Gary Neville slams ‘rigid’ Arsenal over set-piece ‘obsession’

Neville also said Arsenal left themselves ‘short’ by failing to add another forward in January, with Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus all sidelined

Gary Neville has claimed Arsenal’s “obsession” with set-pieces has cost the club in their pursuit of the Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat to West Ham on Saturday and are now 11 points behind Liverpool after their victory over Manchester City.

Neville, who had the Gunners as his favourite to win the title at the start of the season, also said Arsenal had paid the price for not strengthening their squad in January.

Arsenal failed to recruit another attacking player despite injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli joining them on the sidelines.

Arsenal were forced to start midfielder Mikel Merino in attack against West Ham but Arteta’s side landed just two shots on target and struggled to threaten the visitors.

Neville believes Arsenal have become “rigid” and “turgid” on the ball - and have missed an opportunity this season with Manchester City out of contention after leaving themselves “short” in attack.

"When City weren't going to be there, the team that had to be there was Arsenal," the former Manchester United and England right back said on the Gary Neville Podcast.

"It's not going to be them, it doesn't look like, and that's the big shock and surprise. That'll be the one that'll hit hardest in that Arsenal boardroom, and with Mikel Arteta and the players, because they're desperate to win a title.

"Liverpool have drawn two in the last three, they've drawn four in the last eight, Arsenal have had a chance to get back closer, they could have gone within five points [had they beaten West Ham].

"[The injuries to attacking players] is a defence, but they you’ve got to plan for it. I know they didn't want to do business in the January transfer window, they thought there wasn't value in the market, or they couldn't get the player that would come in and impact them.

(Getty Images)

Neville said he still expected Arsenal to beat West Ham at home, with Arteta left furious at his team dropping their standards in the 1-0 defeat at the Emirates.

The Gunners scored 20 goals from set-pieces last season, the most in the Premier League, but have bristled at suggestions that they have become overly reliant on scoring set-piece goals under assistant coach Nicolas Jover.

"I felt there was an obsession with set-pieces, which almost overtakes the whole game, exacerbated by the fact that there's the presence of the set-piece coach on the touchline,” Neville said. "I feel like the freedom's gone a little bit from them."

“We want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play,” Arteta said following the 2-0 win over Manchester United earlier this season.

“Last year we scored the most goals in the history of this football club, not because of only set-pieces but because of a lot of things that we have. We want to create individual and magic moments, too.”

Arteta said Arsenal “deserve” to feel the “pain” of their defeat to West Ham as the Gunners look to pick themselves up ahead of their trip to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday

"The moment we got into the areas, then you have to unlock something, and we didn't. That is down to me as well,” Arteta said after the 1-0 defeat.

“That is my responsibility and I don't want to take that all to the players. Today we weren't at the level required to be convincingly better than the opponent. It is painful. We need to feel the pain today, we deserve it."