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‘There’s an issue’… Martin Keown has noticed a major flaw in ‘outstanding’ Arsenal player
Martin Keown has given his verdict on Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus after watching him in action against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.
The Arsenal legend and TNT Sports pundit has noticed a major issue in the game of Jesus.
So, what has Martin Keown said about Gabriel Jesus? Let’s take a look.
Martin Keown comments on Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus
Well, Arsenal beat Crystal Palace in the London derby on Saturday. Mikel Arteta’s side won the Premier League match against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium in North London .
Gabriel Jesus started the match after recovering from injury. The Brazil international was deployed as the central striker.
The former Manchester City striker worked hard for the team, linked up well with his fellow attacking players, and provided an assist.
Arsenal legend Martin Keown was following the match for TNT Sports.
While the pundit has praised Jesus as a footballer, he does not think that the striker actually wants to get into positions where he could score goals.
Keown told about Jesus: “I like him as a player, I think he’s an excellent player. I just feel there’s an issue, is he really the predator? Does he want to get into that central position.
“It almost seemed he went back to type there, ‘I’ll wander into a wide position and then I’ll feed somebody else.’
“He doesn’t really make the runs into the box. You’ve got to want to really get there. There’s got to be the desire to get to the ball. He can see the space, but for whatever reason he doesn’t want to get into that area. Then they don’t feed him, they don’t give him the ball, but that’s an area he just needs to work on.
“It’s interesting, Pep [Guardiola] had him for a few years and decided to use him in that right position. That looked like the role he took up for Manchester City.
“But if he’s gonna be Arsenal’s centre-forward then there’s going to have to be more work done keeping him in that central position. But he works so hard for the team, he’s an outstanding talent, but I don’t see him as a predator right now.”
My View: Arsenal need a better ‘striker’ than Gabriel Jesus
In my view, Arsenal need a better ‘striker’ than Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian is not prolific, and I am not sure that he is ever going to be.
Jesus has made 201 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career. The striker has scored 72 goals and given 37 assists in those games.
So far this season, the 26-year-old has scored three goals and given two assists in 16 Premier League matches.
That is simply not good enough. If Arsenal are to challenge the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City for the Premier League title season after season, then the North London club have to sign a better and more prolific striker.