One area that greatly concerns most Arsenal fans is the striker position; this is the prevailing sentiment I gather from comments on various platforms, fan videos, and discussions with fellow Gooners.
The general consensus is that Arsenal must secure a striker this month to maintain a title challenge. However, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that this will happen. The primary obstacle appears to be financial, and the reasons behind this are evident.
Opting for Kai Havertz instead of acquiring a top-class number 9 seems to be hindering our title challenge. This viewpoint is widely shared, both online and in discussions I’ve encountered.
Mikel Arteta chose to sign Havertz instead of a striker, which is his decision and one he stands by. However, not signing a striker this month, regardless of financial constraints, would, in my opinion, be a dereliction of duty.
Arsenal could potentially offload surplus players to raise funds for a striker if financial regulations are a concern. Emile Smith Rowe, Aaron Ramsey, Jakub Kiwior, Eddie Nketiah, and other players have reportedly attracted interest from other clubs.
Club owners are permitted to inject a specific amount of money to offset losses, and various financial levers can be utilised. There is no excuse for not securing a quality striker this month.
If Arteta fails to bring in a new striker—and it’s crucial to remember he is the manager, not just the coach—then any failure this season rests solely on him.
Arsenal had the potential to clinch silverware this season, but that prospect is diminishing due to our lack of clinical finishing. Arteta is taking a significant gamble by not acquiring a striker, a risk that could ultimately cost him his job.
Here is the latest DUBLIN ARSENAL video reviewing our battering of Crystal Palace by our BRAZILIAN EAGLE HUNTERS
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
Signing Havertz was a ridiculous signing from Arteta from day 1.
Terrible player and has never been good enough for the Premier League.
Artet’s stubbornness in trying to fit Havertz into the team has made us worse.
How we could have done with that 65 million now ?
You are absolutely right and couldn’t agree more. The problem with Havertz is he ain’t playing for the badge, he’s playing for the money! He looks disinterested when he’s playing and that hasn’t helped his cause with us fans. Too many times we’ve witnessed him taking the timid option of a one two back pass with a defender, instead of turning in midfield and trying a forward pass to a runner. He lacks ambition and in my opinion, just doesn’t graft enough like Xhaka did in that position. Up front he’s not been that effective, the raving about his aerial play all went out the window, when he missed an open goal from a yard out. This signing on fee and ridiculous wage has definitely scuppered us from addressing the striker situation and it’s a gamble I don’t think Arteta will win. Ultimately, I believe it will cost him his job as the Kroenke’s surely will be, expecting a return on their investment.
I wonder how much we would get Aaron Ramsey?
Should sell Diaby too he’s always injured
Diaby left years ago….
😂🤣
You are absolutely right, apart of Havert, most of other players signed by Arteta, are just not good enough to challenge for the league title.
Would £65m have been enough to buy a top striker? Don’t mention Haaland as his salary- if not the fee – would have been prohibitive
Havertz salary is not small either. Considering what Haaland brought to City comparing to Havertz, it would have been wiser to pay a little extra for his services.
I see you like to use the term “no one was available” all the time to excuse Arteta/Edu transfers failings (which are many and huge).
Why isn’t everyone available only to us while every other club get the players/managers they need? Even more so considering we are outspending everyone?
HH
I didn’t suggest that KH is on peanuts
Available and within the club’s ability to finance it, is important to point out. If the money bags clubs haven’t been able to sign a fox in the box, please put forward a player who fulfills the criteria and has been overlooked. Frequently names are bandied about with absolutely zero likelihood that they will turn up at Arsenal.
It’s a financial balancing act. At present, it can be argued that Havertz was pricey. Grealish looked pricey in his first season too.
Unusually for you, HH I think your last paragraph is ill thought out
My apologies for late reply. Looking at our wage bill, we can more than afford salary of an elite striker like Haaland. Look at how much we are paying below average players.
