Charlie Nicholas criticises Arsenal’s defence and amount of draws this season

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Former Arsenal midfielder Charlie Nicholas feels his old club have had too many draws this season and has taken aim at their ‘useless’ defence.

The Sky Sports pundit feels Mikel Arteta has a big job on his hands at the Emirates Stadium and hopes that Pablo Mari can come in and help.

He said: “Arsenal are the same as Burnley – intriguing in their inconsistency. Arsenal fans do appreciate what Mikel Arteta is trying to do, bringing appetite and energy to the team and giving his side the chance to learn from the philosophy he has brought in.

“He has inherited a mess, though. To draw 12 games is a scandal and the defence has been useless. Perhaps Pablo Mari will be able to bolster it – we’ll see. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is coming back fresh, which could be the difference.”

TBR’s View – Perhaps Arsenal’s poor defence has stopped them taking risks

When a team has a poor defence like Arsenal, perhaps they are reluctant to fully commit to attack in order to protect themselves.

12 draws means Arsenal have only won six Premier League games – as many as Bournemouth, who the Gunners swept aside on Monday and sit in the Premier League relegation zone.

Arteta is trying to introduce a higher tempo and an emphasis on getting on the front foot, which may help turn some of those draws into wins if the likes of Mari and the returning Rob Holding can help bolster the backline.