Arsenal legend Paul Merson has lauded the current Gunners squad, labelling them an “efficient machine” that “looks unbeatable” after their recent 2-0 Premier League victory over Burnley. However, despite their excellent form, Merson expressed one major concern for Mikel Arteta’s side. Key Takeaways from Arsenal’s Latest Victory: Dominant Form: The win against Burnley, secured by goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Declan Rice, marked Arsenal’s ninth successive win in all competitions and their fifth straight in the Premier League.
League Position: The result saw the Gunners extend their lead to seven points clear of second-placed Bournemouth (before Sunday’s fixtures).
Rock-Solid Defence: Merson highlighted their defensive strength, noting they have conceded just three league goals all season and that against Burnley, “they head everything and they have two defenders that want to defend, and two full backs that want to stop crosses.”
Merson’s Praise for Midfield StarMerson singled out Declan Rice for immense praise, describing his performance against Burnley as “phenomenal.” He suggested the England midfielder was “not far off a 10 out of 10” because he “just doesn’t stop all games.”
The Single Worry: Life Without Gyokeres. Despite all the positives, Merson revealed his sole worry for the club: their reliance on main striker Viktor Gyokeres. After Gyokeres was forced off during the match (Mikel Merino came on as his replacement), Merson observed that the team “looked a completely different side. “My only worry for Arsenal is that they looked like a completely different side when Viktor Gyokeres was forced off.
They were nowhere near the same team,” Merson said on Sky Sports. “Mikel Merino came on and he knitted the play together well but they never really got up the pitch and threatened in the second half.”
Merson concluded that while the team is currently a “well-oiled machine with a lot of talent,” which is “not a good cocktail for everyone else,” their drop in performance without their key striker is a potential issue.