Gary Neville has now named three Arsenal players who have looked out of sorts across the last three weeks.
The Gunners have lost their grip on the Premier League title after three successive draws in the Premier League against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton.
Now, Neville has picked out the trio who he feels need to step up for the Gunners.
What’s the story?
Well, the 48-year-old believes Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey and Gabriel Jesus need to improve.
Neville wrote on Twitter: “For Arsenal, the more experienced players needed to step up and be composed. In the last three games the more experienced ones haven’t. The younger ones have looked more assured. Zinchenko, Jesus, Partey haven’t been right. They have five days to sort themselves out. The huddle last night a bluff!”
We can’t disagree.
Perhaps Jesus could be excused after scoring against both Liverpool and West Ham – although the Brazil international was fairly quiet against Southampton.
However, Zinchenko and Partey have certainly dipped in terms of performance levels.
The Ukraine international was nutmegged by Trent Alexander-Arnold at Anfield in the buildup to Roberto Firmino’s equaliser, while he also lost his man as Duje Ćaleta-Car headed in Southampton’s third on Friday.
In regards to Partey, the Ghana international was very sloppy against the Saints as well as West Ham.
Specifically, the Arsenal No.5’s decision to shoot from 35 yards out in the 98th minute against Southampton as Arsenal embarked on one final attack was, quite simply, stupid – Mikel Arteta and others seemed to be furious with that particular moment.
Arsenal led by youngsters
Strangely, Arsenal are actually being led by their young talent such as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Ødegaard.
All three were on the scoresheet against Southampton, and have continued to step up at difficult moments across the past three weeks – for most of the season, in truth.
At a time where Arsenal’s more experienced stars seem to be shrinking, they should take inspiration from the young talent leading the way.
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