Alexandre Lacazette Mesut Ozil Sokratis ArsenalGetty/Goal

'We're not stupid!' - Sokratis reveals Arsenal dressing room anger & says players to blame for slump

Sokratis has blasted Arsenal’s performance at Wolves on Wednesday, insisting he and his team-mates must take full responsibility for the costly defeat.

The Gunners conceded three goals for the second successive game as they were downed 3-1 at Molineux, a defeat which leaves Unai Emery’s side relying on others to slip up to keep their top-four hopes alive.

Maximum points from their last three games will now not be enough for Arsenal to secure Champions League football next season, unless Chelsea drop points between now and the end of the campaign.

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And Sokratis accepts that the performance against Wolves, who ran out comfortable 3-1 winners, was simply not good enough for a team hoping to rejoin Europe’s elite.

“We didn’t play good,” said the centre-back.

“It was a really bad game from us. The first 20 minutes was good but we lost some easy balls and we knew that on the counter-attack they are a very good team and we paid for this.

“For 20, 25 minutes we had the control of the game, the possession of the ball but they played very good at what they do, the counter-attack, and we were not there. They had three or four chances and scored three goals.

"After that it was very difficult for us to change the game."

When asked whether there had been an angry response to the defeat in the dressing room, Sokratis added: “Of course. The players like to play Champions League, they like to win but it is not easy.

“All the players take responsibility. We are not stupid. We know that we didn’t play good. It is not the problem of the coach, the system, it is nothing. It is just us. This was a bad moment for us. 

Sokratis Arsenal 2018/19

“It is not time to have excuses. We have to look forward: three games more. We need to win all the games and get nine points and we’ll see if we can be in the top four.”

Arsenal will look to get back on track on Sunday when they head to Leicester City.

But - just as they did at Molineux - they will run into a team who will look to hit them on the counter-attack - utilising the pace and movement they have within their frontline.

And Sokratis admits that if the Gunners produce a similar performance to the one they served up against Wolves, then there will only be one outcome at the King Power Stadium.

“If we face [it] like this, we will lose,” said the defender. “It is another difficult game. We know that we have to take the points [at Leicester]. Three games, nine points.

“I trust 100 per cent my team and the players and I think we can do it.

"It is not about mentality, it is about nothing. We won two games in the last ten days away from home [before Wolves].

"We have to be in the best four teams in the Premier League and then after to win also the Europa League. We cannot wait only for our one chance. We have two chances and we have to fight for both."

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