Sportstalkline

Episode 9 of the Saved by the Bellerin podcast looks at the eroding mental state and performance level of the club since the international break.  The team resumed its on-again, off-again, awful-on-the-road, decent-at-home yo yo, scoring only one point from a possible six in the two Premier League contests since the break ended.  The slide has seen Arsenal drop rapidly from 3rd to 5th in the table.  Just as alarming, it seems powerless at the moment to retain pace with the streaking Leicester City and Chelsea squads, who have leapfrogged the Gunners into the last two top four slots.  Dean, Sammy, Ryan, and Rafael look at the continued lack of direction and leadership from Unai Emery, whose managerial stint may have reached a crisis point in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace. Captain Granit Xhaka gestured rudely to the crowd which jeered him as he was subbed out midway through the second half, and the captain tossed his armband and shirt to the turf in disgust as he stormed into the locker room.  The lads