The wages of Jesus and Nketiah would have covered Haaland’s if we signed him as he is doing more for City when fit than Jesus, Nketiah and Havertz combined does for Arsenal.
You then have to ask yourself if we could have tempted Haaland to come to us instead of City. He walked into the better side.
I’m not a huge fan of EN who could have left on a free. Instead, his over the top pay rise has ensured he remains a squad player and has a transfer value in the future – if any one would pay him £100kpw as I certainly would not. The same applies to RN so we are in agreement on that
There is no magic wand and in my mind the signing of Havertz doesn’t frustrate me, unlike the signings of Sambi and Tavares and probably Vieira too, have done. Good old hindsight.
.
What frustrate me about Havertz signing is not the player himself rather the fee and wages he is on. He is a decent player if we signed him for 30M and was on around 100k or below wages.
Had we not spent (and continue spending) that much on him its more likely he wouldn’t be facing weekly criticism.
He is paid the same as elite players when he is an average squad player.
I can only hope, that KH is still warming up.
I was going to say exactly the same thing. I reckon in the absence of a proper top-quality striker being realistically avaiable until the end of this season, maybe Havertz was a reasonable half-way solution in the mean time, considering his height and ability to score crucial goals when it matters. I think people are being way too harsh on Arteta for this one.
SueP, £65 million would have gone a long way to getting a forward to improve the potency, goal threat and goal output of Arsenal’s forward line.
Surely Arsenal’s scouting system can find a prospect, if they don’t believe they can compete for the top class centre forwards and wingers.
Arsenal appears to have an obsession with midfielders, yet the strongest midfield in the League will prove impotent, if the forward line is inefficient and ineffective.
It is a huge pain to fancy what we could have done with that 65M and how we would have looked like today. But bygones are bygones, I can only wish our beloved club the best of luck. I would take top 4 as a success this season, but not sure if the owners, after splashing that much money on MA, would agree. We also risk revisiting another issue that doomed Wenger years: the trophy-less demise that drove a lot of top players away from us. I hope we would never have to relive that time again.
Many clubs seem interested in our players, but I believe they can’t meet Arsenal’s pricing expectations
If Arsenal can’t sell Nketiah or Smith-Rowe this month, they wouldn’t be able to sign a new CF
Arteta has been managing Arsenal for four years, so he must’ve had transferred his football knowledge and revealed Man City’s systems/ secrets to the Kroenkes and Arsenal executives
Arteta’s contract will also expire in 2025, so it would likely not be costly to replace him in the summer, if Kroenke decides to do so. But I still want to see how Arteta’s tactics would fare if he plays a more physical CF type
Completely incorrect wording…..it’s:
Arsenal’s pricing is never realistic when trying to sell, their expectations are far from reality.
There’s a reason we are strapped for cash now, whatever the excuse others may come up with, it’s because we are terrible sellers and ALWAYS lose trying to play hard ball on stupid valuations….
Arsenal deserve to set high price-tags for Nketiah and Smith-Rowe, because of their ages, EPL experience, homegrown status and development time at the club
Arsenal sold both Willock and Iwobi for more than £50m, so they should be able to ask a higher amount of money for both Nketiah and Smith-Rowe
@,Gai, I kind of want Arteta to stay one more season, of course his employer may have a different opinion considering how much they have invested in players. Arteta has huge potentials as a coach but he lacked tactical flexibility and sometimes rigid with players selection.
I do not think Arteta views signing a new physical CF as what his teams need. I guess he would have bought one instead of Havertz. ESR or Zichenko would have been well trained to replace Xhaka. Zichenko also has an experience playing there for Ukrain. I don’t know how long the Kroenke will keep up with him if he doesn’t win anything this season. We fans are watching and waiting to see what will happen.
The gaffer still has a phase and half left, a whole lot could happen by then.
Top four and a decent run in the champions league would be right on schedule if you ask me.
