Saka namechecked as one of four ‘AVERAGE’ Arsenal stars who will cost Gunners the Premier League

Robin Bairner

29 Nov 2023 06:40 GMT
3 min read

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in Premier League action for Arsenal — © ProShots

Arsenal moved to the top of the Premier League table over the weekend following a 1-0 win over Brentford, but Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher claims their attacking players are going to cost them the title.

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The Gunners came up agonisingly short last term as they led the way for much of the campaign before falling away in spring, and Carragher believes that Mikel Arteta’s side are heading for a repeat of their disappointment.

He claims that the form of Arsenal’s forwards, including the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, is “average”.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the pundit claimed: "We are only a third of the way through the season but if this is the Arsenal we are going to see this season I don't think they can win the league.

"So many games are going to the wire and sometimes they can go against you. Those 1-0 wins could easily be 1-0 defeats. There isn't the same pace and fluidity, creating chances and I don't think it is anything tactical.

© ProShots - Martin Odegaard has been branded "average" by Jamie Carragher

"I am still seeing the same things from Arsenal. I just think individually the attacking players have been average whereas they were on fire last season.

"Gabriel Martinelli, Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Odegaard, who was up there with Kevin De Bruyne last season. I know Odegaard has had some injury problems but the stats aren't great."

Arsenal's January plans to strengthen attack

Arsenal are looking to invest in their forward line during the January transfer window, which could provide additional impetus in the second half of the season.

Arteta has made his priority target in attack Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, but as FootballTransfers exclusively revealed, the Gunners are exploring other possibilities, most notably RB Leipzig attacker Benjamin Sesko, who is frustrated that he is not being given more game time by the Bundesliga club.

Santos teenager Marcos Leonardo is another player who is being tracked by the Emirates Stadium side, though with an eye to the future.

Carragher’s Arsenal criticism, then, could be transformed if Arteta is successful in signing one of these players.