ARSENAL’S players look bored and are struggling with Mikel Arteta’s system, according to Gary Neville.
The Sky Sports pundit believes Arsenal are currently having the same issues Manchester United had.
Gary Neville claims Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal players look boredCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Neville believes Arsenal’s players look disinterested and appear to be struggling to grasp Arteta’s tactics.
Arsenal’s desperate form continued with a 2-1 defeat at Everton on Saturday which leaves them 15th in the Premier League.
In Neville’s latest podcast, he told Sky Sports: “I think Mikel Arteta has to do one thing in the next few weeks: results may not come, performances may not come, but he’s got to make those Arsenal players look like they are enjoying themselves.
“At the moment, they don’t look like they are enjoying themselves.
“On Saturday they looked like a bunch of players struggling and toiling with how they’d been asked to play, maybe they didn’t believe in the system, or maybe they don’t believe the players next to them are good enough. Something is not right.
“Although I didn’t look like I enjoyed my football, because I was always really serious on the pitch, I did love playing in this Sir Alex Ferguson team. It was a thrill, we would go forward and were committed.
“I think Arsenal fans, and most football fans, are the same. They won’t accept being bored. To me, the Arsenal players look bored, and the football they’re producing looks like a real struggle.”
Neville has drawn comparison with United’s transition following the departure of Ferguson.
United are the third highest scorers in the league and have evolved into an attacking force, but Neville says Arsenal are a long way behind in their development.
Neville said: “There are elements of what happened at Manchester United, happening now at Arsenal.
“I think Mikel Arteta has demonstrated that he can coach a team and get them organised, but something isn’t right, and you can’t put your finger on it.”
Arteta is under immense pressure and the fixture list is not helping his case with an EFL Cup quarter-final against Manchester City tonight followed by Chelsea at home on Boxing Day in the league.
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Gabby Agbonlahor says Mikel Arteta has lost dressing room with Arsenal players not running for him any more
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
