Mikel Arteta Dragged Off Nuno Tavares Vs Nottingham Forest After 33 Minutes And He Did Not Take It Well
Nuno Tavares was not injured but Mikel Arteta elected to substitute him for Kieran Tierney.
Mikel Arteta ruthlessly brought off left-back Nuno Tavares against Nottingham Forest after just 33 minutes.
21-year-old Tavares was handed a start in the FA Cup third round clash at the City Ground but Arteta did not like his performance in the slightest after he gave the ball away cheaply on several occasions.
He dragged the former Benfica man off just after the half hour mark and replaced him with first-choice left-back Kieran Tierney.
Tavares, who was not injured or on a yellow card, sulked as his number flashed up and he was forced to leave the pitch.
He then threw his gloves on the floor, as well as untying the bobble in his hair, and looked utterly furious.
Members of the coaching staff tried to speak with Tavares but it didn't seem as though he was in the mood for conversation.
The first half was nothing more than a stalemate, with not much to shout about from either side.
Arteta had been laying into Tavares throughout his time on the pitch and ultimately decided to take him off.
According to the stats, Tavares conceded possession on NINE occasions in just over 30 minutes. Arteta simply had enough - and we eagerly await his explanation in his post-match interview.
The Spaniard hasn't been afraid to make big decisions, most notably stripping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the captaincy and omitting from a number of squads due to his repeated disciplinary breaches.
Featured Image Credit: Image: ITV
Topics: Arsenal, Kieran Tierney, Mikel Arteta, FA Cup, Nottingham Forest
Josh Lawless