Petit ‘unhappy’ with Arsenal star ‘not’ doing ‘enough’; reveals ‘main difference’ to Liverpool
Emmanuel Petit has revealed the “main difference” between Arsenal and Liverpool, while he’s hit out at two Gunners stars for “not” doing “enough”.
Mikel Arteta’s side have endured a frustrating start to the 2024/25 campaign as they are trailing Liverpool in the Premier League title race.
Arsenal have the best defence in the Premier League, but they have been struggling in front of goal and have relied on set pieces too much.
The Gunners are also overly dependent on Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, who have each had spells on the sideline with injuries this season.
Saka is set for a couple of months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery to repair his hamstring, so he will not be involved when Arsenal face Brentford on Wednesday night.
Ahead of this match, Petit has revealed what the “main difference” is between Arsenal and Liverpool.
“Arsenal looked nervous at the start of the season. They made silly mistakes in games and dropped silly points. Easy red cards, you know. This has cost them,” Petit said.
“But when you lose Martin Odegaard, and you lose Bukayo Saka – your two best players – it’s difficult to handle that. Arsenal have a strong squad, but they don’t have a bench like Liverpool.
“When you have to pay every three days, and you’re back in the Champions League, and there’s no break during the Christmas period… I was comparing the Liverpool and Arsenal squads recently, in terms of depth, and they’re not in the same world, to be honest.”
“Look at the quality Liverpool have up-front – it’s amazing. It’s amazing how many great players they have in that area.
“Then, look at Arsenal; if one or two players are missing, then it’s not the same team anymore. For me, this is the main difference.”
Petit has also admitted that he’s “not happy” with Gabriel Martinelli, as he and another forward have “not” been doing “enough”.
“Saka being out for a few weeks is a huge blow – but other players now need to come in, step up, and take on the responsibility.” Petit continued.
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“I’ve been waiting for some players to reach a level, and I’m quite frustrated, to be honest, actually. I’m still waiting for them to reach the next level.
“I’m thinking about Gabriel Martinelli, for example. I’m not happy with Martinelli. He had a good game against Crystal Palace a few days ago, but that’s not enough.
“When you look at his journey, and how he started in the first-team, around the same time as Saka… when you look at how Saka has improved, year after year, and has become one of the best players in the Premier League, I’m thinking ‘when is that going to come from Martinelli?’
“He’s not the only one; Gabriel Jesus is the same. He’s been playing well, recently, but that’s not enough. I’m sorry, but that’s not enough.
“If you want to win titles, and you want to compete every season for the best prizes, you need to regularity and consistency in your performances, and you have to take on the responsibility, when your best players are out injured.
“I don’t see players stepping up, at Arsenal. It’s quite frustrating. I know they want to do their best on the pitch, and they want to give 100%, but that’s not enough.
“The transfer market is opening soon, and I know that it’s hard to spot good opportunities at this time of the year, but they need to strengthen the team. Definitely.”
