According to this mornings media, Matteo Guendouzi spent the game boasting that  earns more than any Brighton player ‘ever will’.

‘He was saying the Brighton players were s*** and that he and his team-mates earn so much more than they ever will,’ a source said. ‘He’s done it in other games as well. Arsenal are a decent club and hate that sort of behaviour.’

It is a crass attitude and one which Guendouzi either needs to sort out, or get out.

Boasting about how much money you earn is poor form. We see it on social media a lot. People claiming others are jealous of them because of how much they earn. This ignores the fact that their are much more important things in life than having a big bank account.

There is no point earning big money if you have no loved one, no friends, no family. It is a lonely existence.

In football, earning big money should not take the place of winning trophies.

Too many players these days are motivated by how much money they earn. It has seen players go to China and the Middle East in the hunt for big bucks.

In 2015/16, Leicester players would have earned less than those at Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham. They won the league.

Whilst Dele Alli can look at a big bank balance, Marc Albrighton can look at his Premier League winners medal.

Someone needs to get hold of Guendouzi and explain that he should be focusing on winning games, winning trophies, and not his bank balance.

That if the Frenchmen knuckles down and puts in the consistent performances he is capable of, even bigger money than the £40,000 a week he earns will come his way.

The worry is Guendouzi’s comments are echoed amongst others in the squad.

From Mesut Ozil to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Matteo Guendouzi to Bukayo Saka, have we amassed a group of players more interested in what they earn rather than what they win?

The Saka contract situation is becoming a worry.

The talk is he (or his representatives) are holding out for more money.

At 18-years-old, he is getting regular football at a top Premier League club. His career is now potentially at a crossroads.

Go and join Manchester City or Liverpool for more money, sit on the bench and become the next Scott Sinclair; or remain at Arsenal on less money, play week in week out and potentially become a superstar.

If he is as good as he thinks he is, the big money and success will come with time – whether that be at Arsenal or elsewhere. But a move now would be entirely motivated by money.

Maybe as punishment for his attitude, Guendouzi should be cleaning the changing rooms for a week. Get him scrubbing those toilets. Teach him to appreciate and respect the privileged position he is in.

If he only cares about what he earns, maybe the time has come to sell him to PSG.

Keenos

Follow @KeenosAFC

January 2007. Blackburn Rovers 0 – 2 Arsenal. It was the day a 19-year-old Cesc Fàbregas has his finest day in an Arsenal shirt.

12 minutes on the clock and Gilberto Silva was sent off following some theatrics from Robbie Savage. What followed was a one man masterclass as Fàbregas played on his own in the middle of the park, driving Arsenal to victory.

The record books will show that it was goals from Kolo Toure and Thierry Henry that won us the game, but the truth is it was the performance of the young Spaniard.

12 years later and 20-year-old Matteo Guendouzi may have had his Blackburn moment.

Down to 10-men and 1-0 down; it was Frenchman Guendouzi who stood head and shoulders above everyone else to deliver Arsenal 3 points.

Guendouzi was partially at fault for Aston Villa’s opener. He let John McGinn run off the back of him; although there was a clear lack of communication from Saed Kolasinac letting his teammate know of the danger. But after half-time he was the best player on the park.

This after a man of the match performance against Tottenham when the Gunners came back from 2-0 down.

Guendouzi drove forward into the box for the penalty that bought Arsenal level. He was then unlucky not to score himself with a low drive from the edge of the box.

Calum Chambers will get the credit for his quick reactions for Arsenal’s second equaliser, but it was Guendouzi’s beautifully flighted ball that found Chambers in space to create the goal. One of them situations where he will not be credited for an assist even though he clearly created the goal.

No player on the park had more touches of the ball than Guendouzi. No player made and completed more passes. He was Arsenal’s all action midfield hero.

Guendouzi’s problem is he does not have a partner that can get the best out of him.

Patrick Vieira had Emmanuel Petit. Cesc Fàbregas had Gilberto Silva.

Petit and Gilberto were senior pros who knew they had to sacrifice their own instincts to allow their younger teammates to flourish.

In Granit Xhaka, Guendouzi should have the perfect partner. Experienced, positionally disciplined and able to lead Guendouzi through a game. But he looks shot. Zero confidence. Doubting his own game. The Premier League becoming too quick for him.

Lucas Torreira is not positionally disciplined enough to play alongside Guendouzi. He wants to get forward to press high. Move wide. We want to free Guendouzi of as much defensive work as possible. Not have him covering a teammate who wants to play a similar role as him.

In Arsenal’s midfield it is clearly Guendouzi +1 at the moment. He is turning into our best central midfielder. A leader in the middle of the park.

Like Fàbregas against Blackburn, it is easy to forget how young Guendouzi is.

Keenos