When you’ve been involved at a club that have managed to go a whole season unbeaten, to see them struggling for goals and marooned in 15th position is going to grate.
If you happen to be outspoken German, Jens Lehmann, then you’re also not going to hold back in your condemnation.
Lehmann has never really been one for keeping his opinions to himself, but this time he does have a point.
“The position right now is the worst in decades. For a club like Arsenal that is not acceptable,” he said to the Daily Mail.
“All of us old players would try to help and make the Arsenal brand strong and big. We are very disappointed because the brand name is deteriorating, and you simply cannot let that happen.”
The issues for Mikel Arteta are manifold. Goalscoring remains a real thorn in the side with the Gunners only having managed to rack up 10 in their 11 Premier League games so far.
Perhaps the only saving grace for the Spaniard at the moment is just how well Arsenal have done in the Europa League, qualifying from their group with ease.
That will only hand him a little time, however.
Whether or not he delivers more silverware this season is a moot point, but at the very least the Arsenal board will want to see some improvement on the 2019/20 campaign and that’s not looking likely at the moment.