‘Great team’ Arsenal can go the whole way per Spanish media, but ‘worry’ remains for Merson
A Spanish outlet have suggested Arsenal have the mettle to win both the Premier League and Champions League this season, but Paul Merson has detailed a “worry” with one of their players.
The Gunners are flying high both in England and Europe at the moment. They top the Premier League table by three points, with 19 from eight games, and they’ve not dropped a point in their first three Champions League games – one of only three sides with that record.
Their 4-0 demolition job of Atletico Madrid was a statement – Arsenal turning it on quickly, with all four goals scored in 13 minutes of each other, suggesting a ruthless streak once they’d got in front.
As a result of their dominant performance, the Spanish media was impressed, with one outlet feeling they have what it takes to win a double this campaign.
El Dia De La Rioja wrote: ‘Little or nothing remains of that timid Arsenal that buckled on this very same stage against Atlético in 2018, in the Europa League. This is a dominant, effective Arsenal, and it’s unfair to label them defensive.
‘Arsenal displayed the makings of a great team, a squad capable of winning the Premier League and competing again for the ‘Big Ears’, with the feeling that last year’s semi-finals are still a bit short.’
Indeed, Arsenal both finished second in the Premier League last term and bowed out in the semi-finals of the Champions League, so will be aiming to go one better in both competitions, and current form suggests that’s a possibility.
Should summer signing Viktor Gyokeres maintain goalscoring form, that should help Arsenal – he scored a brace against Atletico and promised there are “a lot of goals to come” from him.
While he scored his fourth and fifth goals for the club in the victory, and Arsenal legend suggested there are clearly some good assets within the Swede, there are still some lingering doubts.
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He said: “The icing on the cake was Gyokeres getting two goals. As a centre-forward you want to score goals even though you’re working hard and the crowd are clapping everything he does.
“First half, nine touches and not one in the box, that’s a worry.
“But come the second half, you know what I like? He just keeps on going and going, he ain’t all about himself, he’s about the team. If he gets the ball down the channel he’ll play the easy ball for the team, he won’t try and cut inside and have a 30-yard shot that’s never, ever going to go in.
“Good team player, for me, you’d want him on your team.”
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