Former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder, Owen Hargreaves has pinpointed a major problem with Arsenal in their most recent games.
He also asserted that only Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes ‘performed adequately’ during Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s team exhibited yet another lackluster performance as Viktor Gyokeres’ penalty equalized Junior Kroupi’s initial goal, followed by Alex Scott netting the decisive goal for Bournemouth in the 74th minute at the Emirates Stadium.
This defeat leaves Arsenal still nine points ahead at the top of the Premier League; however, Manchester City now have two games in hand and is set to face the Gunners next Sunday.
Arteta, for his part, continues to encounter criticism regarding Arsenal’s style of play and their failure to generate multiple clear-cut opportunities during matches.
“They [Arsenal] did not play with confidence,” Hargreaves remarked to Premier League Productions.
“I attended the match, and the crowd was highly enthusiastic at the start, but by the end, they were dissatisfied with what they witnessed.
“The only players who performed adequately were Declan Rice and Gabriel; the others were thoroughly outplayed.
“Bournemouth, by the way, were exceptional; they relentlessly pressured Arsenal.
“Arsenal struggled to maintain possession, frequently resorting to long balls, and they passed back to the goalkeeper a staggering 39 times during the match, with David Raya recording the second-highest number of passes among Arsenal players.
“They effectively invited Bournemouth to press them, and that press is arguably one of the most effective in the Premier League, but it caught Arsenal off guard, and they rightfully earned the victory.
“I believe the most significant issue is that they have been outplayed in three of their last four matches – against City in the Carabao Cup final, Southampton in the FA Cup, and today.
“They secured a win against Sporting, but David Raya was one of their standout players in that match, making several crucial saves, indicating a concerning trend of being outplayed.
“They have exerted tremendous effort to reach this stage, but they must complete the task. Today, they exhibited a lack of courage, belief, and a bit of determination.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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