Arteta should drop Arsenal star who made simply 11 passes

Mikel Arteta‘s aspect could be within the hunt to win the quadruple however Arsenal‘s final two efficiency have been something however classic.

Final Saturday was a much less glamour affair, profitable 2-1 away at Mansfield City however below the intense lights in Germany, they delivered a equally turgid efficiency in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen.

Certainly, because the membership’s Champions League knock-out marketing campaign received underway, the Londoners drew 1-1 with their Bundesliga opposition they usually had been made to work extremely arduous to take a end result again to the Emirates Stadium for the second leg subsequent Tuesday.

Kai Havertz returned to his former membership to attain a late penalty however it’s important to say there was a component of luck to Arsenal coming away with something on their travels.

How Arsenal drew with Bayer Leverkusen

As Arsenal get in the direction of the enterprise stage of the season you may forgive them for wanting a bit drained. Properly, they’ve definitely regarded like that in latest weeks, even when their squad depth has been hailed as the very best in Europe.

In opposition to Leverkusen, they had been made to look fairly common, fact be advised, because the staff with the second greatest defensive file at residence within the Bundesliga proved precisely why they’re so troublesome to interrupt down.

Whereas Arsenal coasted by a lot of the sport with out being troubled an excessive amount of by the German outfit, their frustrations boiled all the way down to one more irritating night time within the ultimate third, most particularly for Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal’s starboy not too long ago signed a brand new mega contract to the tune of £300k-per-week however his performances have arguably not been justifying such a excessive wage.

In 2026 to date, the winger has scored simply twice in 14 matches. In actual fact, when you look again into the latter levels of 2025 and his run of video games with simply two objectives extends to as many as 21.

He has been nicely under par for fairly just a few months now and his show in Leverkusen was maybe the nadir of his season to this point. Hauled off with out an hour even performed, Saka left the pitch having failed to offer a key go or have a shot on track. All three of his crosses had been inaccurate too.

Consequently, it was not a shock the remainder of the ahead line struggled. It was till Havertz’s late penalty that they discovered the online. Coincidentally, it was Saka’s alternative in Noni Madueke who gained the spot kick.

Earlier than that, nonetheless, Leverkusen had overwhelmed Arsenal at their very own sport, with Robert Andrich scoring a header from a nook shortly after the break.

So, generally, it was a fairly poor night time for a lot of in purple and white. That mentioned, Saka wasn’t Arsenal’s greatest underperformer.

Arsenal’s worst participant in opposition to Leverkusen

Membership captain on the night time, Saka’s show was maybe considered one of his worst for the membership since breaking by as a spritely teenager.

Nonetheless, he or his teammates had been hardly helped by striker Viktor Gyokeres who continues to be a polarising determine on the prime finish of the pitch for Arteta’s aspect.

The Swede has struggled for consistency since becoming a member of from Sporting final summer time however in 2026, he has arguably been considered one of Arsenal’s greatest gamers. After scoring twice in opposition to Spurs just a few weeks in the past, the centre-forward had netted eight objectives in 12 matches this calendar yr.

Sadly, since that fantastic efficiency in north London, Gyokeres has reverted to sort. His efficiency in opposition to Brighton within the 1-0 win was arguably his worst, ceding possession 13 occasions regardless of taking simply 20 touches of the ball. He could not maintain the ball up by any means.

Properly, it was the same form of efficiency from the big-money arrival on this one. He lasted 74 minutes earlier than being changed by Havertz, however his substitution ought to have come a lot sooner.

Whereas Saka did take pleasure in just a few vibrant moments down the precise, Gyokeres lower an nameless determine who merely could not maintain onto the ball. That meant Arsenal weren’t capable of relieve any stress as soon as they received the ball ahead.

The large-money striker had simply 21 touches on Wednesday night, 11 fewer than goalkeeper David Raya, whereas he additionally accomplished solely 69% of his passes, ceding possession on six events.

To make issues worse, he didn’t have a single shot at aim. That sadly tells a sorry story of his Arsenal profession to this point. Too many video games have handed him by the place he has not regarded like a risk within the slightest.

Whereas Havertz’s involvement was restricted to the aim, it was a much more optimistic affect and at this important stage of the season, the German merely has to begin over each Gyokeres and Jesus. They’ll, nonetheless, must maintain him match. They’ve been unable to take action for the very best a part of a yr now, but when they’re to have any hope of profitable the competitors, Arteta wants him within the staff.

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Arteta should contemplate his choices within the ultimate third of the pitch at Arsenal.