Jergen Klopp took a little more time to have Liverpool functioning like a tune Ferrari, just a little more patience is required from the faithfuls, is that too much of asking
We had the perfect Xhaka replacement / upgrade straight from the academy, Joe willock but no sell him and buy lokonga and then Kai for 65m.
Had the 2nd best keeper in the league but sold him to villa
Had a versatile player from the academy, AMN, who could do a decent job in multiple positions, but no let him leave for free and replace him with Nuno, Cedric etc
Arteta has spent millions of £ and will still not win any major trophy this season due to terrible decisions.
1. Cedric, lokonga, Viera, Tavares, Harvetz, Raya( we didn’t really need another goalie)
2. Not a single player has come through from the academy since he took over. No development, nothing.
3. All the title contenders have better players and depth bar Arsenal.
4. Average full backs, No plan be when we hit a block.
Havertz struggled to score at Chelsea, and even in Germany, where he made his reputation, he was never a prolific scorer.
Here are his league goals and assists since his breakout year at Leverkusen
23/24 – AFC — 20 games – 1,243 minutes – 4 goals – 1 assist
22/23 -CFC – 35 games – 2578 minutes – 7 goals – 1 assist
21/22 – CFC – 29 games – 1,810 minutes – 8 goals – 4 assists
20/21 – CFC – 27 games – 1,519 minutes – 4 goals – 5 assists
19/20 – LEV – 30 games – 2,463 minutes – 12 goals – 6 assists
18/19 – LEV – 34 games – 2,901 minutes – 17 goals – 4 assists
17/18 – LEV- 30 games – 2,139 minutes – 3 goals – 9 assists
16/17 – LEV – 24 games – 1,449 minutes – 4 goals – 6 assists
Since emerging as a top division pro, Havertz’ record shows him to be a workhorse who contributes to his team’s success. He plays a lot of minutes and he produces.
However, except for one season, 2018/19, his scoring, considering his advanced role and minutes played, has been good to very good, not great. At Chelsea, given the talent around him and his opportunities, he proved he was a reliable player capable of contributing to a good team. What his record does not show is a star ready to lead a top-flight team to a title challenge.
Arsenal dubbed Pepe a failure for 10 goals and 1 assist, then signed Havertz, for a similar fee, who’s best year in the Premier League was 8 goals and 4 assists.
On pace for 2,000+ minutes, Havertz is on the field in place of players like Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli, not to mention the recently cast-off Folarin Balogun, who have all shown the ability to produce goals and assists on par with, or better than, Havertz.
When you consider the investment in the team in the summer of 2023, Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, David Raya, and Havertz, for total fees now that Raya’s deal has been made permanent, of about 201 million GBP you had to expect more. Yes the club is in 3rd, within striking distance of leaders Liverpool and holders Man City, but breathing down the Gunner’s neck are Aston Villa and Tottenham who spent 79 GBP and 166 GBP respectively.
Considering performances, Rice has been everything he was supposed to be, but Raya has been underwhelming, timer has been injured, and Havertz exactly what Chelsea wanted to be rid of: a good, not great player on world-class-star wages: the concern has to be that Arsenal have wasted their chance to close the gap on Liverpool and Man City.
Excellent analysis and information! Also nice that it doesn’t have any unsupported opinions or ranting. You should consider doing an article for this or some other website.
Great comment. This is exactly what many of us feel, except for a few who constantly try to brush over our costly error with unfounded optimism
I agree that we spent a considerable amount. Overall I wouldn’t describe Raya as underwhelming. He had a few shaky moments early on – the City game springs to mind – but beyond that he has done well. I don’t yet feel that Havertz is a failure. I’m more than capable of changing my mind but I’ll reserve judgement for now. I’m not making a justification for the amount paid. That is down to Arteta and Edu.
Totally unproven player on such a huge paycheck? This purchase can even be suspected for some behind the scene deals.
