Paul Merson said on Sky Sports News (1:56pm, November 28, 2020) that Arsenal midfielder Daniel Ceballos does not create enough chances.
The former Arsenal star, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, believes that Ceballos, who returned to the Gunners on a loan deal from Real Madrid in the summer of 2020, does not play enough killer passes.
Merson has also criticised winger Nicolas Pepe, who was sent off against Leeds United in the Premier League last weekend but scored against Molde in the Europa League on Thursday.
The Englishman said about Ceballos on Sky Sports News (1:56pm, November 28, 2020): “Ceballos in midfield is a lender. He lends you the ball. He gives it to you to get the ball back. He is not putting the ball through the eye of the needle on a consistent basis for me.”
Merson wrote in The Daily Star about Pepe: “Nicolas Pepe looks out of his depth and he’s going to have to do it against much better teams than Molde to change my opinion. I can understand how he got sent off in the Leeds game.
“He’s been having a nightmare ever since he joined Arsenal and one Europa League goal in Norway won’t change that. He let his frustration get the better of him against Leeds and did something silly with the headbutt, because things haven’t been going well for him at Arsenal for months.
“He came in for £70-odd million. If they’d bought him for £20m nobody would be moaning. But the fee brings pressure, and he’s not been able to handle it. I watch him play and I don’t know what he brings to the table.”
Daniel Ceballos at Arsenal
Ceballos can play as a central midfielder or in a more advanced position, and so far this season, he has not done that much.
According to WhoScored, the 24-year-old has played four times as a central midfielder and has played two games as a defensive midfielder when he has started.
The Madrid-owned player is not playing where he could create a lot of chances, and perhaps manager Mikel Arteta should look into changing his position if indeed he wants him to create more and play the final balls.
Arsenal are struggling to create chances in the Premier League, losing 3-0 to Aston Villa before the international break and playing out a goalless draw with Leeds last weekend.
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