Early last season, the North Londoners struggled with inefficiency in front of goal. There were suggestions to sign a top striker during the winter transfer window. They didn’t sign one, but their decision paid off as Kai Havertz led the Arsenal attack in the second half of the 2023-24 season.
Coming into the summer, many believed that adding a top striker would be sensible for the North Londoners, but after missing out on top target Benjamin Sesko, who chose to stay with RB Leipzig, the search for a striker cooled. The transfer window closed without a striker signing.
Three games into the season, the Gunners have done well, but the missed chances against Brighton should emphasise why the club should have signed a top No. 9. Ex-Gunner Emmanuel Petit asserts that Arsenal’s lack of a lethal striker (though he says Kai Havertz does his job perfectly) will hinder their progress, and he also explains his belief that Arsenal’s attacking strategy has become predictable, a vulnerability that opponents may exploit.
Petit told Squawka: “Yes, definitely. They signed (Raheem) Sterling, they signed (Mikel) Moreno, they signed (Riccardo) Calafiori and they are good signings. And I’m very happy with Kai Havertz’s start to the season so far, I think he’s doing well. But we saw on Saturday that Arteta and Arsenal need a plan B up front.
“I had the feeling after the game that Arsenal still play the same way all the time. When they are good on the pitch it’s enough to beat the opponent, but when they are not good individually, and it happened with Declan Rice and (Martin) Odegaard also not playing well, that’s not enough to beat the opponent.
“They’re missing presence up front. Kai Havertz always tries to come deeper in midfield to link up with the midfield players, sometimes he’s asking for the ball behind the defenders. But that’s not enough. This is not his natural capacity.
“So they need someone up front, a typical striker that can convert chances. You get the feeling sometimes that Arsenal are predictable for the opponents when they are not playing well. So they need a plan B and at the moment they don’t have one.”
Arsenal needed to be efficient in front of the goal this season. They struggled against Brighton, but we can ignore that for the majority of the second half, they were playing one man less.
Somehow Mikel Arteta and his technical bench must maximise this team’s potential. Given their decision not to recruit the striker many believed they needed, they must have a plan for their attack. As Gooners, we want to see the Gunners perform at their peak, as this was supposed to be the season they brought home league glory.
Daniel O
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Absolutely correct . Without a main striker , it’s going to be tough . And we need to start showing character of a champion from day 1
I guess Arteta wants a hardworking and strong false-nine with an excellent finishing ability, but that kind of player must be rare
I think Zirkzee could be developed into that CF type, but he chose to join Man United
I fully agree with you Gai, City were lucky to get Haaland at the ridiculous price of ,£51m and I don’t think Ivan Toney was the answer. I also don’t believe MA ever wanted an out and out No.9 in his system of playing. The onus is now on Saka, Odergaard, Havertz and Martinelli etc. to provide a consistent level of goals like last season.
Arsenal missed the opportunity to sign Haaland twice, when he joined Dortmund and then Man City
It was a shame because Arsenal’s scouting was much better at the beginning of Wenger’s era
The one that got away? I wish he’d go away – out of the EPL – now.
How was City “lucky” to get Haaland? They did their homework on his release clause of £51m, conducted the necessary negotiation, and got him as a result. Any club could have done that, even Arsenal, and may have got him, who knows?
The fact that Haaland chose the most successful club in the EPL to move to may have something to do with his choice as well, of course. Arsenal couldn’t compete with that (still can’t).
No other club was seriously in the running for Haaland due to the well known long running interest of City and his corresponding desire to go to there. I believe the total cost after agent fees, signing bonus, and other costs was roughly £85 million.
His Dad played there so only 1 team he was ever going to join!
@Gai you seem to overhype Zirkee Epl is tougher than where he is coming from. From what I have seen of his few games he may not find it easy in Epl and ManU in particular. Assuming we have the resources imo Victor Osimehin is a hard worker, good holdup play and good in the air, I followed Napoly slightly for 2 season. But he seem to have some negative baggages.
My big worry for Arsenal is that I pray Havertz should not have injury. Jesus not dependable and Matinelli yet to pick form.
I hope Ten Hag’s system won’t get the best out of Zirkzee
Osimhen looks good, but I don’t think Arsenal can meet his £500k weekly wage demand and he seems injury-prone
Looking back at the Brighton game one could the the chances harvtz missed to win the game despite being down to 10men. I hope a profligacy in those tight moments won’t come back to haunt us against spurs. Spurs will not give us easy chances but when it comes we need to take it. I would like to see timber play the gravenberch role against spurs because party’s lack of pace is beginning to tell. Bissouma will give partey hell . But timber will bring guile and strength in that middle duels. But I have a feeling arteta might use jorginho and partey… Both are very slow now
Having looked at Sterling training with us I’m thinking he’s plan B.
You could well be right. He’s definitely a goal scorer, though like Trossard and Jesus he’s also not a target man in the sense that Petit was referring to. We have Kai performing that role well right now, but there’s obviously interest from Edu and MA in adding additional strength there if the right player can be found.
I’m hoping they have identified Sesko as the striker they want. Unfortunately he didn’t want to move this Summer, so maybe he will next Summer.
I’m fine with a patchwork solution as backup this year; Havertz, Trossard for example.
Jesus is not it despite forcing that square pegs into a round hole. Sterling offers no presence in the box, strength, aerial game, etc.
I really hope you’re right about “the patchwork”. Arsenal is just starting out on their most important season for years (in the EPL, anyway). I for one would be a little more confident with something a tad stronger than a patchwork to get us through it successfully, particularly if the Havertz part of it becomes “unstitched” for any reason, but we’ll see.
I hope I’m wrong but I think its going to cost us by not having a target man like Haarland and Salah.
I’m hoping that the combination of Saka, Trossard, Havertz, Sterling, Jesus, Odergaard and others will provide enough goals to do well but not sure if they will
I don’t see us getting a man upfront in January but I guess anything is possible
I wish we had a clinical accurate target man. I think that with our midfield and great defense would have been awesome
Anyway let’s see what happens at the NLD
We are lacking in terms of creating clear cut chances for our forwards the way City does consistently. I don’t think getting a traditional number 9 will change much. Our midfield as well as defense need to be braver in finding through passes into the channels to make our forwards have good chances. We do it very rarely.
We have a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and possibly Plan D. Havertz, Jesus, Trossard, Sterling, Saka and even Martinelli, all scoring goals.
It’s about time pundits, ex players and others just shut up about us needing a “goal scorer”.