Over the years, Mikel Arteta has established himself as a highly methodical manager, renowned for his keen eye for detail. However, despite his tactical acumen, it appears that Arsenal currently lack a fully balanced squad. This deficiency has become evident in recent setbacks, such as their loss to Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup.
Additionally, they suffered a defeat to Newcastle United in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals and find themselves trailing Liverpool by six points in the Premier League, despite having played one game more. These results highlight the challenges Arteta faces as he looks to build a more complete and competitive squad.
Much of this can be attributed to Arteta and Arsenal’s ineffective strategy during the transfer period. At times, it feels as though they are bringing a spoon to a gunfight, ill-equipped for the challenge. Reflecting on the game, Arteta acknowledged that such outcomes can happen “in one in a thousand games,” and lamented that it occurred at such a crucial point. While the Spaniard insisted that Arsenal deserved to win by a significant margin, they must now face the harsh reality that they are out of the competition.
One of the biggest challenges Arsenal face is their long-standing lack of a proper striker, an issue that Arteta has repeatedly overlooked in favour of strengthening other areas of the squad. As a result, they now find themselves with a significant task ahead. Not only must they overcome a two-goal deficit in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, but they must also remain in contention for the Premier League title. This difficult situation is, in large part, a consequence of Arteta’s failure to secure a designated goalscorer.
Misfiring Arsenal’s Attack Leads to Back-to-Back Losses
The statistics from Arsenal’s two recent defeats serve as a glaring warning. Against Newcastle, they had 23 shots, but only three were on target. Similarly, against Manchester United, they registered 26 shots over two hours of play, with just seven hitting the target.
Notably, 22 of those shots against United came inside the box, and the Gunners made 55 touches in the penalty area. Yet, their only goal came from a deflection off defender Gabriel. To make matters worse, during the FA Cup match, Manchester United played with just ten men for the final 29 minutes of regular time and the entire 30 minutes of extra time, following Diogo Dalot’s red card for a second yellow.
This highlights the pressing issues Arsenal are facing. While there were signs of vulnerability last season, many expected Arteta to address these weaknesses during the summer transfer window, but they remain unresolved.
Poor Transfer Strategy Hurting Arsenal
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko was initially seen as the top contender for Arsenal, with a release clause set at £55m, and Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting was also considered. However, Arteta shifted focus and opted to strengthen the backline, bringing in Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna in a deal believed to be around £42m. Additionally, the North London club moved for midfielder Mikel Merino, signing him for £32.6m, despite the fact that he is not a natural creator. This strategy highlights Arteta’s priorities in reinforcing areas of the squad, even if it meant forgoing more attacking options.
Their only attacking option was Raheem Sterling, a last-minute transfer on deadline day, brought in on loan from Chelsea purely due to the window closing. The English international has scored just once in 12 games and has had little impact on the side. As a result, Kai Havertz has been deployed as the striker, although the role does not come naturally to him. He missed a significant chance against Newcastle and then failed to convert a penalty in the shootout against United, ultimately becoming a symbol of Arsenal’s attacking struggles. This situation has highlighted the club’s ongoing issues in the final third.
On Sunday, he registered five shots inside the box and 11 touches. In the closing minutes of the Newcastle encounter, he had an opportunity to make a difference, attempting a header into an open goal. Had it gone in, it could have slightly reduced the two-goal deficit in the semi-final aggregate score, but unfortunately, the ball flew wide off his shoulder.
What Arteta could not have anticipated were the extended injury absences of Bukayo Saka and 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri. To make matters worse, Gabriel Jesus, although not particularly prolific, is a better fit for the central areas, but was taken off on a stretcher during the first half of the United game. Arteta later expressed concern, acknowledging that it was a worrying sight and admitting that the Brazilian was in considerable pain when he left the field.
Arteta’s reaction pointed out the obvious when he stated that, in order to dominate, the team must be more consistent in front of goal. It’s apparent to everyone that the attacking threat has faded from exciting to somewhat dull, making it essential to find a way to address this issue.
