Arsenal legend Ian Wright has slammed the Gunners’ recent attacking displays.
Arsenal had the chances to beat their bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Clear opportunities fell to Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, but neither Arsenal forward could find the back of the net.
Instead, Arsenal’s goals came from a wicked deflection and the penalty spot. The Gunners’ issue was not an inability to create chances, but rather a lack of the cutting edge needed to finish them off.
Mikel Arteta will recognise that his side weren’t clinical enough in the final third. It is an area that his team must improve in very quickly if they are to achieve their aims for this season.
Arsenal attack falters
Nketiah in particular struggled to make an impact against Spurs. Aside from failing to convert his one-on-one chance, the £100,000-a-week forward was anonymous. He was ineffective in the press and failed to contribute to the build up phases of play.
Jesus was deployed out wide and did pose a threat with his drive and energy, but he simply had to do better with the chance he won for himself by robbing the ball off James Maddison in the Spurs box. With a clear sight of goal, the £45 million Brazilian lost his composure and blazed the ball over the bar.
Ian Wright was not impressed by what he saw from the Arsenal front line in the north London derby on Sunday. Speaking of Match of the Day 2, the ex-Arsenal striker said, “if you are going to stay in that top four, and win the league…then you have to take those chances. Those are the margins…you need to score those goals.”
Arteta needs to get his attacking contingent firing on all cylinders as soon as possible. The Gunners have a meeting with Manchester City coming up soon and have to be at their very best in all areas to stand any chance of getting a positive result in that crucial match.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
