Gary Neville and Paul Scholes alarmed by two Arsenal players with one causing ‘a big problem’

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Gary Neville and Paul Scholes alarmed by two Arsenal players with one causing 'a big problem'

Arsenal beating Newcastle United has not stopped Gary Neville and Paul Scholes from singling out two Arsenal players despite them topping the Premier League again

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Gary Neville, meanwhile, has singled out Martin Zubimendi for losing form recently, something Scholes believes is probably due to it being the midfielder's debut season in the Premier League. Both players started Saturday's 1-0 win over Newcastle United, although Zubimendi again did not complete the 90 minutes, with Myles Lewis-Skelly replacing him late on.

Mikel Arteta acknowledged afterwards that he "was sick, and at half-time, he wasn't feeling good." They ultimately had to take him off.

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Neville, however, highlighted Zubimendi on the latest episode of The Overlap Fan Debate. He said: "They signed Zubimendi. I was there in Berlin (for the European Championship final) a couple of years ago when Rodri came off at half-time (for Spain).

"I am thinking, 'we (England) are winning the European Championships, Zubimendi is coming on'. He was absolutely brilliant. He gets control of the ball; he is someone who relaxes everybody.

“I really expected him, in this period, when Arsenal are definitely finding it difficult, I expected him, more than Declan Rice and the others, to be honest with you, to actually be that controlling element. A little bit like you (Scholes) were at times, where you think 'right, OK, we are safe, he is on the ball, and he has got the rhythm of the team', and he has just fallen really away a lot in the last few weeks, hasn't he?"

Scholes, recalling Zubimendi's time playing for Real Sociedad in La Liga, replied: "Do you know what, it is probably… the Premier League is tough, isn't it? It's a long season, and he probably won't have experienced anything like this before in Spain; he won't have gone for a title in Spain with Sociedad, I suppose.

"When I had seen him for Sociedad, you were saying, if I remember rightly, he was someone who progresses the ball up the pitch. I never saw him as that.

"I didn't see him loads, but I never thought he was going to be a player who was going to make your team play good football, and I think your central midfield player has to do that. I don't think he progresses the game enough."

He continued: "That game on Saturday, I didn't see all of it. I probably saw the first half-hour, but I think Odegaard is a big problem for them as well. I think the number ten position…I love Odegaard. I think he's brilliant. Technically, he's great, but he doesn't play his position properly.

"Half the time I saw him in the first 20 minutes, he is almost the deepest man…that football, it's just bull***t. Whether they have been told that or not (to go deep), Odegaard is a number ten and connects your midfield to your forward play, and you wonder why there is no flow in your team when he is behind Zumbimendi and Rice?

"How can you get connections there? I also think Saka not being there is a problem because I think Odegaard does connect well with Saka. Once he gets in those positions in behind midfield, Saka is off and running."

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