This player’s statistics don’t show he is worth this kind of gamble. Throughout chelsea, he struggled. In Leverkuson, he shone only for 2 seasons
If Arteta sticks with him, we won’t even get top4. Why can’t he play him from the bench?
It’s even better to play Zinchenko in that position because he can influnce the game and make our attack to play better.
I much disagree with your “his scoring, considering his advanced role and minutes played , has been good to very good”.
I suggest, in considered manner, that you have a distinctly minority view about what constitutes “good to very good”!
I would call those stats as being poor to very average, that 2018-19 season apart. That anomaly apart, I thought MOST of the rest of your post was generally sound thinking!
Very good pau135, well done as I think you were able to put everything in perspective
With Thomas Partey back soon in the Arsenal midfield. Things in the squad will start falling into the correct shape in it generally..
Even the Gooners maligned Karl Havertz will come lively for Arsenal to start playing better for the team. Than ever he has played for them before. All because the Generalisimo Partey is back. And makes him to start playing better, better and more better ever for Arsenal in the 2nd half of the season in all Arsenal’s matches.
Trust me Samuel, Gooners, this is what will happen next for Arsenal I can assure you all.
On this January transfer window fron as it concerned Arsenal. Moreso regarding the signing of a new prolific regular goals scoring clinical finish striker by the club this window.
The signing can still happen. But if the club succeeded to circumvent the Premier League Profits and Sustainability Rules. Meaning Arsenal cannot sign their desired targets this window. Saved, if they balance the books. But Arsenal can still balance the books to sign new(s) before the expiration of the window. But if they get what they can accept.
Which of course they might get during the last rushing hours left in the window to close.
Therefore, let us Gooners concerned exercise a little patient to wait to see what will happen finally. But whatever may happen. I strongly have faith in Arsenal to remain in contention for the Epl and Ucl title wins this season. And ultimately win them unfailingly. Even in face of Man City’s Pep Guardiola boasting of his still having Kevin De Bruyna and Erling Haaland at his disposal to win titles this season. But Arsenal will beat his Citizens and Jurgen Klopp’s Reds teams to the Epl and Ucl title wins this season.
SAA, unfortunately with Thomas Partey returning, it can’t be guaranteed that Arteta will select a midfield of Odegaard, Rice and Partey. Arteta, thus far has gone to extreme lengths to play Kai Havertz, even playing Partey out of position. Unfortunately the summer transfer business, apart from Rice, and the loan of Raya was disappointing, in that the the need for goal scoring output was not addressed. Nketiah and Jesus do not have the output required to compete for the title or thrive in Europe.
Some people talking about Xhaka like he was class through his entire time with us. Didnt everyone say the same things they are saying about Kai as they said about Xhaka before last season??? Nobody can deny that
Even though i do like Havertz and i do believe he will get better. He is already infinitely better than he was at Chelsea. But i agree its was a weird signing when we needed to sell Nkethia and bring in an Ivan Toney type striker.
I think your all barking up the wrong tree personally, Havertz has more goals than Nkethia from midfield. Hes just not an instinctive natural striker at all and should not be played there. Nkethia is apparently an instinctive striker but only scores 1 goal ever 5-6.
He cost us the title last season as he contrutes as much to the team as Auba did when he was here, aside from his assist against an awful palace side 4-0 down, your essentially playing with 10 men until the ball is delivered into the 6 yard area.
We do need another tough stance on selling now. We need to shift Players especially if they are not going to play we cant cheat financially like City. So players like Ramsdale, Soures, Smith-Rowe (regrettably due to injury proneness), Elneny, Jorginho and Nkethia need to be moved on.
And trhow Tierney into that mix too
What a brilliant decision to loan out Kieran Tierney!
£65 million transfer fees and a £70 million contract. It is Ozil without the talent.
Arsenal have lost so much money in the past in paying huge transfer fees and salaries on either duds or players with the talent but lack the attitude.
