Arsenal's Attack in Crisis: Saka and Three Others Fall Below Standard, Bent Demands Odegaard Benching

Arsenal cling to a four-point lead at the summit of the Premier League table, yet the vultures are circling after a sluggish performance against Manchester United left them winless in three matches. The Gunners' latest stumble has sparked fresh concerns about another potential title collapse, with the attacking contingent bearing the brunt of criticism.

Darren Bent, the former Premier League striker and lifelong Arsenal supporter, has wasted little time in demanding action from Mikel Arteta. Speaking on talkSPORT, the pundit was particularly scathing about Martin Odegaard's contribution, insisting the Norwegian must make way for summer arrival Eberechi Eze.

"Next weekend in the Premier League, Odegaard out. Out! Honestly, out," Bent declared emphatically. "He's offering nothing. Give Eze four or five games. Eze has to start and Odegaard has to come out."

The reasoning behind Bent's call stems from Eze's standout showing against Tottenham, where the midfielder made an immediate impression. Odegaard's subsequent return, Bent contends, saw the captain revert to his recent struggles rather than recapture the form that defined his performances two years ago.

"Give Eze a run of games now because he's a special talent," Bent insisted, before acknowledging that the wider attacking picture is equally troublesome. "Right now, in the attacking areas, no player can hold their hands up and say they don't deserve to be dropped, because they have all been poor."

Arsenal's laboured approach play proved particularly frustrating on Sunday. Rather than transitioning swiftly into attack, the Gunners shuffled possession sideways and backwards, gifting Manchester United the opportunity to press effectively. Bryan Mbeumo's equaliser just before half-time exemplified this sluggish build-up, with United simply shuffling across the pitch as Arsenal cycled the ball between Saliba, Zubimendi, Gabriel, Raya, and Rice without making meaningful progress.

"I don't understand why Arsenal are just going backwards and sideways," Bent lamented. "That's where Manchester United's first goal comes from. They're not getting it out of their feet and playing forward."

Despite the attacking malaise, Bent acknowledged Arsenal's defensive solidity throughout the campaign. The problem, he stressed, lies exclusively in the final third, where the creative spark has dimmed to dangerous levels.

The concern for Bent is whether Arsenal can capitalise on the opportunities the title race continues to offer. With Manchester City and Aston Villa both dropping points, the Gunners have squandered chances to extend their advantage. His anxiety centres not merely on recent results but on where Arsenal's attacking threat now originates.

"The only time I get excited is when we get a corner," Bent admitted. "Other than that, where's the genuine chance coming from?"

Beyond Odegaard, Bent identified three attacking players struggling to deliver the goods. Saka, despite his pedigree and years of service to the club, has managed just seven goals and seven assists across 31 appearances this campaign—a return the pundit deemed insufficient.

"Listen, Saka has been incredible for Arsenal for such a long time, you can't take anything away from him," Bent acknowledged. "But this season hasn't been good enough. He does it in moments but his output in terms of assists and goals has not been good enough."

Gyokeres and Trossard, the latter once Arsenal's most dependable attacking outlet, have similarly failed to maintain the required standard. Trossard, in particular, has dipped markedly over the past five or six games.

With Arsenal's lead potentially vulnerable and their attacking play crying out for solutions, Arteta faces mounting pressure to rejuvenate his side's creative output before the title race slips entirely from their grasp.