushed aside by the league leaders and the French defender believes it was a combination of team selection and the players not performing as a unit that led to their downfall at Stamford Bridge.
Wenger made some questionable choices when he selected Alex Iwobi ahead of Danny Welbeck despite the former Manchester United striker, who is coming back from a long-term injury, being rested for the game in midweek.
The England international scored a brace in his first start against Southampton a week earlier, and it should have earned him a place ahead of the Nigerian forward.
Gabriel started for Arsenal against Watford with Wenger stating that the Brazilian was preferred to regular starter Hector Bellerin due to the height advantage he provides.
The Spaniard returned to the starting XI against Chelsea and it was his lack of height that allowed Marcos Alonso to open the scoring.
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The France international, who has captained the side in the league this season, admits that the north London club's title chances are all but over, but has urged his team to get back to winning ways and put up more of a fight in the coming games.
Three points will be vital for Arsenal when they face Hull City on Saturday with the race for the Champions League places heating up.
"I think we played some players in front of others and I think we should have played more as a team and there was space to do so.
They hit us on the counter," Koscielny said, as quoted by the Mirror.
"It will be difficult now. Mathematically, nothing is done but we know that it is going to be very complicated.
"We need to come back to the quality of our game, our passing, movement," the France international added.
Shkodran Mustafi says he is determined to maintain his unbeaten record as an Arsenal player until the end of the 2016-17 season.
The Germany international hasn’t lost a game since his move to Arsenal in a £35m deal from La Liga outfit Valencia in the summer transfer window.
Mustafi has established a promising partnership with France international Laurent Koscielny at centre-half in Arsene Wenger’s side.
The ex-Everton defender missed a number of games over the festive period as Arsenal suffered defeats on the road at Everton and Manchester City.
Mustafi returned from his fitness setback in 2017 and Arsenal have remained unbeaten despite the prospect of losing at Bournemouth before three late goals rescued a 3-3 draw at the Vitality Stadium earlier this month.
Speaking to Sky Sports about his impressive record in the Arsenal side, Mustafi outlined his plans to preserve his unbeaten streak in Wenger’s line-up.
“I hope I can keep that statistic until the end of the season,” he said.
“It’ll be difficult but for me personally but I just go from game to game and try to give the maximum and improve, then the results come,”
Mustafi said.
“When I lose I sometimes just don’t come home and stay at the hotel, because I don’t want to listen to all that. But I’m happier for the other people than me that I haven’t lost yet.
“When I go into a game I’m not thinking about losing, I’m there because I want to win. If I do something I do it properly, I’m a footballer because I want to improve and win games, that’s why I’m sometimes difficult when I lose.”
Arsenal had to show a different side of their character in Sunday's victory over Burnley, according to Laurent Koscielny.
Shkodran Mustafi's first goal for Arsenal looked set to send the Gunners towards a comfortable victory at Emirates Stadium.
But Andre Gray equalised from the spot in the 93rd minute, prompting frantic scenes on the touchline as Arsene Wenger was dismissed.
Alexis Sanchez eventually fired home a last-gasp 'Panenka' penalty to secure a crucial victory for the hosts and Koscielny is adamant Arsenal proved they can dig in and grind out results when they need to.
"We needed to show another character - not just play nice football but fight together," he told Arsenal's official website.
"We did the job well defensively. We didn’t just play well with passes, sometimes you need to work hard for your club, for your team-mates.
"You need to win your duels and the second balls, and I think we did it.
"We pushed ourselves more to have the three points and it’s good for our confidence to have a win like this.”
Arsenal's victory helped the north Londoners cling onto the coattails of pacesetters Chelsea, who boast an eight-point lead at the top of the table.
But it could be costly for Wenger, who has been charged with misconduct after clashing with fourth official Anthony Taylor in the tunnel.
The Frenchman has until Thursday to respond to the FA
Burnley manager Sean Dyche has bemoaned the way in which his side suffered a last-minute defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates this afternoon.
The ten-man hosts had been leading 1-0 until a hectic final seven minutes, which saw Burnley score a penalty, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger sent off and Arsenal edge back ahead with a penalty of their own.
The result meant that the Clarets maintain their status as the Premier League's worst away side, with just one point collected from their 10 trips away from Turf Moor this season.
Speaking after the game, Dyche said that he believes his side were worthy of a point from the encounter and questioned the validity of the late penalty by hinting that Laurent Koscielny was offside when caught by the boot of Ben Mee.
"It's a tough day for us in the end. To lose a game in that fashion, with an offside not given is tough, particularly when you come to tough places like this," he told Sky Sports News.
"We never take anything for granted. We know how tough this division is but you need officials to make the right decisions and that is the shame today.
They have to be brave have officials at places like this, I understand that, but you've got to think it has to be given[offside."
The result sees Burnley stay firm at 13th in the table, 10 points above the relegation zone.
