Where do Arsenal need to strengthen in January?
Where does Mikel Arteta need to strengthen Arsenal in the January transfer window
By Adam Le RouxRight – where do you start with this one? A backup goalkeeper? A new defence that doesn’t leak goals left, right and centre? A midfield that can assert some authority on a game? A strike force that have a few shots here and there, and maybe even find the net? Or even, a new manager?
It’s been that sort of season at the Emirates to date and, with problems appearing all over the park – and a new one seemingly surfacing every week – things have never looked much darker in recent years.
Therefore, it’s fundamental that the January transfer window is used wisely and the Gunners invest in quality on the pitch – although breaking the bank in the winter months is never a foolproof option, as many a Premier League club will tell you.
A few new faces over the next month will go some way to freshening up what has become a stale squad recently, and make the fight for places in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI all the more interesting.
The attacking threat that the Gunners used to possess would see them carve teams open at will, but recently they have been blunt going forward, with just 12 goals in their 14 Premier League games so far.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks a shadow of the player that won the Golden Boot two years ago, with the Gabonese striker failing to produce the goods after signing a new contract in the summer.
The former Borussia Dortmund man has just three league goals to his name this season and epitomises Arsenal’s woes going forwards, as he so often cuts a frustrated figure up top.
Whether it is Willian, Alexandre Lacazette or Nicolas Pepe partnering him in the front three, Arteta just can’t seem to get his players to gel and create the openings they need to put games away, and when you are prone to conceding at the other end it’s a fruitless combination.
Summer signing Willian has left Gooners wondering where exactly the maleficent Brazilian who would so often impress in the blue of Chelsea has gone, with his doppelgänger producing pedestrian performances in his time in red and white.
Lacazette and Pepe both look out of sorts, with the pair visibly angered by results on the pitch, and the latter letting that spill over in the 0-0 draw with Leeds in November, where he saw red for a headbutt on Ezgjan Alioski.
The shining lights for Arsenal in the attacking department have been the flickering hope that is Eddie Nketiah, as the academy graduate continues to flourish in his sparse performances in the first team, while the return of Gabriel Martinelli has already got tongues wagging.
The problem with the lack of creativity in the Arsenal team is that the answer has been staring them right in the face the whole time, but they can do nothing about it.
Mesut Ozil has been bombed out by the new boss since the start of the season, with no place in the Spaniard’s Premier League squad, and has had a watching brief since the current campaign started.
That makes the Gunners’ creativity dearth all the more painful to watch, knowing that one of the most vibrant players at the club has been hung out to dry while the players on the pitch are missing exactly the quality that he possesses.
If the German isn’t going to be reintegrated back into the squad when Arteta can update his players for the second half of the season, there is going to need to be reinforcements in that area, with technical director Edu confirming the need for that in a recent fans’ forum.
After coming off the pitch at half time in the 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa, the 27-year-old was rushed back for the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur at the start of December, only to see him aggravate his thigh issue.
That leaves Xhaka partnered with Dani Ceballos, and although the Spaniard is so often one of the best performers on the pitch, he needs a partner with him to help his game as well as the team.
Rumours of incoming midfielders have been circulating the closer we get to the new year, and one that seems to be mentioned as much as any is Brighton’s Yves Bissouma.
After taking time to settle in the Premier League, the Malian midfielder has become a mainstay in Graham Potter’s side and patrols the centre of the park with aplomb while his attacking teammates go to work.
The 24-year-old has matured in his time at the Amex and would no doubt be a regular if he made the move to London, leaving his defence reassured while the forward line can get going at the other end of the pitch.
After being left sprawling at Gabriel Jesus’ opener three minutes in, the Icelander had a nightmare for City’s second, as he let Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick go straight through his gloves to give the visitors the softest of leads.
As he tried to make amends for his error, he came rushing out to Phil Foden as the England international was played through, but only succeeded in making the finish easier for the England hotshot, before being beaten late on by Aymeric Laporte.
When things are going against you, a solid performance from the man in goal is something you need to help you rescue points, and if you don’t have that then things start to get worrying.
Heaven forbid Leno gets injured, because Runarsson’s confidence will be at rock-bottom right now, and the Gunners will look as soft as ever at the back.
There will be ample supply of suitable replacements that will happily play second fiddle at a Premier League club, and could make the difference if they were called upon later in the campaign.
It’s been that sort of season at the Emirates to date and, with problems appearing all over the park – and a new one seemingly surfacing every week – things have never looked much darker in recent years.
Therefore, it’s fundamental that the January transfer window is used wisely and the Gunners invest in quality on the pitch – although breaking the bank in the winter months is never a foolproof option, as many a Premier League club will tell you.
A few new faces over the next month will go some way to freshening up what has become a stale squad recently, and make the fight for places in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI all the more interesting.
Gunners need a creative spark
There’s no way to hide it, this Arsenal side lacks quality in the final third of the pitch and is struggling to break down defences, as we have become so used to seeing in years gone by.The attacking threat that the Gunners used to possess would see them carve teams open at will, but recently they have been blunt going forward, with just 12 goals in their 14 Premier League games so far.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks a shadow of the player that won the Golden Boot two years ago, with the Gabonese striker failing to produce the goods after signing a new contract in the summer.
