Gary Neville names Arsenal star who has suffered ‘big drop-off’ | Football

Gary Neville believes Arsenal have ‘gone backwards’ this season and says Gunners captain Martin Odegaard has suffered a ‘big drop-off’.

Arsenal dropped more points in the Premier League on Saturday, drawing 1-1 at home to Brentford.

The draw – Arsenal’s 12th of the season – leaves Mikel Arteta’s side 10 points behind Liverpool ahead of the Reds’ game in hand against West Ham later in the weekend.

While Arsenal are set for a third successive second-place finish, Neville reckons the team have ‘gone backwards and largely blames that on the club’s recruitment.

But the Manchester United legend and former England defender also believes Arsenal have suffered due to the ‘big drop-off’ to Odegaard.

Odegaard has been one of the most influential players in the Premier League in recent years but has made less of an impact this season, scoring just two league goals.

Arsenal could yet, of course, turn a possibly underwhelming season into a historic one by winning the Champions League for the first time.

The Gunners take a healthy three-goal lead to the Bernabeu on Wednesday night for the second leg of their quarter-final tie against European champions Real Madrid.

Asked whether Arsenal had progressed or regressed this season, Neville told NBC Sports: ‘That will depend wholly now on the Champions League – if they win the Champions League then all will be forgiven.

‘But otherwise their league performances have been a big let down, I think that if Manchester City weren’t going to win the league, which they’ve done in the last four seasons, Arsenal had to be the team that were there waiting.

‘They’re not, they’re not even on the shoulder of Liverpool to put pressure on them in these last few weeks – Liverpool are going to win it at a canter.

‘I think that’s a big disappointment and where Arsenal have been in the last couple of seasons you felt as thought they were a team growing in Premier League title-races and getting better.

‘So what’s happened this season I think they’ve gone backwards, they’ve gone backwards I think from the start of the season in terms of their recruitment – they never covered themselves for their likely injury to Havertz who was their only centre-forward.

‘He didn’t really fancy [Gabriel] Jesus as a centre-forward. Odegaard is another big drop-off for them, I think they’ve lost Edu off the pitch, obviously their CEO as well, obviously now he’s going to Tottenham.

‘The Champions League is a huge opportunity for them but the league is your bread and butter and I think Mikel Arteta was building a squad to win the Premier League title.

‘This was the season that he really should have been there and been close with Liverpool and he’s not. It’s a let down.’

Ex-Premier League midfielder Robbie Mustoe disagreed with Neville’s assessment of Arsenal’s season and highlighted the club’s injury issues as a reason their title tilt has failed.

‘I still think they are going to be the second-placed team again for the third season on the trot,’ he said. ‘I think the injuries to key players at different parts of the season have to be considered.

‘I know, in terms of recruitment, it’s accepted that the front line is the last bit and the most important bit to strengthen.

‘I find it harder to criticise the team and the way they have played based on the disappointment [the injuries]. Liverpool are the only team to have had very few injuries.

‘Injuries make a difference. When you’ve got a few injuries, it’s hard to keep up the pace. They do need another striker, but I wouldn’t agree that they’ve regressed.’

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