You can guarantee that a manager will always try to frame two team-mates fighting as a positive thing because it shows they have passion, but you can also look at it by suggesting you have a squad of players who don’t like each other.
There are some interesting reports emerging surrounding a training ground incident at Arsenal recently, where it sounds like David Luiz punched Dani Ceballos in the face:
Exclusive: Tensions boiled over in Arsenal training Fri as Luiz hit Ceballos on nose, with scratch drawing blood. When squad returned Tue both apologised + group have continued as normal. #AFC will hope fighting spirit is channeled positively! @TheAthletic https://t.co/7JjNc5eGWh
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) November 19, 2020
Thankfully from an Arsenal point of view it sounds like they’ve had some time to calm down and get over things, but it’s not a good look for any manager if their squad is behaving like this.
It’s not like Mikel Arteta is famed for being able to handle difficult characters either – he’s banished Matteo Guendouzi and he can’t do anything to stop Mesut Ozil chirping off in the media either, so you have to wonder if he’s simply a good tactician who doesn’t know how to manage personalities and conflict.
He is dumb af punching his own teammate