“He shouldn’t be allowed in to the training ground next week, he completed JUST 6 passes against Australia last night and had less touches than the goalkeeper”- Arsenal icon has told Mikel Arteta to get rid of one of his players who will not allow him to win the league title this season- Not Jorginho, Not Jesus and Not Havertz
Football pundit believes two ‘erratic’ Arsenal players will cost them the title
Gary Neville has claimed that he does not believe that either Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah are clinical enough in front of the goal to lead Arsenal to the title.
The former Manchester United defender further stated the need to add one more player up front in the winter transfer window, if the North London side want to go all the way.
Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, the Sky Sports pundit said, “There’s no doubt Nketiah and Jesus they work their absolute socks off, but in quality terms I just found in those two matches, is that going to be enough to win Arsenal the league?”
“That’s my only doubt: a center-forward, because if they’d had a center-forward – like if they had a Haaland, if they had a Kane – I’d be saying, “It’s Arsenal I think if they can keep Saliba and Gabriel and Rice fit.”
“But honestly, I worry about Nketiah and Jesus. They’re erratic.”
The 48-year-old added, “They’re not wired, are they, to score goals naturally. Instinctively they don’t make the runs that you see goalscorers make.”
“They hold back, they’re always looking for the pull-back, they’re never getting across players. I just look at Jesus, he is quite erratic in front of goal. The work ethic of both of them is brilliant, I just question, at that level, can they win the league without another striker?”
The Gunners see themselves in second place, behind rivals Spurs just on goal difference. And even though they are indeed at the top end of the league table, they have indeed struggled in front of the goal.
Last season the Gunners scored 88 goals, only coming second to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in terms of finding the net. That comes out to be 2.3 goals per match. This season they have scored 16 in eight games, which comes out to be 2 goals per match. They see themselves in a lowly seventh position in the goals scored table.
There is certainly a drop in the Gunners’ productivity in front of the goal. And Neville might be right with adding another player. Ivan Toney looks to be in the market, and it would be a coup if Arsenal can beat off competition for his signature.
In the end, he will give Arteta a different edge in the team and new problem to the opponents.
Or do you believe we can win the title anyway with Nketiah and Jesus up front?