When they cleared the deadwood last time you would have thought they had learned their lesson but here we are Havertz, Nketiah, Vieira, Kiwior etc. not offering much but draining our resources.
Hahahaha 🤣🤣. I laugh in Naija.
Off loading deadwoods and replacing them with his own proper “deadwoods”
Arteta made a huge blunder with Havertz, he knows it, and Havertz knows it too. It’s obvious the little man we have as coach just never admits to mistakes, and would rather compound the problem and sink the whole team, destroying players’ careers and fans hopes. He’s not just short by stature, he has a small mind too. The sooner the Arsenal hierarchy realises this, the better for everyone. This doesnt make Arteta a bad coach, but he’s definitely a horrendous leader who would rather watch his ship sink, than admit to a mistake. Short man syndrome akin to Mossullini, Hitler & Maradonnna in soccer.
@MM
Just how bitter and twisted are you????
“a horrendous leader who would rather watch his ship sink, than admit to a mistake. Short man syndrome akin to Mossullini, Hitler & Maradonnna in soccer.”
Do you think Arsenal are third bottom of the League or something?
Some people are in la ,la ,la, land. Maradonna was a fantastic player, Messi is short as well, and spellcheck syndrome as well
All I can say to the person you are replying too, PAT, is “SIGH”.
He is precisely that sort of unthinking twerp that JA would be so better off, WITHOUT!
Your logic is as idiotic as your username.
Martins article began with four sensible paragraphs IMO, but thereafter became unrealistic.
Actually IT WAS JUST THE FIRST THREE PARAS I WOULD ACCEPT AS REALISTIC.
He was a bad buy period! Raya was an unnecessary buy. Declan Rice was a tremendous buy and Timber when he returns we’re all hoping he show the form he did in his first games for us. I think as fans we should not right the season off. We have a good enough squad. We still can win the epl and with a lot of luck we even could win the champions league! Stay positive Arsenal things can turn around!!!
Havertz has the same goals as Martinelli and more than jesus in the league but yes it’s all on Havertz for our poor finishing.
Have fellow Gooners considered that Raya,Havertz,Rice and Timber were brought in as a package meant to get the best out of each other and the team?Something tells me Partey was also part of the plan. But then we lost Timber and shortly after Partey. Not to excuse the coaching staff because injuries are part of the game but I get the feeling that we never really got to witness the ‘Plan A’ if you will,that was meant for this season. If you think about it,some of the issues in the squad would be solved with Timber and Partey. Those two would have made those around them,including Havertz,better. I guess we’ll never really know the plans Arteta had for this season and how the injuries impacted how he intended to use Rice and Havertz.
One positive aspect on the signing of Havertz, he is very rarely injured, unlike many in our first team pool..The same applies to Nketiah who according to an earlier suggestion “cost us the League last season”.Really? From the bench?
Ghosts don’t get injured. He doesn’t get involved, to get injured. He just jogs around the pitch.
Must have learned to coast and jog by watching that other ghost, Ozil then!
I dont know about costing him his job, but it most certainly will cost everyone the league, including Arteta. Buying Haverz and Raya, have and are proving a waste of money, that could have been utilised far better.
I think it is a cop out to say all we need is a new striker!!
It is easy to point just to our forwards for our goal drought.
We managed to score bucket loads of goals last season.
I wish people would look deeper into what has changed within the team since last season.
Our midfield was Xhaka, Odegaard and Partey, from left to right.
This year our midfield lines up as Havertz, Rice and Odegaard.
I would like someone to tell me how this years midfield is intended to work, because it does not work as well as last years version!
The signing of Havertz was a mistake, whether Arteta admits it or not. But we have to move on from there and adjust and adapt accordingly. One option could be to sell fringe players like Soares, Viera, Elneny and also Nketiah, which would raise funds for the acquisition of a new striker. I am very impressed with Solanke of Bournemouth, he is a great finisher, tall and strong. I would never sell ESR, he is a real talent and will serve arsenal successfully over the years.