A juicy ending to the series!
Mikel Arteta’s fury at his players after their crushing end of season defeat at Newcastle on May 16 is laid bare for all to see when the highly anticipated final two episodes of Amazon’s All or Nothing Arsenal documentary is released on Thursday.
The series, which saw cameras follow the Gunners throughout their 2021-22 campaign, has captured the imagination of fans during the past few weeks as the opening six episodes have hit our screens.
But Arsenal’s end of season collapse, which saw them lose successive games against Tottenham and Newcastle to miss out on a Champions League spot, now take centre stage as the latest helping of Amazon's All or Nothing comes to a close.
(C)Getty ImagesWhat can we expect?
While there is plenty covered in episode seven, including Arsenal’s three defeats against Crystal Palace, Brighton and Southampton, as well as the wins against Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham that followed, the final episode is understandably the main event.
Everyone knows how things panned out for Arsenal last season. The defeats at Spurs and Newcastle – and the behind the scenes reaction to them – are what fans really want to get a glimpse of.
And while Arteta is fairly restrained after the loss at Tottenham, perhaps due to the sense of injustice at some refereeing decisions, the Gunners boss pulls no punches after the pitiful 2-0 defeat at Newcastle which all but ended Arsenal’s hopes of a top-four spot.
“It is f*cking embarrassing to come here the way we have done it,” Arteta shouts during his post-match changing room rant. “Embarrassing.
“What happened today is f*cking unacceptable and if you accept something like this, you live in a different world.
“Don’t worry, I will face the people. Today it is hard to defend you guys. Hard. I will take all the sh*t, again!”
AdvertisementGettyLacazette loses his head
Another eye-catching moment is a training ground incident between Alexandre Lacazette and Cedric Soares in episode eight, which ends with the two players having to be pulled apart.
It all seems to stem from a poor challenge by Lacazette on youngster Jack Henry-Francis, with the former Gunners skipper hacking the 18-year-old to the ground after appearing to get frustrated at being robbed of possession.
Soares says something to Lacazette in the aftermath of the foul which angers the striker and the pair then square up before team-mates, Arteta and his coaching staff rush in and defuse the situation.
GettyTierney’s freak injury
One bit of insight we learn in episode seven is how Kieran Tierney picked up the injury which ruled him out of the end of last season.
Club doctor Gary O’Driscoll reveals how the Scotland international hurt his knee in the win against Wolves in February, but then played five more games without suffering any further problem.
But just ahead of the game at Crystal Palace in April, Tierney ‘felt the knee collapse’ as he turned the corner while walking out of the shower at London Colney after a training session.
That was the moment his season came to an abrupt and early end.
GettyNketiah’s journey to the first-team
Episode seven includes some nice behind the scenes footage with Eddie Nketiah as he embarks on his fine end of season form.
The young striker talks about how difficult it can be waiting for an opportunity, while Gunners legend Ian Wright also talks about the forward’s struggles to really make his mark in the side.
There is a nice moment when Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, Nuno Tavares and Sambi Lokonga are eating in the canteen and Lokonga bemoans the fact he is not playing.
“So what my friend,” Nketiah jokes. “You think you are the only f*cking man not playing? Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
This is around the time that Arteta opted to bring Nketiah into the starting XI at the expense of Alexandre Lacazette, with the academy product then scoring twice in the win at Chelsea to cement his place in the side through to the end of the campaign.
