"I think they are in trouble" - Paddy Kenny believes 'embarrassing' Arsenal are 'nowhere near' securing top four finish
Former Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has said that he is disappointed by Arsenal's poor recent form and believes they do not deserve to be in the top-four.
The Gunners have experienced what has been a harrowing couple of weeks since their return to football in April after the international break. The club have suffered three consecutive defeats in the Premier League which has seen them drop nine crucial points in their race to secure a top-four finish.
Meanwhile, competitors Tottenham Hotspur have leapfrogged them into fourth place and Manchester United too have gained some ground. This has left Arsenal tottering in sixth position, although they have one game in hand.
The 43-year old Kenny told Football Insider's Ben Wild:
"They have gone from being on the front foot to all of a sudden being on the back foot. They lost to Brighton at home. This is a struggling Brighton side who couldn’t score. They scored twice and it was easy for them, it was embarrassing. Now Arsenal look nowhere near."
Kenny was right to point out the north London club's home defeat to Graham Potter's side in particular because the Seagulls were in abysmal form coming into the game. They had only scored once in their previous seven Premier League games out of which they lost six before they struck two at the Emirates.
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This saw Mikel Arteta's team lose their well-earned momentum, which eventually led to another poor showing away to Southampton. They suffered their third defeat in a row to the Saints.
The former Sheffield keeper was banking on Arsenal to seal fourth spot and secure Champions League football for next season. However, he acknowledges that the climb from sixth to fourth looks very daunting now.
"The top four looked absolutely nailed on this time last month but now they are sixth. The form has gone and Tottenham look so strong. I thought Arsenal would be winning these games and they just don’t look at it. I think they are in trouble.”
Injuries and a tricky fixture list could see Arsenal miss out on the top-four
The Gunners faithful were always mindful of the thin squad that Mikel Arteta was functioning with after the January transfer window. Their weaknesses are now being exploited in this top-four race as first team members Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all nursing their respective injuries.
Tierney's season is over due to a knee injury and the Emirates outfit are not confident about Partey's return to first-team action before the end of the season as well. On top of that, this is a young squad that relies too much on its inexperienced stars to perform every time.
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In hindsight, the decision to let go of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ainsley Maitland Niles and Sead Kolasinac midway into the season could cost Arsenal a return to the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta's side will play Chelsea in their next game, then face-off against Manchester United, followed by West Ham.
It is difficult to see a low on morale and momentum-lacking Arsenal side picking up any points from those games. Unless the Gunners have something miraculous planned for a grand finish to the season.