Wayne Rooney has called out Arsenal’s ‘subdued’ supporters and questioned the mentality of the club following their loss against PSG on Tuesday night.
The Gunners fell to a 1-0 defeat in their Champions League semi-final, first leg clash after a goal from Ousmane Dembele in the opening four minutes.
Expectations had been high among the Arsenal supporters heading into the game, following their 3-0 demolition of Real Madrid at the Emirates in the quarter-finals.
However, after Dembele’s early goal, the home fans were stunned into silence and struggled to stir up the same atmosphere as they did against Madrid.
After the match, Rooney ripped into the Arsenal supporters and insisted that he was ‘disappointed’ by their lack of voice on the night.
Speaking on Amazon Prime, Rooney said: ‘They [PSG] were by far the better team. Tactically they were excellent – they knew when to press and go into a lower block. They could have won by two or three.
Wayne Rooney took aim at Arsenal’s supporters after their defeat by PSG on Tuesday night
The Gunners came up short in their clash with the French side in the Champions League
Rooney suggested that Arsenal’s fans were ‘subdued’ as they watched on at the Emirates
‘I was a bit disappointed with how they played and the fans as well. Against Madrid they were excellent but today they were subdued and it was an anticlimax. The fans had to be there tonight. On both sides, it wasn’t good enough from Arsenal.’
Rooney continued by saying: ‘The players need help. I thought the fan here against Madrid was the best I’d heard it. They gave a massive amount of energy but tonight they didn’t give them that same energy – it can be the difference.
‘The fans have been a lot – and I am not blaming them – but if they brought the same energy from Madrid, it could have given them a lift.’
Rooney went on to suggest that the Gunners are suffering from a ‘psychological fear’ as he analysed their failure to win major silverware under Arteta.
He explained: ‘I think Arteta has tried to be as positive… but there is a psychological fear of not getting over the lines.
‘I think there is a fear! A hurdle they have to get over. They ran Man City and Liverpool close but you need to be successful on the journey and I don’t think they are making those steps.
‘Arsenal are used to getting to a certain stage of the season and things fall away. I am telling the truth. I want Arsenal to win, I hope they win the competition, but they have to go into the game with belief, Arsenal need to be ready for a hostile atmosphere.’
PSG’s Desire Doue (middle) was one of the standout performers for the visiting side
Arsenal fans were loud to begin with but were silenced after Ousmane Dembele’s opening goal
Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott joined Rooney on Amazon’s coverage and offered his suggestion as to why the Arsenal fans were subdued.
He said: ‘A lot of fans will go away disappointed but there was more in it for PSG with how poor Arsenal were at times.
‘We noticed a change in the second half, [it had] more of a Champions League feel to it. It is a big ask for them to go and get a result. The energy created in the stadium from the Real Madrid, when the VAR pitched in it took the stuffing out of everyone.’
