Shearer's foul-mouthed thoughts on Arsenal issue that he refused to say on MOTD
Alan Shearer has revealed he was forced to bite his tongue while working for the BBC during Arsenal's defeat by Liverpool in the FA Cup.
The Gunners were on top for most of the third round clash at the Emirates Stadium, having 18 shots in total. But they failed to find a way past Reds keeper Alisson and were left shellshocked by two late goals that sent them crashing out of the competition.
The defeat was the latest in a long line of games in which Arsenal have failed to make their dominance count. Instead, they have been left frustrated in front of goal, scoring just twice in their last four games.
It is a problem that has left Shearer, the Premier League's record goalscorer, infuriated. The former Newcastle star has now disclosed that while he was on commentary duty for Sunday's game, he had to hold back from turning the air blue on the Match of the Day coverage.
"For a little while, I felt like an Arsenal fan; watching their FA Cup defeat against Liverpool was maddening, an exercise in stomach-churning frustration. As each golden chance came and went, the closer I came to turning the airwaves a vivid shade of blue," Shearer told The Athletic.
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"It took a lot of self-control (and a tongue bitten half to shreds) not to scream, 'OH MY GOD, NO NO NO, JUST F***ING HIT THE BALL, PLEASE.' As a former striker, I found all those unnecessary touches, the muddled decision-making and the moments of hesitation utterly infuriating.
"I can certainly understand why supporters would be bemoaning their lack of a proper, high-quality centre-forward. If it’s so clear to them and so clear to the rest of us, then surely Arsenal’s hierarchy can’t be immune to it."
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The Gunners' inability to score saw them lose to Liverpool on Sunday (Jacques Feeney/Offside via Getty Images)Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is fully aware of the issues his side is facing in front of goal. The Spaniard has been linked with a move for Ivan Toney, though Brentford will demand a hefty fee for the striker.
With reinforcements not imminent, Arteta has called on supporters to get behind his faltering side. He insisted that the goals will flow as long as his troops continue to create chances to score.
"We didn’t take the chances, I haven’t seen any other team in the first six months that have generated what we have done against them in the last two games and we’re not capitalising - not today, in the last few games - that’s why we are not winning games," Arteta said.
"What I beg the supporters is that they are behind the team, that they’ve done in difficult moments. Stick with the ones we have - they are incredibly good. If not, they don’t do what they’ve done again today, in Anfield and here.
"Stick with them, it’s exactly what they need, that we are fully behind them. Then they feel important, and supported because they deserve it, with their attitude they don’t deserve anything different. That’s my opinion.
"It is frustrating, but what can we do? One thing is what we need, one thing is what we can do as well, and what we need to do now is stay behind those players. They’ve done it, we’re not going to invent or reinvent the wheel because they have done it."
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