Liverpool and Real Madrid legend Steven McManaman believes Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres sometimes receive unfair criticism because of the way Arsenal approach their matches.
The former midfielder has suggested that Arsenal’s defensive structure and cautious style of play make life extremely difficult for their forwards, who are often expected to produce goals despite having limited opportunities to attack.
McManaman even compared Arsenal with Barcelona, arguing that the Gunners are not an entertaining, free-flowing attacking team that constantly creates chances and scores goals.
He said:
“I do feel sorry for Arsenal forwards sometimes because they’re not an entertaining team, they’re not like Barcelona. They defend very deep, they defend as a whole and it’s a long way to get to the other end of the pitch to score goals.
“They’re never going to be this entertaining, lovely, free-flowing side scoring goal after goal after goal, and then Gyökeres and Havertz sometimes get the blame because of that.”
However, McManaman was also keen to recognise Gyökeres’ contribution against Slavia Prague, praising the Swedish striker for his performance and insisting that he deserved the recognition after registering both a goal and an assist.
His comments raise an interesting question about Arsenal’s attacking approach. Are Havertz and Gyökeres genuinely underperforming, or are they simply not receiving enough attacking support because of the team’s overall tactical setup?
One thing is certain: when a team prioritises defensive organisation, its strikers can sometimes become isolated and struggle to receive the service they need.
👀 Is McManaman right about Arsenal’s style of football, or is he being too harsh on Mikel Arteta?
#Arsenal #AFC #KaiHavertz #ViktorGyokeres #StevenMcManaman #PremierLeague
