'Too predictable' - Arsenal legend Thierry Henry delivers Bukayo Saka verdict and makes Liverpool comparison

Evening Standard

·16 December 2024

'Too predictable' - Arsenal legend Thierry Henry delivers Bukayo Saka verdict and makes Liverpool comparison

The Gunners have failed to score from open play in their last three Premier League games

Thierry Henry says Arsenal are “very predictable” in an attempt to explain Mikel Arteta’s side recent struggles for goals from open play.

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Following a stuttering start to the season, the Gunners looked to have regained their mojo after the November international break as they recorded four victories in a row across all competitions, scoring 15 goals in the process.

However, since the 2-0 win over Manchester United, they’ve been held to back-to-back draws in the Premier League by Fulham and Everton.

With leaders Liverpool not in action last weekend as a result of the Merseyside derby being postponed and then drawing 2-2 at home to the Cottagers, the north London outfit have missed the chance to close the gap to just two points at the top of the table.

Furthermore, it’s been highlighted that Arsenal’s last three goals in the league have been scored via a set-piece.

When analysing his former club’s attacking patterns during an appearance on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football show, Henry made a note of how over-reliant the team is on Bukayo Saka - using the Man United game as an example - making a comparison to Liverpool who commit players forward when Mohamed Salah is in possession.

The Frenchman also showed a clip of Gabriel Martinelli facing up Diogo Dalot in a 1v1 situation, only to end up near the halfway line 10 seconds late prompting Henry to say: “When you are in trouble at Arsenal, the ball is going to go to Bukayo Saka, it’s too predictable, the ball is going to go to Bukayo Saka and it’s easy to defend.”

“They are very predictable, you are not going to say that it’s not good to score on set-pieces, it is outstanding, I’m just saying the last three [goals] you scored in the league are obviously on set-pieces,” he added.

“When you watch the game, when you watch Arsenal, you watch it and you’re like ‘the only way right now it looks like we might be scoring is on a set-piece’.

“We beat Manchester United but we didn’t create a lot.”

With that said, Henry doesn’t believe Arteta is solely to blame for Arsenal’s lack of open play goals in the Premier League of late.

“I don’t think there is a coaching problem, I just think that right now the way the team is set up is kind of weird,” Henry stated. “It’s not easy to play a team that’s never going to jump, nobody jumps at Arsenal anymore, Monaco tried and you saw the result.

“If you don’t have bodies in between the lines to create decoys, it’s going to be very difficult if you only give the ball to your winger on the right or on the left. And if that winger on the left is not beating people, you’re [at an disadvantage] playing from the right.”

Arsenal were held to a goalless draw at home to Everton.

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Finally, Henry concluded his breakdown of Arsenal’s struggles in front of goal by revealing the difference between them and Liverpool in the title race presently.

“A lot of things need to change in order to win the Premier League,” he said. “It’s in the title, you said the word ‘winning the Premier League’ when I see Liverpool play, it looks like they are trying to win it, I see other teams play and they look like ‘let’s not lose it’ so to speak.

“When I see Liverpool play against Fulham with 10-men, how can you send five bodies in between the lines and have a way of to create decoys or create opportunities? Same thing, people were waiting for you also.

“If you go and win the league , you have to grab it and win it. We all know what Man City was doing for years , we all know what Mohamed Salah does, you all know that in my time we were attacking from the left, you have to find a solution.”