Arsenal told they are missing 'personality & character' to become Premier League champions as William Gallas questions Kai Havertz transfer

• Arsenal beat Man City in Community Shield
• Gallas does not believe Arsenal will win the PL
• Questions Kai Havertz transfer

WHAT HAPPENED? Mikel Arteta's men showed immense potential after emerging triumphant over Manchester City in the FA Community Shield on penalties following a late comeback in stoppage time. However, former Gunners defender Gallas doubts whether the team will have enough gas left in the tank by the business end of the season to be crowned Premier League champions in May after they faltered in the final lap of the 2022-23 season.

WHAT THEY SAID: "I’m sure Arsenal will get very close to winning the title this season, but I don’t think they will be crowned champions in May. I think Arsenal are missing the character and the personality to become champions – these are the qualities that they needed to show at the end of last season, and they couldn’t," Gallas stated while speaking to Gambling Zone.

"I want to see Arsenal adapt a soldier mentality this season. I want to see players that are ready to communicate a lot in the pitch – demanding more of each other. I want to see experienced players taking responsibility when things are not going well on the pitch for Arsenal. I still think that Arsenal are missing this type of win-at-all-costs mentality and that is why I don’t think they will win the title this season."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Kai Havertz has one more doubter in Gallas after he failed to take the goalscoring opportunities that came his way against City. The former French international has questioned Arsenal's strategy of signing Havertz for £65 million ($82.47m) and believes that the forward will fail to find his feet at the Emirates.

"No, I don’t think Kai Havertz will show his potential in this Arsenal team," he added. "I don’t believe that Havertz was a player that Arsenal needed to sign this summer. For me, even when he was at Chelsea, he was never consistent enough. He scored some important goals for the club, and he played well in flashes. He didn’t put in enough good performances during his Chelsea career in my opinion. When I saw Arsenal were signing him, I didn’t really understand it. I was surprised that they signed him,."

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Havertz and Arsenal will want to prove Gallas wrong by making a winning start to their Premier League campaign when they take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday at home.