Mikel Arteta is under increasing pressure - and his rallying cry to his Arsenal players fell flat against Manchester City.
The Gunners are enduring a miserable run and headed into their Carabao Cup quarter-final clash looking to boost their confidence.
But they were well beaten at the Emirates, suffering a 4-1 defeat and going out with a whimper in the second half.
It was a miserable evening for Arsenal - and the manner of their defeat left Arteta with egg on his face.
In the build-up to the game, he declared: “I want to see fighters” as he issued a rallying cry urging his players not to be victims.
In response, his side demonstrated little fight on an evening when they were outclassed and out fought by Pep Guardiola’s side.
Asked how he responded during his playing days in difficult times, Arteta said this week: “I liked to look around me, whether it’s staff, coach, or players, and I want to see fighters.
“Normally when that happens you have two types of people: fighters and victims. You just need fighters, you don’t want any victims.
“Victims bring excuses, victims bring negativity, and they start to blame everything that is happening around them, or that is not going for them.
“What you need is just people who fight, people who contribute, and people who are willing to give everything to the cause in these moments.”
After the game, Arteta touched on his comments and insisted he is trying to focus on the "fighters" he does have in his squad.
“Well, I am focused on the fighters that we have," he told Sky Sports.
"The spirit that we showed tonight, again, going against a really difficult opponent and conceding the goals we did, I see the way we tried.
“I see a lot of fighters.”
But, despite Arteta's comments, there appeared a lack of character on display on a miserable night at the Emirates which failed to see his players give an adequate response to his plea.
