Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta looks to have missed out on a January transfer target.placeholder image
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta looks to have missed out on a January transfer target. | AFP via Getty Images
Arsenal are still in a good position, however, Mikel Arteta has a serious problem that he needs to fix.
The numbers speak for themselves. Arsenal are top of the league although even Mikel Arteta might admit to being worried about how his side is currently limping from game to game.
The lack of goals being scored from open play from an expensively assembled forward line, with the ability to do so much more, is a concern. Trying to get the balance right between defensive solidity and attacking freedom is a difficult one now that the title race is approaching the stage where any slip-up could prove to be costly.
Darren Bent demands Mikel Arteta swings the axe
It isn’t entirely on the forward line though with the midfield losing their individual battles against Man United and Bruno Fernandes being allowed to dominate the Emirates pitch. It was the sort of performance that Arsenal were hoping for from Martin Odegaard and yet the skipper was found wanting.
According to Arsenal fan and former Premier League striker Darren Bent, via Talksport, it is time for someone else to be given a turn in midfield.
"Defensively this season, Arsenal have been rock solid, but the attacking areas need serious work," Bent said. "Next game. Premier League. Odegaard out. Out. Honestly, he came back after Eze had that impact against Tottenham and he was better and I thought: 'Okay, here we go, we're getting the Odegaard back from two years ago'.
"But he's gone back to his older self, offering nothing... give Eze four or five games." He later added: "Eze has to start, Odegaard has to come out and Eze should get a run of games now, he's a special talent."
Why have Arsenal started to struggle in front of goal?
Bent didn’t just take aim at Odegaard, struggling to find something to be positive about, the England international highlighted why goals from open play have been such an issue recently: "Saka has been incredible for Arsenal for such a long time, you can't take anything away from him," Bent started on Drive. But this season, he hasn't been good enough, in terms of his output of goals and assists... it's not been good enough.
"Gyokeres hasn't been good enough. Trossard at one point was our most reliable attacker, the last five, six games, he hasn't been good enough either. Gabriel Jesus... it hasn't worked for him, so the fact that he's starting, we've seen for three years he's not the guy to take Arsenal to where they want to get to."
The hard work wasn’t for Arteta to guide Arsenal into their current position, the hard work is to find a way to get them out of their current plight and find a way to start scoring goals from open play before it is too late.
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