The Gunners suffered a damning defeat at the hands of Newcastle in what was a major blow to our EFL Cup aspirations this season. A 2–0 loss in the first leg means we now face an uphill battle in the second leg to overturn the deficit.
In a frustrating display, Arsenal failed to clinically finish the few chances we created in the first half, and we were punished by a familiar name. Alexander Isak opened the scoring after some uncharacteristic defending from a set piece. The Swedish international positioned himself brilliantly in the box to capitalise on the opportunity. We were well aware of how good a striker he is, but we certainly expected to contain him better than we did.
Aside from his goal, Isak made himself a constant nuisance during the 60-odd minutes he was on the pitch. He also played a pivotal role in Newcastle’s second goal, with his well-taken shot forcing a save from Raya, which fell perfectly for Anthony Gordon to tap in.
With Arsenal holding a longstanding interest in Isak, this match gave us the chance to take a closer look at him—and boy, were we impressed. His performance encapsulated everything we’re currently missing in a quality No. 9. From his dribbling and ball-striking ability to his exceptional link-up play and pace, Isak showed exactly why he’s such a valuable asset to Newcastle. Players like him don’t just elevate their teams—they’re transformative.
Contrast that with our current options. One moment from the game stood out in particular: Kai Havertz’s golden opportunity to pull a goal back while we were two goals down. The ball came off his shoulder just a few yards from the net—a moment that epitomised our struggles in front of goal. Gabriel Jesus, who was rested for this match, has shown glimpses of quality recently, but we’ve come to learn that his form is inconsistent and cannot be fully trusted.
That said, our attacking problems may be too complex to solve by simply signing a new No. 9. Even in this game, our biggest issue was a lack of central access in behind Newcastle’s defence and midfield. Injuries to key players like Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri further diminished our threat, particularly on the right flank and in general build-up play.
Still, having a player like Isak in the squad would undoubtedly boost our attacking output. While the chances of signing him this month are slim, who knows what might happen in the summer? Regardless of his hefty price tag, Isak should undoubtedly be among our top targets to strengthen the forward line.
What do you think? Should Arsenal go all in for Isak in the summer, or are there other options we should prioritise? Let me know your thoughts!
BENJAMIN KENNETH.
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Get Gyokeres and striker problem is solved. Nowadays it would be cheaper and also he could be enticed to move. Arsenal would have a striker who is good for 20 plus foals and that could put us over the line and we can start winning matches which we currently do not and get some trophies.
“20 plus foals”🤣🤣🤣
No, I don’t think we need one of those Arsenal154. Even if he’s equipped like a horse.
We all knew that before the game, nothing shocking. We need a striker the caliber of Isak; but Arteta and some fans appear to think otherwise.
Ask yourself, when Isak got the ball in that situation, how confident were you he would score?
When Havertz had his chance, how confident were you he would score? Or did you expect him to fluff his chance as I did?
That is the difference between a “striker” and someone in a system “playing as a striker,”
Isak merely reinforced what many of us already know, and others refuse to come to terms with.
I agree with what you’re saying 100% but on that particular miss by Havertz I 100% expected him to score.