Sports
Inside Arsenal’s astonishing dressing room bust-up with Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Shkodran Mustafi all in firing line
FURIOUS Arsenal stars are stabbing each other in the back over the club’s dreadful run of form.
The blame game in the Arsenal dressing room began after Brighton condemned them to a fourth successive defeat.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is desperately trying to restore team spirit after his angry stars turned on each other after the 2-1 defeat at the Amex.
Mesut Ozil, who recently signed the biggest contract in the history of the club, is in the firing line after another disappearing act.
January signing Henrik Mkhitaryan, struggling to find his feet at Arsenal, is under the spotlight for failing to track runners just as he came up short at Manchester United.
He and Ozil together are a soft under-belly which is being exploited by opponents.
Defender Shkodran Mustafi has also been fingered because he always passes the blame on to other players when Arsenal concede goals.
Hector Bellerin is also furious with Wenger after being axed just two hours before kick-off at Brighton.
Bellerin expected to play after training at right back in the build up to the latest defeat, but was told he was dropped when Wenger announced his team to face the Seagulls.
Wenger is desperate to rebuild team morale, but they are at war with each other after four straight defeats.
Arsenal have no hope of finishing in the top four of the Premier League and face a tough Europa League clash with Milan on Thursday.
Wenger is under massive pressure at Arsenal, but remains hopeful he can still get back into the Champions League if they can go all the way in the Europa.
But without a leader in the side, it appears an uphill task.
Against Brighton they went into the game without an idea.
They had no proper plans to deal with the Seagull’s set pieces, no specific tactical instructions, no real insight from one of the game’s greatest managers.
Wenger wanted Arsenal’s players to work it out for themselves, to find solutions on the field after three hugely damaging defeats on the trot.
Fine if you have Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry wearing the club’s famous colours.
Not so clever when you are relying on Mustafi, Ozil and Mkhitaryan to get you out of bother.
Wenger’s voice, full of authority and conviction when the Gunners were one of English football’s leading clubs, is losing its impact.
Nobody is listening anymore, nobody is really taking any notice.
The only murmur of discontent when Wenger named his side to start at Brighton was from full-back Bellerin.
The defender had trained for two days at right-back in the build-up to their trip to the seaside, but only found out he was out of the team when Wenger named the 11.
Calum Chambers, who played in the previous Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, was suddenly pressed into action.
Bellerin, battered by Arsenal Fan TV for wearing slippers around London, believed he was being made the scapegoat for their dreadful run of form.
In the event, it did not matter what team Wenger put out at the Amex on Sunday lunchtime.
They were destined to lose anyway, beaten for the fourth game in a row after goals from Lewis Dunk and Glenn Murray set Brighton on the way to a 2-1 win.
When they came in at the final whistle Wenger barely said a word, leaving the players to sit and stare vacantly at each other again.
Chris Hughton’s side had done some extra training on set pieces ahead of Arsenal’s visit, identifying some of the vulnerabilities in this shoddy defence.
Wenger used to have all the answers, passing on tips that turned the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Bobby Pires, Vieira and Henry into world beaters.
When Henry struggled for goals in his first few months in English football, Wenger pulled him to one side and told him to spend more time in the penalty area.
Those little touches, those chats with Wenger on the training ground, made all the difference.
More than two decades into the job, Wenger is starting to doubt his ability to rebuild this troubled club.
He does not review games, seldom showing Arsenal’s players where they went wrong, or telling them what to work on to get back into his team.
It is every man for himself now. The team spirit has been eroded, shredded after their morale-sapping 3-0 defeats by City in Cup and Premier League and the humiliation at home to Swedish minnows Ostersunds in the Europa League.
Arsenal, once a secretive, covert operation, is a leaky bucket now.
Wenger, 68, is all alone. The locals in Wenger’s neighbourhood of Totteridge, the upscale North London suburb that the Frenchman calls home, worry about him.
He often dines on his own, walking into some of the local restaurants instead of spending another night home alone.
Everybody at Arsenal — directors, players, supporters — are turning their backs on him.
He occasionally pops up to the boardroom before matches, spending a few minutes talking to some of the guests on the table reserved in the manager’s name.
Relations with the directors in London — chief executive Ivan Gazidis, Sir Chips Keswick and Lord Harris of Peckham — are not so good.
Wenger’s position is being reviewed on a game-by-game basis, with the names of various potential replacements being bandied freely around the club.
Unlikely as it is, the good work of Sean Dyche has been praised as Burnley close in on a top ten finish in the Premier League.
There are more and more names being thrown into the pot.
Henry, even though he has indicated he would be prepared to take it on, is not under consideration.
There will be surprise at boardroom level about the dressing-room view on their former midfielder Arteta, too.
Arteta, 35, is not popular at the Emirates. The Spaniard, now on Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, is remembered for being far too happy with himself.
Arsenal’s board is terrified of making this appointment, fearful of the process as they prepare to replace the most successful manager in the club’s history.
They will have to come up with a name soon, identifying the right man to succeed Wenger as manager of this great institution.
Someone will need to come up with a bright idea.
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons produced a thrilling comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, clinching their record-extending 10th continental title.
The win was sweet revenge for Justin Madugu’s side, who were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses in the semi-finals of the previous edition.
Despite a bright start by the Falcons, it was the Moroccans who struck first in the 13th minute. A loose ball fell kindly to tournament top scorer, Ghizlane Chebbak, who rifled her effort past Chiamaka Nnadozie to hand the hosts an early lead.
Nigeria tried to respond through Ijamilusi Folashade, but her tame effort was easily gathered by Moroccan goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Fatima Tagnaout released Sanaâ Mssoudy, who drove into the box and fired a low, left-footed strike beyond Nnadozie to make it 2-0.
Morocco maintained their advantage into the break as both sides went into the dressing room with the scoreline firmly in the hosts’ favour.
The Super Falcons returned with renewed purpose in the second half, stepping up their intensity and putting the Moroccan defence under sustained pressure.
Nigeria nearly pulled one back when a collision between Er-Rmichi and defender Nesryne El Chad almost gifted the Falcons a goal, but the Moroccan defence cleared their lines in time.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 63rd minute when a ball hooked back into the area by Ijamilusi struck the arm of defender Nouhaila Benzina, resulting in a penalty. Esther Okoronkwo stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to halve the deficit.
Eight minutes later, Okoronkwo turned provider, sprinting down the right flank before cutting back a well-timed pass for Ijamilusi, who made no mistake from close range to level the tie at 2-2.
The Falcons completed their sensational comeback in the 88th minute when Jennifer Echegini reacted quickest to a deep free-kick, stabbing home from close range to spark wild celebrations on the Nigerian bench.
The victory sees Nigeria reinforce their dominance in African women’s football, securing their 10th WAFCON title and reasserting their status as the queens of the continent.
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