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'Top six finish for Arsenal would be a massive push' | Pat Nevin

Arsenal need a major revamp of their squad to maintain their status as a top-six club, according ...



'Top six finish for Arsenal wo...
Soccer

'Top six finish for Arsenal would be a massive push' | Pat Nevin

Arsenal need a major revamp of their squad to maintain their status as a top-six club, according to Pat Nevin.

The comments come after the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to Brighton over the weekend, which ended with an injury to Bernd Leno and comments from Neal Maupay that their players "need to learn humility."

"They were really unlucky in some ways - they got some bad injuries when they don't have the biggest squad. Guendouzi is in big trouble as well after that [incident with Maupay,]" said Nevin.

"Arteta would have been thinking before the restart 'I've got everyone back, so let us see what we can do'. Two games into it you are about five players down and it is a mess. It is a shambles at the moment.

"At the moment, the knives aren't out for him, it looks as if he will get plenty of time to shape that squad, but it needs a massive amount of work.

"You are not thinking about Arsenal for the top four and finishing in the top six would be a massive push."

Arsenal failings

But does the lack of form indicate more of a mental weakness than any physical shortcomings on Arsenal's part?

"There may well be [a mental weakness.] I have talked many times before about how I love David Luiz, but he was just so slack when he came into the game as a substitute.

"He had the classic game of being dropped, comes on as substitute, gives away a goal, a penalty and he gets sent off. That is better than the holy trinity - that is all four!

"Looking at the players, you look at them and you wonder how many of them look like they are a unit and are playing for each other. Guendouzi is alright, he's one of them. For any limitations he has as a player, I would be having him any day of the week - at least he cares.

"I watched their game against Manchester City and Lacazette, and to an extent Aubameyang, they are fine if they fancy it. But, boy, they had better fancy it. Because when they don't, they won't go into any 50-50s or try anything for the team, and that is just not acceptable."

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