Arsenal legend Martin Keown slammed Matt Turner for his lackluster display during the 2-2 draw against sporting CP in the Europa League first leg clash. Turner has been the Gunners’ man between the sticks for the European cup tournament.
Mikel Arteta’s team took the lead in the 22nd minute as William Saliba headed home from a Fabio Vieira corner. Sporting equalized in the 34th minute from a corner of their own as Goncalo Inacio found the back of the net.
Turner’s role in the goal was questionable and Keown slammed the American shot-stopper as he said on BT Sport at half-time (via football.London):
“Really he’s killed everyone, because he’s started to come and then doesn’t. But [Jakub] Kiwior, too, he’s got to do a little bit more than that. I’m thinking that I’m going to have to go and head things because I can’t necessarily trust him. There he has come and win it and be dominant and he didn’t do it.”
Keown revisited the topic after the full-time whistle as the former defender said:
“He [Turner] had a first scary moments in the first half. He’s got to come and be dominant and win the ball from the corner, but he didn’t do it. The goalkeeper has to learn from it. You make up your mind to come for the ball and you go and reach it at the highest point.”
Keown added:
“If you look, the goalkeeper comes and then he backs off. He kills the central defenders. I tell you what I’d do when I’m playing for the next one, I’m coming, I’m heading that. I’ll take my own goalkeeper out because I can’t rely on him. For sure, (Aaron) Ramsdale would have come and dealt with it.”
Turner has mostly been used as Ramsdale’s back-up for Arsenal this season. He has made seven appearances so far this season, keeping four clean sheets.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was also skeptical about his team’s defense
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also raised concerns over his team’s defensive work during Inacio’s goal. Arteta claimed that the defensive line needed to be tighter in that situation.
Speaking after the match, Arteta said:
“I don’t know what it was. It’s very difficult when it happens in a second. But for sure in that space, somebody cannot have a free header and you concede a goal because it’s too simple.”
Arsenal had to rely on an own goal from Hidemasa Morita after Paulinho gave Sporting the lead. The match ended 2-2 and the Gunners will play the second leg at the Emirates on March 16.
Arsenal will return to action on March 12. The league leaders will take the trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham.
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