Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has revealed that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger would be worried with the non-performance shown by the side he featured during Wednesday night’s EFL Cup quarter-final clash with Southampton at the Emirates Stadium.
Wenger made 10 changes from the side that won 3-1 in a home league clash against Bournemouth but saw his side lose 2-0 to Southampton, a result that was enough to end Arsenal’s 19 match unbeaten run since the 4-3 loss to Liverpool at the start of the season as well as exiting the EFL Cup.
In his Tackle Keown column with the Daily Mail, Keown pointed out that there was enough quality in the Arsenal side fielded on Wednesday night with players like Aaron Ramsey, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson amongst others and that the manager would be worried with the manner in which his team succumbed to Southampton managed by his former player at French side AS Monaco, Claude Puel.
In his words, Martin Keown said: “The defeat by Southampton will have been worrying for Wenger as the players didn’t seem to have any desire.”
“There was enough on the pitch to win the match. Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny both started at Old Trafford in the league, Aaron Ramsey has played in the Mesut Ozil role to great effect for Wales and Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs have both won England caps.
“But there was no urgency to their play. They didn’t seem to create anything. It was all very safe, passing the ball in front of their opponents.” he further added.
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