Jamie Carragher Claims Arsenal Lack Attacking Superstar, Calls Out Saka and Odegaard

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has critiqued Arsenal's attacking lineup, asserting that the team lacks an "absolute superstar" in their forward line despite their strong Premier League title challenge. Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher highlighted Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard as players who have not reached the elite level expected of them this season[1][2].

Arsenal recently drew 1-1 at Brentford, shifting focus back to league action with a midweek trip to Wolves. While they boast the league's best defense, they trail Manchester City in goals scored. Carragher dismissed notions of a "mentality issue" under Mikel Arteta, instead pointing to a deficiency in quality inside the opposition box[1].

"I made a comment about Arsenal about a month ago... People talk about their mentality – I actually think Arsenal have great mentality. But their problem could be a lack of quality in the final third," Carragher stated[1].

He elaborated that Arsenal's front four or five lack a world-class talisman like Ronaldo, Drogba, or Aguero—someone to "pin everything on." Carragher noted Saka and Odegaard haven't evolved into such figures, questioning their superstar status[1].

Yet, Carragher acknowledged Arsenal's tactical nous: "What we've seen over the last three years is they know how to win games. So they've shown you actually don’t need that [superstar]... Have they got that superstar? I don’t think they have, but you know how to win games"[1]. He praised their mentality and quality overall, suggesting elite individual brilliance isn't essential for success[2].

This comes amid Arsenal's title push, where defensive solidity shines but attacking firepower lags. Carragher's view underscores a debate: can collective strength compensate for missing a marquee forward star?[1][2]

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