They don't have Vinicius! Major blow for Arsenal in the race for the Champions League title
There are other strengths
Arsenal legend and Sky Sports analyst Paul Merson has dealt a heavy blow to the Gunners' fans' hopes of winning the Champions League, insisting that the current side, despite its terrifying defensive strength, lacks the "terrifying player" capable of unsettling Europe's elite, naming specifically Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez.
Havertz is not enough for Europe
Merson said in his analytical article ahead of the Napoli and Arsenal clash: "The Gunners' record in the Champions League last year was remarkable, and they will be strong contenders again, but I don't think they signed the impact player who will take them to a higher level."
"They have enough to win the Premier League, but the attack against the big teams lacks the decisive element," he added. "If they had a player like Vinicius Junior or Julian Alvarez, that would have given them the edge to win the Champions League."
On Kai Havertz he said: "I'm one of his biggest admirers, a hard-working, excellent player who makes the right decisions, but he won't score 20 goals in a season. To lead them to the league title, there's no doubt he's top class, but Europe needs something else."
Bayern's centre-back isn't worried about Arsenal
Merson also pointed to a serious psychological weakness in Arsenal's current attack. "When the Gunners face teams like Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in the advanced rounds, the centre-back and the full-backs wake up in the morning and say to their team-mates: I didn't sleep well last night, I feel a little anxious about who I'll be facing," he said. "I don't see this applying to Arsenal, perhaps only Bukayo Saka, but they lack that terrifying element."
Turning to last year's final, he added: "Arsenal didn't have enough pace to attack, while Paris Saint-Germain pressed hard and didn't allow them to get out of their area."
A defence that can't be breached
The attacking criticism came with plenty of praise for Arsenal's defensive solidity. "Their line-up is huge and extremely solid," Merson said. "It's very hard to get any shot in against them, let alone score a goal. Chelsea went there with one of the best front threes in the league and scored after 77 seconds, but I don't remember them looking capable of scoring another goal. This shows how dominant the Gunners are at the moment."
