Gary Neville criticises Arsenal forwards for blowing ‘big moments’ in derby draw with Tottenham… and claims the Gunners need a player who ‘has that smell of where the ball is going to land’

Gary Neville criticised Arsenal‘s forwards following the Gunners’ north London derby draw with Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners led twice in the game, firstly through a Cristian Romero own goal before Bukayo Saka netted from the penalty spot following a handball from the Argentina defender.

But they were pegged back and failed to see out the game, squandering a number of opportunities to score and potentially secure a victory in one of the most highly-anticipated derbies in years.

One effort in particular that went begging was at 1-0 to the hosts, with Gabriel Jesus dispossessing James Maddison in his own box, only to fire over with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast on Sky Sports, the former defender admitted that while he appreciates Jesus’ flexibility with the Brazilian having started on the left in the game rather than through the middle, he lacked the composure Arsenal required at that moment and will require going forward. 

Gabriel Jesus (left) and Eddie Nketiah (right) both wasted good opportunities for their side

Jesus fired over the bar from close range after dispossessing James Maddison (right) at 1-0

‘I’m not a fan of strikers who just stay in the six-yard box and grab a goal, not many of them exist anymore anyway,’ he said. ‘I like forwards who are flexible, and can play on the left and right. But you’ve still got to have a couple of players in your team who have that smell of where the ball is going to land.

‘Listening to Sir Alex Ferguson and the England coaches over the years, it was always the way that forwards had to make runs across the defender. But if the ball’s on the other side and gets crossed to the back post, that they can make a run into that area too.

‘Earlier with Jesus, when he robbed Maddison, these are big moments in the game. You’ve got to be on the move and be sniffing, smelling, anticipating, and Arsenal haven’t got that.’

Neville was also critical on commentary when Eddie Nketiah – who started up front – failed to run towards the back post when the ball made its way all the way through from a corner.

Arsenal are now fifth in the Premier League table following the result, but remain unbeaten and are four points behind Manchester City at the top of the league.

Neville said Mikel Arteta’s side are missing a forward who ‘has that smell of where the ball is going to land’

Arsenal wasted two leads in the game as Son Heung-min (left) and James Maddison (right) linked up for two goals

While they are looking to push the champions again after last year’s second-place finish, Neville admitted they could still do that, but could do with a more instinctive forward. 

‘On a corner when it’s getting flicked on, you’ve got to get in at the back post,’ he said. ‘I think of Ian Wright starting in and around the six-yard box because I used to mark him at corners, and he was a nightmare.

‘He would always peel around to the back post to make sure if the ball gets glanced on, which it does, that he’s there. Nketiah wasn’t there. He was hanging out and didn’t make that run.

‘I really like this Arsenal team and they could go on to win a title or finish second, have a great season and win trophies without that type of player, but it became obvious in this game that it was missing. Alan Smith pointed it out on commentary too and he knows far more than I do about playing up front.’