Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Jamie Carragher have criticised Arsenal’s approach after the Gunners sunk to a late defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday evening.
Despite controlling large parts of the game, Arsenal went on to lose 1-0 thanks to a superb Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, with the Hungarian’s effort cannoning in off the post from 32 yards.
Arsenal once again failed to win a big game, with the Gunners now having failed to win any away matches against either Liverpool or Manchester City during Mikel Arteta’s tenure.
And Gary Neville noted the Gunners’ approach to games is often to try and avoid losing rather than try to win.
Speaking on Sky after the final whistle, Neville pointed out that “Liverpool have got what Arteta and Arsenal haven’t got right now – that edge, that something, that mentality to go and win big matches at big away grounds”.
“Liverpool believe they should be winning these matches and I’m not sure Arsenal do. They’re happy not to lose and it’s costing them,” he added, explaining that the Gunners seem content with a draw in such matches.
Theo Walcott agreed, explaining that “we talk about the risk and Arsenal aren’t doing it at this moment in time. You have to take risks if you want to win these games. Arteta made substitutions at the right time, the game plan was going the right way, but you want to see them earlier”.
Once again, a lack of threat and creativity in the final third was partly to blame, with Carragher saying that Arsenal “don’t create enough” and Roy Keane calling the Gunners “robotic” in attack.
“Arsenal’s problem is creating. That was the problem for them last season: they don’t create enough. It’s only three games, but in the two away games we’ve seen Arsenal in this season, nothing has changed.
He went on to label Arsenal as “heavily reliant on set pieces”, adding that they “don’t create anything in open play”.
“I feel like Arsenal, a bit like at Old Trafford, if you look at their attacking play, that day and today, just wasn’t good enough,” said Keane.
“I think it’s great when they have the defensive record that they have and their good at set pieces, you’ve got to give them credit for that. But if you’re dependent on that all the time then you come to Liverpool where they’re defending well, it’s hard to. Do something a little bit different. You’re looking at Arsenal going – do something off the cuff, do something quickly.
“Going forward, they are a bit robotic. With the set pieces, you give them a thumbs up, but they have to find something else.
Keane contrasted that with Liverpool, explaining that while people can “be really critical” of the Reds this season, “they are winning. That’s what really good teams do”.
Arteta himself even agreed with the sentiment, saying in his post-match interview that Arsenal “need to find a way to win these big matches”.
The Gunners end the weekend in third, on six points and one behind Chelsea, with Liverpool top on nine points as the Premier League reaches the first international break.
