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Here is your morning Arsenal digest on Tuesday, September 19.
Eddie Nketiah questioned
Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah started during his side's 1-0 win away to Everton at the weekend but the Hale End academy graduate struggled to impose himself on proceedings. Despite enjoying a stellar start to the 2023/24 campaign prior to the trip to Goodison Park, Newcastle United icon Alan Shearer has questioned Nketiah's ability as a so-called 'elite' centre-forward.
"We will continue to have discussions to say 'is he elite and the top-draw striker that Arsenal need to go to that next level?'" Shearer told Premier League Productions.
"We will keep on asking those questions because it’s important that when he gets the opportunity like he has done, then he has to take those opportunities. I just thought there were two or three occasions against Everton, one being the disallowed goal.
"There were a couple in that second half where I was thinking 'come on, get on the end of it and into the six-yard box and that little tap-in, like all great strikers do'.
"It was just a split second where he was slow. Until he does that, then those questions are still going to be asked."
Arteta decision questioned
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta opted to start David Raya over Aaron Ramsdale for Sunday's Premier League victory over Everton. But the Spaniard's decision was questioned by controversial Gunners supporters Piers Morgan, who argued that Ramsdale had been 'humiliated' by the selection.
Writing on X (formerly known as Twitter), Morgan said: "I don’t understand what Ramsdale has done to deserve being dropped? [Kai] Havertz, yes.. but Ramsdale's been consistently superb for us.
"Why humiliate him?"
Read more here.
Impressive defensive pattern emerges
Sunday's win was the 12th time that Arsenal have recorded a clean sheet away from home in the Premier League since the start of the 2021/22 campaign. For context, no other English top-flight side have managed more than seven in the same time period.
The next mission for Arteta and Co needs to be shoring up his side's defensive frailties at the Emirates Stadium, where they have kept just a clean sheet in the league on just four occasions since the start of last season.
Read the full story here.
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