03:01
Speaking at the Football Show, Paul Merson fears Arsenal’s concentration levels behind closed doors and says that fans keep the defenders honest and focused
Speaking at the Football Show, Paul Merson fears Arsenal’s concentration levels behind closed doors and says that fans keep the defenders honest and focused
Paul Merson fears Arsenal’s attention behind closed doors and insists that fans keep the defenders focused and honest.
Arsenal were beaten 3-2 by Brentford in a friendly behind closed doors this week, and looking back on goals, the former Gunners Merson striker was worried about what he saw.
Speaking at the soccer show, Sky Sports Engineer Merson said Arsenal’s current defensive weaknesses could be further highlighted with the return of football, with Mikel Arteta’s ninth team in the Premier League and eight points in the top four.
00:55 Watch highlights of Arsenal’s warm-up game against Brentford at the Emirates Stadium
They restarted the season at Manchester City on Wednesday, live Main event of Sky Sports is Sky Sports Premier League.
Merson said, “I worry about Arsenal. I have seen the goals they brought against Brentford, and I worry that they play behind closed doors. When you are not a great defender, and Arsenal has some, not the best defenders of drawers, I think fans keep you honest.
“I mean they keep your concentration levels. You need the fans to be there to keep you focused. One of the goals against Brentford, David Luiz tries to play, turn it on the boy’s head, and that’s not fair. Fans try to I honest you.
David Luiz was taken in possession of one of Brentford’s targets
“I think that with Arsenal it will be a bit of a defensive problem. I think they will go out behind closed doors without crowds and there may be mistakes after mistakes.”
Merson says that from his experience, it is more difficult than it seems to play in front of any fan, and suggests that the Premier League could “level out” in the absence of fans, obtaining unusual results.
“It’s different. We grew up in an era when I was playing reserve football at the stadium. If the first team were playing away, you would have played at home, in Highbury, and there would be a man and his dog there. Although you would go wild, you still don’t have that push.
Arsenal will face Norwich, Leicester, Liverpool and Watford at the Emirates in the Premier League before the end of the season
“If you have Robbie Williams and Elton John at Wembley in front of 100,000 people, it will be the best thing you have ever seen. They are animators, they fly away from the adrenaline. If I had told them a week later: ‘You’ are going back to Wembley , it sounds again, but nobody will be there, “how difficult is it for them? Entertaining ourselves the same way without the fans there?
“I think this levels things out. I went from thinking that Norwich was a certainty of being demoted, while now I would give them a chance. Really.
“Anyone who can adapt could pull off some trotting games. If you don’t get used to it, it’s Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday-Wednesday, you’ll be in trouble soon.”
Arsenal has experienced a gradual improvement since Arteta took over from Unai Emery in December, but Merson believes there is still a long way to go before challenging the top four again, and suggests that defensive solidity should be the target. main.
Arsenal were beaten 3-2 by Brentford in their warm up game in the Emirates.
“You have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a world-class center-forward who scores goals. He is a trader out of two, where you get two chances and you will score one, there are not many in the world. There is a lot more to Alexandre Lacazette, he is a great designer.
“We talk about Arsenal defense, but it often comes from the front. If you are not closing from the front, and therefore the midfield is not connected, I don’t care who is playing behind you. It could be [Paolo] Maldini, [Alessandro] Costacurta, [Franco] Baresi, if you have players running left, right and center, you will lose goals.
“I think it’s important that they play in the team, but at the moment I don’t see him at Arsenal. I know that Arteta is trying to change it, but it seems that the attackers have their game, the midfielders have their game, and then let’s see what they do the defenders.
Mikel Arteta has Arsenal in ninth place, eight points from the top four
“I think they have to go back to basics, shrug their shoulders. We all like to watch Arsenal play because you know you’ll get action and goals at both ends.
“I think they have to say, ‘Well, let’s get close, if we have to win 1-0 games, we will.’ I just think they’re too funny, too open, they don’t move up as a unit or they move back as a unit.
“It could take a few years before Arsenal reaches the top four again. I believe in Arteta, I like it and I think it will do it well, but it is difficult as an inexperienced manager. You have to be careful not only to entertain the fans. When you are inexperienced , you often try to entertain fans behind the lens. “
Watch the Premier League with Sky Sports
The 2019/20 Premier League season will provisionally start again on Wednesday 17 June and Sky, the UK’s leading football broadcaster, will make 25 “free to air” games available, including Everton vs Liverpool on the first full weekend, for all United United to have fun.
Sky Sports will show 64 live Premier League games when the season resumes. In addition to the 39 games already scheduled to be broadcast exclusively live Sky Sports before the coronavirus stops, 25 more games will be available on both Premier League Sky Sports and Sky is clear to choose channel, allowing the whole nation to be part of the return of live sports.
The free highlights of every Premier League game left this season will be available from the full-time whistle on the Sky Sports website, Sky Sports App e Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
Super 6 winners back to back?
Don’t miss your chance to win the £ 250,000 jackpot for the sixth time this season on Saturday. Play for free.
.
