Ray Parlour claims Arsenal lack finishing flair
Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has said that Arsene Wenger's team is lacking edge in the final third of the field.
Parlour made 339 league appearances for Arsenal during his playing career, winning three FA Cups and one League Cup trophy. He also won three Premier League titles, all of which came after Wenger's arrival to the club in 1996.
Having witnessed Arsenal's start to the season, Parlour, who ended his playing career with Hull City in 2007, said that his former team is in need of a player who can do the unexpected in front of goal.
"Arsenal are lacking in the final third. They play some lovely football, but they're missing that cutting edge, the player who’s going to score them a goal out of nothing," said Parlour, who said he was unsure as to whether the current Arsenal squad contains
the offensive flair that Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp provided during his time at the club.
"Whether [Robin] Van Persie or [Theo] Walcott can provide that, we’ll have to wait and see."
Key duo still on the sidelines
Walcott made a promising start to the current season, scoring four goals in three league games, but suffered an ankle injury in England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland last month.
Van Persie, Arsenal's most promising striker when his fitness allows, picked up a knock to his ankle early on in the league campaign, and has already spent much of the 2009-10 season on the sidelines.
Wenger will now rely on the offensive creativity of Andrey Arshavin, Marouane Chamakh and youngster Jack Wilshere as his team looks to bounce back after their recent 2–0 defeat to defending champions Chelsea.
"Arsenal should be all right this weekend [against Birmingham City], but we said that about the game against West Bromwich Albion, and they came unstuck," Parlour said about Arsenal's recent 3–2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium. "It just shows you that every
player has to perform, otherwise, you can come unstuck."
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