It feels like Arsenal have given up on the Premier League title this season. That may well be a statement that comes back to bite me, but I can’t help thinking that they have written off catching Liverpool in favour of concentrating on next season.
Everything is pretty rosy in the Gunners garden following a 5-1 demolition of reigning champions Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. But they were expected to be chasing City for the title this season, not Liverpool.
Under Arne Slot, the Reds have almost taken everyone by surprise. City have done similarly, but for the wrong reasons, dropping out of title contention for the first time in almost a decade.
With City struggling, many would have expected Arsenal to be the ones to take advantage, but they are six points off the top, with the potential for that to be nine points when Liverpool play their game in hand next midweek.
There should not be any reason for concern given the result at the weekend really, but Arsenal have gone through the January transfer window without making a signing. That is despite manager Mikel Arteta calling for one.
“My opinion is clear that we lost two very very important players, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. So we lack goals, we lack people, we lack options in the frontline, it’s clear,” Arteta said.
“It is clear that in the period that we lost them, ideally we need some help. We were short already and now we are even shorter. The team still copes with that.”
Arsenal have not got help. Saka was injured on December 21, Gabriel Jesus on January 12. There was plenty of time to get a deal done to help out the squad.
It had to be the “right player”, according to Arteta, which is understandable. And January is never an easy window in which to do business. But would any player have been better than no player at all?
Kai Havertz is going to have to carry the can up front on his own, with Jesus out for the season. Big emphasis is going to be placed on young Ethan Nwaneri’s shoulders until Saka returns. He has been up to the task so far, but someone so young cannot necessarily be tasked with bearing such a burden.
Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli are going to need to be much more consistent. There are big names and faces to see Arsenal through, but they simply cannot afford a slip-up with Liverpool in such imperious form.
And when the Champions League starts up again, and the big matches come thick and fast, will the threadbare forward line be able to cope week in and week out?
Arsenal will immediately look to the summer and links with Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak and more will start up again. And signing one of them will immediately improve their prospects of the title next season. But what about the here and now?
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