Arsenal clearly need at least one more quality forward player

Well lovely Arsenal people, we’ve started the season well. The away game to Villa was a test, even in GW2, because every dropped point against City hurts. The funny thing is last season we played much better against them in both games, than we did this time, yet we exited as 2:0 winners.

At 0:0 we hadn’t really created a lot of chances, with the best falling to Villa. Thankfully Raya finally showed he can be a good shot-stopper as well and produced some great saves, but up front we were really lacking ideas and the question was; what’s on the bench?

The answer was Trossard. The literally only option we had, and he delivered. He changed the game by scoring with his first touch and playing a key role in our second goal. Here’s the problem, what if we need another player who can change the game? The truth is, currently Martinelli and Trossard on the left is the only position of the front 4 which actually can rotate.

This is the issue with 1 player covering multiple positions. Jesus is supposed to be our backup striker to Havertz and also our backup to Saka. This will the be the 5th season where Bukayo has no real backup. That’s negligence on the highest level from a manager who signed another CB saying we were lucky at the back with injuries. Saka already has 2 assists and a goal and has been our top scorer for a few years. What happens if he is out?

Liverpool signed Chiesa for 11 million, surely we could’ve spared such money on a decent backup for Saka? Eddie is exiting, ESR was sold and Vieira is out, and there’s Reiss. But be honest, we didn’t really trust those players anyway. There are 2 extra CL games this year, I hope we make a better cup run, because we’ve been atrocious in the League cup and FA cup in recent years. There’s a desperate need for a striker/winger, ideally both, which of course is not happening.

Instead we’re signing another goalkeeper! Ramsdale is reportedly exiting to Southampton and we’re bringing in Espanyol’s goalkeeper. I’m just baffled why Mikel doesn’t like forward players. During his tenure we’ve signed Willian, Kai, Trossard and Jesus. If you ask me the jury is out on Jesus and Kai, Willian was a disaster, which leaves Trossard as the biggest success and he was our plan B, we wanted Mudryk remember?

We’re promoting Nwanieri, cool, but we’re short up front. Given how long it took us to make transfers which the players clearly wanted, like Calafiori and Merino.

I don’t expect a last minute forward signing. The next injury to a forward player means Trossard comes in and there’s nothing from the bench. Nobody speaks on Odegaard, because his fitness has been incredible, but if he gets an injury, are we going to play Zinny as a number 10? With Calafiori and Timber I don’t see him stepping into LB any time soon in a game of significance.

We may get away with it against Brighton which will be a tougher game than people expect, but Spurs and City away could be tight games that really need game changers from the bench. I’m worried there aren’t any. Going 6 points behind City at this stage could already mean curtains for our title hopes.

Is the squad good enough for a top 4 spot, sure, but winning the title? We need more bodies.