Former Arsenal star Paul Merson, has voiced his concerns about the current tactical approach of his beloved team under Mikel Arteta. Merson believes that Arsenal is “sitting back too much” and has urged Arteta to revert to the “entertaining” and “aggressive” style of play that once defined the club.
After nine games in the Premier League, Arsenal finds itself in third place, five points behind leaders Manchester City. Despite a strong start to the season, the Gunners have drawn four matches, including a 2-2 draw with Manchester City and Liverpool, where they conceded late equalizers after taking the lead in the first half. Merson feels that this defensive approach is a departure from the “free-flowing” football Arsenal was known for.
Merson told Sportskeeda, “Arsenal are sitting back too much in games now. I know they have key players missing due to injuries, but they should’ve attacked more against Liverpool last weekend. Even if a draw is still a fair result for them, Arsenal weren’t as free-flowing as they were before and that’s a problem. The old Arsenal were entertaining, now they’re just sitting back and counter-attacking. If you do that every week in this league, you will get found out soon.”
The absence of key players like Martin Odegaard and several defenders has forced Arteta to adopt a more cautious approach. However, Merson is hopeful that this change in strategy is temporary and will change once the squad is back to full strength. He added, “I hope this change in strategy is only due to the players they are missing at the moment.”
Merson’s call for a return to an aggressive style comes ahead of crucial matches against Newcastle and Chelsea. He believes that Arsenal must find a way to win both games to stay in the title race. “This is a huge game for Arsenal. It’s one where you look at and think, ‘Arsenal must win this one.'”
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings