Martin Keown feels Arsenal are underdogs

Martin Keown

Former Arsenal defender and current BBC football analyst, Martin Keown, revealed that Arsenal are not title contenders as they failed to sign a striker to support Oliver Giroud.

Keown said in an interview with BBC Sport’s Alistair Magowan, “The Gunners’ firepower hardly compares to Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea, and if their only fit striker, and top scorer, Olivier Giroud were to get injured it would spell disaster. Other than Giroud, Wenger’s options look limited: Theo Walcott is out injured for the season and I feel Nicklas Bendtner is nowhere near fit enough. Yaya Sanogo is another striker on the treatment table.”

“Arsenal also have injury problems in midfield, Aaron Ramsey is out for six weeks, Jack Wilshere has hurt his ankle and Mathieu Flamini is suspended for three games and they have addressed that with the loan signing of Kim Kallstrom.”

“The 64-year-old is very big on not wanting to upset the ambience of the squad and perhaps he felt that other options – such as Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov, who joined Monaco on loan – were not suitable. The City quartet of Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo, Edin Dzeko and Yaya Toure have notched 43 league goals between them – only two short of Arsenal’s league total. Manuel Pellegrini’s side are like a tag team for goals and it’s a job to work out who their best striker is, such is their quality.”

However, he backed Wenger on not dishing out crazy money for Julian Draxler, “Arsene Wenger’s side were linked with Schalke’s Germany international Julian Draxler, but I can understand his logic in not proceeding – £37m looked a lot of money for a 20-year-old who is not proven in the Premier League. Manchester United paid that amount for Juan Mata, and the Spain international is the finished article.”