Emmanuel Petit has claimed that only four players are doing a ‘really great job’ at Arsenal, and we would suffer if we lost any of them.
The Gunners gave up the lead against Southampton at the weekend to see an eight-game winning streak come to an end.
While Petit believes that was a fair result, he added that he can see us struggling if we lose one of four key players.
‘I thought the first-half was great from Arsenal; the way they played, their energy, their movement. I’m not saying they could have sealed the game but they could have easily scored one or two more goals,’ Petit is quoted by the Metro as claiming.
‘My only concern was that physically the team struggled in the second-half, and I think that’s linked with the depth of the squad, or the lack thereof.
‘Southampton came out very well in the second-half so you’ve got to give them credit for the character and fight they showed, and ultimately I’d say they deserved at least a point.
‘Leaving St Mary’s with a point isn’t a bad result; you haven’t lost the game and you’re still top of the table. It’s a great starting eleven Mikel [Arteta] has assembled, but I worry about what happens if one of those players gets injured.
‘That’s a big concern for me; that lack of depth. You could see again yesterday, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are all doing a really great job. But it’s only those four; if one of them gets injured, what options does Mikel Arteta have?’
Without Emile Smith Rowe available, we definitely are lacking depth in our forward roles, and while Fabio Vieira has shown glimpses of ability, he hasn’t shown enough to be considered in that bracket just yet.
We may have to have another look at our options in January after failing to replace Nicolas Pepe in August before the window closed, as our depth in attack definitely seems the weakest at present.
Do you expect us to be busy in the coming transfer window?
Patrick
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So he doesn’t think anyone in defence has been playing well then? Or Partey?
Moving swiftly on…
Petit was probably speaking in the context of the attack I would say.
The last 2 games especially they have been very dull and blunt and off the boil. Xhaka has saved us points with his goal contributions, while the 4 in front have been toothless.
I agree our defensive players have done well over the early season. They were caught out on that counter Southampton scored, but handled the other 94:30 ok without giving up a goal.
Our depth and quality lie mostly in the back line of our defense.
White and Tomi have covered the injuries to Tierney and Zinchenko. Tierney could fill in at CB if he had too, as we saw early when Arteta was in charge.
If Partey or Xhaka get injured, we are struggling to muddle through. Very lean in the attacking 4 as well with ESR out. Vieira still untested, Nelson isn’t looking reliable, Marquinhos untested, and Nketiah continues his struggles.
It would be a strange thing to say “only 4 of the attack are doing well”.
So, pretty much all of it then, no “only”.
Why jump through hoops to interpret what he says in a way that makes no sense?
IDKWIC, it is this articles erroneous first sentence which I doubt is what Petit was REALLY trying to say. When he is quoted -accurately or not- as apparently saying “only four players are doing a really great job, ” it does not take a special brain to know for a certainty that those words are nonsense.
It excludes such as Saliba, Ramsdale Tomiyasu, Partey and others too, who are also great players and this is plain (at least to me) that is NOT what Petit was MEANING, as he is not an idiot.
It is also plain that CERTAIN platforms wait for an ambiguity in language( esp from a non English first language speaker) , to POUNCE on an easy and misleading headline.
I expect we can all work out which particular platform I refer to in this case!
I feel Arsenal should go for a striker im the January window as dexpite flashes Nketiah is not good enough week in week out at the highest level I would like Arsenal to sign Cody Gakpo ffom Eindhoven and a defensive midfielder as well It seems a big ask with cash but Arsenal need to keep up the start weve had so far Its easy to slide cown the table and January is good time to add to the current squad go kerp impetus up Reiss Nelson is anothet who we should let go hes had enough chances and not taken them Ive been supporting the club for over fiffy years and Arteta is building a fine side