Gary Neville
Gary Neville has laid into Arsenal
Gary Neville has branded Arsenal "predictable" and claimed they struggle to counter-attack and play through their opponents.
Arsenal's Premier League title bid has stuttered in recent weeks, with the Gunners having gone three games without a win after their 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday. That has left them 15 points behind top of the table Liverpool, who look set to win a 20th league title this season.
And Neville delivered a scathing assessment of Arsenal following their clash with United. "Arsenal can't counter-attack, and when they have the ball in possession in the final third, they can't really innovate and play through," he said on the Gary Neville Podcast.
"So, the three ways you score goals in games - set pieces they've been pretty good at, weren't that great today but set pieces they've been doing well on - the other two areas that you mainly score goals from are when you are in possession dominating the game as a top team, or when you're counter-attacking and can really go quickly.
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"They find themselves always having to come back and recycle and play it across the field. Predicable. Safe. They're doing a good job at times but they need players who can interact with each-other and quicken up play in the final third.
"That's what top players do. Liverpool are better in the final third than them and the attacking metrics show that. Arsenal are very good defensively, even though I thought United had three or four big chances in the second half, but they still only conceded one goal through their goalkeeper and back four."
Neville's comments come after Roy Keane said he does not believe Arsenal can win the title next season either, with the seven-time Premier League winner telling Sky Sports : "Why would I? What makes you think the manager can do it?
Dejected Arsenal players
Arsenal now sit 15 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool
"They've got close over the last few years, but City will be strong next year and I'm sure Liverpool will be too. Where is the evidence to think they can do it? Getting a striker in would help, have they got the right mentality? Has the manager?
"You see a different side to them when they're losing every week, but they get all agitated when they're losing. I don't think getting a striker in who'll score 20 goals a season will necessarily be the difference.
"Will City and Liverpool just stand still? They're going to look to improve, Pep will bounce back and I think Liverpool will be stronger next season. We don't know whereChelseaare, but what's the evidence or this group of players that they can do it? It's alright challenging, but it should be about winning titles."
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