Arsenal managed to secure three points against Nottingham Forest (1-0) with a late strike from Noni Madueke, but the quality of their performance has faced intense scrutiny. Former Gunners star and Sky Sports analyst Paul Merson did not hold back, labelling the team's showing under Mikel Arteta as 'the worst possible.'
This season, the Gunners have dropped points just once, succumbing to a 3-0 defeat against Brighton, and find themselves trailing unbeaten Manchester City by three points. However, their sterile style of play is raising serious concerns.
Merson admitted he was shocked by the display at City Ground. The pundit was dismayed by the team's possession being largely unproductive, producing little threat to their opponents' goal.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a match where a team with such a high possession percentage looks completely incapable of scoring. It’s as bad as it gets, - Merson stated.
He recalled the era of Arsene Wenger, where similar dominance would have resulted in Arsenal recording upwards of 30 shots.
Now, opponents have figured out the Gunners' game plan: simply sit deep. The current crop of London wingers struggle to beat their man, with a conspicuous lack of movement off the ball.
The only bright spot for Merson is Bruno Guimaraes, who he believes should feature in every match given his ability to deliver incisive passes.
Particularly concerning for Merson is the situation surrounding Eberechi Eze, who was substituted at half-time against Forest. The expert expressed doubts about the talented midfielder's ability to thrive at Emirates Stadium.
At Crystal Palace, Eze was involved in nearly every aspect of the game, touching the ball around 100 times a match and allowed the odd mistake. The dynamics at a top club, however, differ wildly.
You can’t just be a free-spirited artist anymore. At Arsenal, the ball is given to Bruno, Saka, Odegaard, or Rice. Eze gets the ball 25-30 times, and he’s expected to create moments, - Merson pointed out.
Intense competition and the pressure from the stands can break a player; if they make a mistake, they are quickly replaced due to the wealth of talent waiting on the bench.
Merson concluded:
He's a fantastic player, but I don't know if he’ll be fantastic for Arsenal. As soon as he plays poorly, he'll be off the field.
