AFCON 2025
Former Manchester United player Wayne Rooney criticized Arsenal’s midfield trio of Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino after their 1-0 defeat to PSG.
Speaking on Amazon Prime, Rooney said:
“The midfield three for Arsenal are all over the place. They are trying to press the ball at every opportunity, and they are leaving massive gaps, as you can see for the first goal.
“They need to sit in shape, let PSG have the ball for a bit.”
Rooney also commented on the atmosphere, noting that the Arsenal fans were “a bit subdued” compared to their energetic support during the quarter-final win over Real Madrid.
“The fans against Real Madrid were excellent, they really pushed the team, but tonight they were a bit subdued.
“Maybe if they brought the same energy they brought against Real Madrid, that might have lifted the players by five percent.”
Arsenal will look to bounce back in the second leg next week in Paris, with Thomas Partey returning from suspension.
