Naturally, when Arsenal struggle to score goals in a game, or a series of games, that sees the focus shift to the centre-forward. Despite Kai Havertz having the chance to extend his Emirates Stadium goal-scoring run to eight successive matches on Tuesday against Shakhtar Donetsk, there were still questions regarding why a striker was not signed in the summer and calls for one to arrive as early as January.
Three names continue to bound around the social feeds, Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko. All three have had good starts to the new season.
Gyokeres has continued his massive goal haul with Sporting CP and has 12 in 12 adding a further four assists to that tally including this past weekend as his side narrowly beat Portimonense in the Taca de Portugal. Should this continue through until next year, there will be plenty of teams keen on the Swede.
Osimhen joined Galatasaray on loan from Napoli after a late sale to Saudi Arabia fell apart and the Italian side wanted a short-term solution as the relationship between player and club appeared to have dematerialised. He so far has three goals in five games with four assists to his name too – adding the last this weekend in the 3-0 win over Antalyaspor, although injuries have affected his availability at points which continue to be a problem raised by critics.
Sesko, being the youngest of the group, has not had as strong a start so far, scoring in just one of the opening seven Bundesliga matches – a brace against FC Augsburg – but scoring three times in two Champions League matches against Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
Yet, based on the defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend, even if Arsenal signed all three, it arguably wouldn’t have seen them win. The defeat was not to do with transfers, it was down to three very simple factors.
Leandro Trossard’s back pass, William Saliba’s red card and Gabriel Martinelli missing a potentially game-winning chance; playing a match with 10 men for 60 minutes is always going to limit the options to create chances.
Add to that the absence of the club’s two-most creative players – Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka – it should be fairly obvious why chances were lacking. Gabriel Martinelli was not fit to start either, so Trossard – who had deputised well in the middle – also was pushed out wide.
Signing a striker would improve the options available to Mikel Arteta, but the idea it would change the outcome of games like Saturday evening’s are a pipe dream. Highlighting the need for one in the context of the Bournemouth loss seems rather hollow.
