Carragher: The defense will determine whether Arsenal can compete for the Premier League, not Yorke

August 29, former England international Carragher said in the Telegraph column that it was Gabriel and Saliba who decided whether Arsenal could compete for the championship, rather than Yorke on the front line.

"Arteta's team has a deeper lineup depth than rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, and may not require a thorough tactical adjustment. If Arsenal eventually wins the Premier League title this season, their success will be based on the continued outstanding performance of the backline, rather than the transformative traits of new signing Yorke. When Arteta's team heads to Anfield for a direct dialogue on the first championship, the observation is a compliment for a great central defender combination and a great goalkeeper, not for this one Criticism from the striker who is worth £64m. "

" There have only been two games in the new season, and it's too early to make a harsh judgment or generalization, but the biggest gain in the first two weeks is: the key battlefield seems to be between the 'typical Arsenal' and the different, transitional Liverpool. That's why there should be more confidence at Emirates Stadium that this is one of the biggest reasons for their time. Arsenal has a great chance to win the league by doing what they've been doing for the past three years . They need to take the last step, rather than a huge leap to reach their promised land. The final victory could be the result of just getting a little better, or the result of their closest competitor being slightly worse. ”

"Argent scored 179 goals in 76 Premier League games between 2022 and 2024, second only to Manchester City, which is hard to prove that this is a team with serious offensive problems. They scored 17 fewer goals last season than champion Liverpool, This has led to a strong demand for a No. 9 player, who has arrived. Over the past 18 months, Arteta has undoubtedly focused on making Arsenal more solid than gorgeous. So far, there is no indication that he is rethinking the strategy. The role of Zhekelaysh is to help Arsenal translate more into victory in the 2024-2025 season, the elusive last element rather than introducing a boldness with a striker who scores 25 goals a year New tactical approach. "

" That's why I suspect Havertz would start on Sunday if it weren't for the injury rather than Yorke. As the season progresses, it's hard to imagine a healthy Havertz who would be reduced to a substitute in important Premier League and Champions League games. Yorke looks like a useful replacement, a different type of striker who offers solutions to a slightly weaker team when needed, rather than a complete replacement for this German player. How many goals he scored in his debut season, the real basis of Arsenal’s championship challenge is familiar. ”

” Arsenal’s defensive level is different from any Premier League team at present. Raya has not conceded yet, and although there was a lot of premature hype about Manchester United’s improvement in the first game at Old Trafford, it seems that Arsenal will not concede at any time. Their sharp insights in set pieces were shown last weekend after a frustrating 34 minutes against Leeds United. Overall , their roster depth this season is stronger than Liverpool and Manchester City - in my opinion, these two teams are the only other contenders. "

" Arteta pointed out that injury was the real reason why they fell 10 points last season. The biggest concern for Arsenal fans must be that the absence of players will once again be the most destructive factor. Havertz and Saka are expected to miss the game against Liverpool, while Odegao is working hard to get back to health. The same three key players also missed the game at a critical moment last season. Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Arsenal has reported 75 different injuries. During this period, the average number of injuries in the Premier League was 54. "

" There will always be a moment where people will start to question, as they had reason to question during their coaching at Liverpool's Klopp and Tottenham's Postkoglu, the injury was caused by bad luck or excessive training intensity. But if it weren't for the injury, it would be the ideal time for Arsenal to travel to Anfield."