Football
ESPN staff 7y

Arsenal's 'soft centre' holds no fear for opposition - Troy Deeney

Watford striker Troy Deeney says that Arsenal have lost their fear factor, insisting that Arsene Wenger's side struggle to get back into a game once they are behind.

Deeney, 28, was pivotal up front as Watford scored twice in 13 minutes to shock Arsenal 2-1 in January. And the forward believes that the Gunners' defence are not physical enough.

"The only thing I'd say when you play Arsenal, is there is no fear," Deeney told BBC Radio Five Live. "When you play a tough centre-half, like Eric Bailly at Manchester United, you're up against him and think 'he's going to give me a whack.'

"There's no-one in that Arsenal team who you really fear. You feel like you could run through them. They are great footballers, much better than me, I can't deny that. I just think there is that soft centre to Arsenal."

Arsenal are five points adrift of the top four (with one game in hand) and have fallen to shock defeats to Crystal Palace and West Brom in recent weeks. And Deeney says that the club are missing the fight of their rivals.

"I always find when Arsenal go behind, I don't feel confident that they're going to come back and win 2-1," he said.

"Whether it be Burnley or Man United. I don't feel, I don't have that confidence in them. Whereas, if Chelsea go a goal behind I think, right, well that might have kick-started them."

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