**Ex-Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes the Gunners need to “change” their mentality and become a more attack-minded team to stay in the title race this season.**
Manager Mikel Arteta was criticised after the 1-0 defeat to Liverpool for not going for the jugular, and Keown feels a more positive approach is required:
“We want more. Arsenal, I feel now are at the stage where it’s a mentality change. They need to change gear, they’ve really got to go after it. You’ve got to have the eye of the tiger to really go and win these games.”
“Looking back, I hope we don’t regret it, but it’s too early in the season to write Arsenal off.”
What have Arsenal’s attacking numbers been like?
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The Gunners have an xG of 4.7 from their first three fixtures, which is the fifth best in the [**Premier League**](https://goonernews.com/blog/arsenal-news-william-gallas-title-prediction/).
On the face of it, that isn’t a terrible figure, but the big issue is the club’s lack of attacking intent in matches versus the ‘Big Six’. Against Liverpool, they mustered up just 0.49, which was less than their opponents.
Most would argue that Arteta’s men deserved at least a point from the game at Anfield, but they left things open to chance by playing it too safe.
Will Arteta change his philosophy?
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Considering the Spaniard is closing in on six years in charge at the Emirates, it seems unlikely that he will shift his approach now.
Arteta has done so many things right to get Arsenal into a position where they are competing for the title every single season, but you do feel that they need something extra to get over the line. As Keown points out, a mentality change in big games specifically could prove to be a decisive factor.
[**Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here**](https://goonernews.com/blog/arsenal-first-team-squad/)