Paul Scholes explains why Declan Rice has let him down at Arsenal and claims one of his team-mates has “regressed” under Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal are currently six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have also played a game less and have won just eight of 16 league games this season.
Injuried Martin Odegaard This proved to be a major setback for the Gunners, and while his return has certainly improved the Gunners, doubts remain about their ability to open up opponents in the aerial battles, with Arteta’s side relying heavily on positioning. ball.
Gabriel Martinelli is one of those forwards who stutters. He has only scored 4 goals and 2 assists in 22 appearances in all competitions this season, compared with 8 goals and 5 assists in the entire season last season. His struggles are not new.
Scholes and Carragher both question Martinelli overlappingScholes also felt Rice was disappointing as the England international didn’t score the goals he should have, which is a problem for a team that needs more than Bukayo Saka.
“Do you think it must be a striker or just another top attacking player?” Carragher said of Arsenal.
“I look at Martinelli and actually think about three years ago, when this team was first established, it felt like Odegaard, Saka and Martinelli were all on the same level and it looked like they could move on and Become a top player.
“I think the other two have, I’m not sure about Martinelli.”
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Scholes then replied: “Yeah, it feels like he’s regressed a bit.
“A year, 18 months ago, you’d be thinking, ‘Wow, what a player,’ but he’s kind of plateaued.
“He’s still young, isn’t he? We said in pre-season that we thought Arsenal always needed a centre-forward but for some reason I don’t think the manager did it.
“Then we all think Odegaard is going to create more when he comes back to the team, I think he makes them a better team and I think in the end they’ll be fine. But January is so tough, who’s out there?
“I think you need goals from everywhere but I don’t think Arsenal’s goals come from midfield.
“You think Declan Rice might be the guy who can score 10, 15 goals for you, but I’ve never really seen that happen, and apart from Saka scoring, I don’t see it. There are nowhere left to score, Havertz is drying up, I think Odegaard is still getting his chances and ultimately with his ability he will contribute, but I think they both have to contribute.
“At some point you have to try and influence the game. I think too many times now midfielders try to stay there, try to control the game, help the defence, but when you’re a midfielder that’s all aspects of the game, different The people have to try to win the game and they don’t seem to think about that.
“It’s ‘I’m playing my position and I’m good’ rather than taking responsibility. To win the league, everyone has to contribute but I don’t think they all do.”
