Theo Walcott fears Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is ‘too comfortable’ and desires to be challenged after one other worrying display in last night’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace.
Liverpool now need only a draw at home against Tottenham on Sunday to be crowned champions, while the Gunners at the moment are nervously looking over their shoulder with second place now removed from guaranteed considering their Champions League commitments and remaining domestic matches.
Last night’s setback represented a thirteenth draw within the Premier League this season as Mikel Arteta’s men twice conceded the lead and threw away two useful points.
Odegaard was partially accountable for Jean-Philippe Mateta’s late equaliser after he played William Saliba into trouble and was then bullied to the ground by the French striker whose sumptuous chip left David Raya stranded.
The Arsenal skipper has, by his recent high-standards, endured a difficult campaign and struggled to search out his best form following a serious ankle injury that required surgery.
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Odegaard stays the creative heartbeat of his side but Walcott believes it’s time the previous Real Madrid playmaker faced more competition for his place within the team.
Asked about the potential for Arsenal being caught by Manchester City, Walcott told Sky Sports: ‘Manchester City have been dominating the Premier League for a lot of, a few years have had a poor season but could find yourself ahead of Arsenal.
Arsenal star accused of being ‘too comfortable’
‘Everyone expected whoever finishes above City would win the league. That’s the disappointing thing because there’s been certain situations within the season where there’s been discipline issues or referee decisions and injuries play their part.
‘It just shows there for me that certain players going back to Odegaard are beginning to feel too comfortable and never being pushed a bit more. There’s a way of that in some performances.’
Walcott, did, meanwhile, exonerate Raya who had an uncharacteristically shaky game against the Eagles.
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He said: ‘The goalkeeper tonight was a bit indifferent but Raya’s been unbelievable again and again. There’s periods of time where he won’t be on the ball in any respect but he’s at all times been very consistent.
‘Tonight’s it’s been certainly one of those I feel he’s the form of character who can put this to bed.
‘You have got to for those who make a poor error, you only need to ignore it because otherwise you may’t play at the highest level, particularly for Arsenal. Raya I’m not as bothered about, I’m just talking about other players in certain positions who’re too comfortable and must be pushed.’
Mikel Arteta indignant with Arsenal display
Arteta and his squad now have nearly per week to arrange for the primary leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain on the Emirates.
Asked whether a lethargic display against Palace had anything to do with such a seismic game looming on the horizon, the Arsenal manager said: ‘Hopefully not, but we discussed that before Ipswich, and it wasn’t there, and today we still had six days to arrange that match, and I don’t wish to use that.
‘Obviously, we have now missed lots of players, lots of players that haven’t trained in any respect, they weren’t in a position to do it today so we were very short.
‘Credit to Palace, they’re thoroughly organised, they’re a extremely good side, they made it difficult for us and everybody else, but today we weren’t at our greatest.’
On his side developing an unwanted status as draw specialists he added: ‘We haven’t been in a position to see the games off for a lot of reasons, and the margins have been too small.
‘Sometimes that, sometimes credit to the opposition, it’s true that we played five times with ten men.
‘There are lots of aspects, but obviously it’s something that we’ve done significantly better up to now, especially once we’ve been ahead in games.
‘Today, without really much happening, especially within the second half, we have now to give you the chance to see the sport off.’
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