November 4th 2024.
Rio Ferdinand was taken aback by two decisions made by Mikel Arteta during Arsenal's recent match against Newcastle. The Gunners suffered a 1-0 defeat, with Alexander Isak scoring the only goal of the game. This loss adds to Arsenal's poor run of form and puts them seven points behind league-leaders Liverpool.
One of the main factors contributing to Arsenal's struggles has been injuries to key defensive players such as Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White. As a result, Arteta has had to make adjustments to his defensive lineup in recent games. However, despite these challenges, Ferdinand was surprised by Arteta's choices for the match and cautioned the manager not to overthink his selection decisions in the future.
Ferdinand, in his latest YouTube video, shared his thoughts on Arteta's decision-making. He mentioned being surprised by the use of Jurrien Timber at left-back instead of having Oleksandr Zinchenko, who was on the bench, fill that role. He also noted that Thomas Partey, who is typically a midfielder, was playing as a right-back. While this strategy has worked in the past, Ferdinand believed that with injuries depleting the team, it would have been wiser to play players in their natural positions.
However, Ferdinand did acknowledge that many underestimated the impact of Martin Odegaard's absence on Arsenal's performance. He emphasized the importance of the midfielder and how he helps the team retain possession and create opportunities for goal-scoring. Ferdinand also dismissed the notion that Arsenal only need a top striker, stating that without proper service from the midfield, even the best striker would struggle to score.
Despite the recent struggles, Ferdinand remains optimistic about Arsenal's chances in the upcoming Champions League match against Inter Milan. He believes that Arteta and his team will bounce back and get back to winning ways. And with the return of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has been out due to illness, Arsenal will have a much-needed boost to their attacking options.
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