Thierry Henry gave Monday Night Football a detailed analysis of Arsenal's currently ailing approach game, highlighting one weakness in the Gunners' attack.
Arsenal have pushed Manchester City to the limit over the past two seasons in their bid to win their first Premier League title since 2003-04, but fell just short and look set to be sidelined again this season.
Liverpool under Arne Slot appear to be the side to have made the most of City's 11-match run of just one win in all competitions, while Arsenal dropped points again in a dull 0-0 draw against Everton at home this weekend.
Bukayo Saka has continued his stunning rise to become one of the leading right wingers in world football with ten assists in the competition already, but if the Gunners are to end their wait for success they feel they cannot rely on him alone to trust.
Martin Odegaard's return to fitness has been a boost offensively, but there are currently questions surrounding the left flank, which appears to be the weak link in the attack.
As such, Henry offered a fascinating insight into how the Gunners will operate going forward and, using the 2-0 win over Manchester United earlier this month as a case study, highlighted where Gabriel Martinelli needs to improve.
'I would say they are very predictable. “You're not going to say it's not good to score off set pieces, it's excellent,” said Arsenal's record goalscorer.
'I'm just saying that the problem in Europe for a very long time was that it took us a year to score away from home in Europe. Now the last three they have scored in the league have come from set pieces.”
He then showed some clips from Arsenal's victory over United, won thanks to two goals from corners, highlighting the difference between their approach play and that of Liverpool.
In particular, Henry explained how Saka is often isolated with few options – 'You know he's going to play for Odegaard' – where Liverpool's Mohamed Salah regularly has runners offering alternatives for the future: 'When you see Liverpool moving forward, see you that [Joe] Gomes, [Darwin] Nunez, [Diogo] Jota runs.”
In the clip the ball comes to Odegaard, at which point Henry highlights a pass to Declan Rice between midfield and the defensive lines that could open up 'a quick 3v2', but the pass doesn't come and instead the Gunners go backwards – ' Again too predictable.'
He then turned his attention to the left side, where Martinelli has mainly operated for the past two and a half seasons, and the Brazilian is positioned high and wide against Diogo Dalot.
The clip plays and as Henry talks about how Martinelli should take on his man and use his prodigious pace to create an opening, he instead stands back – 'You're not playing your 1v1' – and at the end of the clip ends with Martinelli halfway down the line as another attacking opportunity arises.
While Saka and Martinelli both emerged for Arsenal around the same time, the former has become a world-class striker, while the latter's development appears to have stalled somewhat.
In 22 appearances in all competitions this season, Martinelli has provided just four goals and two assists, which may be why Jamie Carragher suggests Arsenal are a 'world-class striker who has no real title contender'.
'I don't think it's necessarily a striker, but I think it's an attacking player. When you see this guy, Saka, on the right and you see what they have on the left, it's like chalk and cheese to me.
'Now Martinelli and Saka were almost at the same level a few years ago, but Saka has become one of the best players in European football in his position, but unfortunately Martinelli has not joined them.
'Over the last two years and even this year I always felt that I never went for Arsenal because I think they lack a world-class striker. When I think about the other teams that Chelsea have, Liverpool and City, I don't think they have that quality.'
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