Despite Arsenal’s commanding 7-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, football pundit Rio Ferdinand remains skeptical about their prospects of clinching the coveted title this season.
Ferdinand: Arsenal Lack a Striker and Won’t Win the Champions League
The former Manchester United defender has identified four teams he believes would likely eliminate the Gunners in the competition: Liverpool, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain.
Ferdinand expressed his reservations on his “Rio Ferdinand Presents” podcast, stating, “I think Arsenal are probably the fourth-best team at Champions League level on that side of the draw, not even in the competition on that side of the draw.
Behind Liverpool, behind Real Madrid, behind Atletico Madrid, behind Paris Saint-Germain. They’re fifth, I put Arsenal fifth at Champions League level. Mad that, isn’t it?”
He further elaborated on his concerns regarding Arsenal’s recent trajectory, suggesting that the team has regressed compared to previous seasons.
Ferdinand said, “I don’t think it’s that they can’t win under Arteta, I just think they’ve gone further away than where they were the last two years because, points-wise, they were almost breaking records and it was only Manchester City playing against them.
So they’ve gone backwards from those last couple of years, I believe that in that sense.”
One of Ferdinand’s primary criticisms centers on Arsenal’s attacking options. He highlighted the deployment of Mikel Merino, traditionally a central defensive midfielder, in forward positions as a sign of the team’s inadequate depth in attack.
Ferdinand remarked, “You can’t have a CDM [Mikel Merino] playing up front when you’re trying to win the Premier League and Champions League.
They had an opportunity in January [to sign a new striker] but there wasn’t loads available.”
He also commented on Kai Havertz’s role, acknowledging his contributions but emphasizing the necessity for a traditional striker:
“I definitely would have made a beeline for a centre-forward, 100%. Kai Havertz has done an okay job but you need an out-and-out No. 9, surely.”
Ferdinand’s analysis underscores the challenges Arsenal may face as they advance in the Champions League.
While their recent performance against PSV was impressive, the looming prospect of facing European heavyweights like Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, and PSG presents a formidable obstacle.
The Gunners’ ability to navigate these challenges will be crucial in determining their success in Europe’s premier club competition this season.
