Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have not hit the heights for Arsenal so far this campaign (Picture: Getty Images)
Arsenal are top of the Premier League table but Jamie Carragher believes they have not been as fluent as last season and that is down to the performance of their forward players.
A late victory at Brentford on Saturday took the Gunners back to the summit of the Premier League, one point ahead of Manchester City after their draw with Liverpool on Saturday.
Clearly that represents an impressive start to the campaign but Carragher does not believe they are playing with the fluency, pace and threat that they were last season.
The Liverpool legend believes that is because the front four of Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli have not been as good as they were over the last campaign.
While the quartet have hardly been poor, and both Jesus and Odegaard have had fitness issues, Carragher believes they were operating on such a high level last season they are struggling to live up to it.
‘When we’re talking about “a different Arsenal” we can see it in stats, but everyone can see it with their eyes. It’s not the same fluidity, the same pace, energy, creating chances, you can see that,’ Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
‘I don’t think it’s anything tactical. When I watch Arsenal it’s the same things. Zinchenko going into midfield, Declan Rice has come in for Thomas Partey and Partey was outstanding at this stage last season, and Declan Rice has been outstanding. In midfield I’d say they’re more offensive than last season.
‘The reason I don’t think they are as fluent, I think individually the attacking players have been average this season whereas they were on absolute fire last season. In terms of Martinelli, Saka, Jesus, Odegaard was up there last season alongside Kevin De Bruyne, I know he’s has a few injury problems but…’
Arsenal have scored 27 goals in their 13 Premier League games so far this season, a very healthy return but Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Brighton have all scored more.
Eddie Nketiah is the top-scorer in the league for the Gunners on five, ahead of Saka, 4, Odegaard and Leandro Trossard, 3, while Martinelli and Jesus, 1, are lagging behind.
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