The former Borussia Dortmund man has just three league goals to his name this season and epitomises Arsenal’s woes going forwards, as he so often cuts a frustrated figure up top.
Whether it is Willian, Alexandre Lacazette or Nicolas Pepe partnering him in the front three, Arteta just can’t seem to get his players to gel and create the openings they need to put games away, and when you are prone to conceding at the other end it’s a fruitless combination.
Summer signing Willian has left Gooners wondering where exactly the maleficent Brazilian who would so often impress in the blue of Chelsea has gone, with his doppelgänger producing pedestrian performances in his time in red and white.
Lacazette and Pepe both look out of sorts, with the pair visibly angered by results on the pitch, and the latter letting that spill over in the 0-0 draw with Leeds in November, where he saw red for a headbutt on Ezgjan Alioski.
The shining lights for Arsenal in the attacking department have been the flickering hope that is Eddie Nketiah, as the academy graduate continues to flourish in his sparse performances in the first team, while the return of Gabriel Martinelli has already got tongues wagging.
The problem with the lack of creativity in the Arsenal team is that the answer has been staring them right in the face the whole time, but they can do nothing about it.
Mesut Ozil has been bombed out by the new boss since the start of the season, with no place in the Spaniard’s Premier League squad, and has had a watching brief since the current campaign started.
That makes the Gunners’ creativity dearth all the more painful to watch, knowing that one of the most vibrant players at the club has been hung out to dry while the players on the pitch are missing exactly the quality that he possesses.
If the German isn’t going to be reintegrated back into the squad when Arteta can update his players for the second half of the season, there is going to need to be reinforcements in that area, with technical director Edu confirming the need for that in a recent fans’ forum.
“It’s quite clear what we need,” the Brazilian said. “We need a player with creativity in the middle, we don’t have that in the squad right now.”
“Everyone is sticking together to turn it around. We absolutely do believe results will come. We’re not ignoring what we’re seeing on the pitch.”
The list of candidates to fill those boots has a number of interesting options, with Houssem Aouar once again linked with a move to the Emirates, after talks of a move from Lyon broke down in the summer.
Norwich City playmaker Emi Buendia has also had his name bandied around, with the Argentinian so often the man that makes the Canaries tick under Daniel Farke.
At 24 years old – he celebrated his birthday on Christmas Day – the midfielder will be coming into his prime and has proved he can mix it with the best when the Norfolk club produced some elegant football in the last campaign, and with better players around him, he could well blossom with a move to the capital.
As much as he tries to look industrious and imposing, Granit Xhaka is not the answer, with the Swiss getting caught out with his immobility and leaving his defence exposed.
And not only is his inability to read a game costing Arsenal points, but his temperament once again proved costly just weeks ago, as he saw red in the 1-0 defeat to Burnley for grabbing Ashley Westwood by the throat.
This looked to have been a problem that had been dealt with in the summer, as Thomas Partey made the move from Atletico Madrid, but the Ghanaian’s injury woes have seen his time on the pitch limited.
“Everyone is sticking together to turn it around. We absolutely do believe results will come. We’re not ignoring what we’re seeing on the pitch.”
The list of candidates to fill those boots has a number of interesting options, with Houssem Aouar once again linked with a move to the Emirates, after talks of a move from Lyon broke down in the summer.
Norwich City playmaker Emi Buendia has also had his name bandied around, with the Argentinian so often the man that makes the Canaries tick under Daniel Farke.
At 24 years old – he celebrated his birthday on Christmas Day – the midfielder will be coming into his prime and has proved he can mix it with the best when the Norfolk club produced some elegant football in the last campaign, and with better players around him, he could well blossom with a move to the capital.
Stability in the centre
It’s not just going forward that the midfield is lacking for the Gunners, with the frailty in the middle of the park being exposed time and time again so far this season.As much as he tries to look industrious and imposing, Granit Xhaka is not the answer, with the Swiss getting caught out with his immobility and leaving his defence exposed.
And not only is his inability to read a game costing Arsenal points, but his temperament once again proved costly just weeks ago, as he saw red in the 1-0 defeat to Burnley for grabbing Ashley Westwood by the throat.
This looked to have been a problem that had been dealt with in the summer, as Thomas Partey made the move from Atletico Madrid, but the Ghanaian’s injury woes have seen his time on the pitch limited.
After coming off the pitch at half time in the 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa, the 27-year-old was rushed back for the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur at the start of December, only to see him aggravate his thigh issue.
That leaves Xhaka partnered with Dani Ceballos, and although the Spaniard is so often one of the best performers on the pitch, he needs a partner with him to help his game as well as the team.
Rumours of incoming midfielders have been circulating the closer we get to the new year, and one that seems to be mentioned as much as any is Brighton’s Yves Bissouma.
After taking time to settle in the Premier League, the Malian midfielder has become a mainstay in Graham Potter’s side and patrols the centre of the park with aplomb while his attacking teammates go to work.
The 24-year-old has matured in his time at the Amex and would no doubt be a regular if he made the move to London, leaving his defence reassured while the forward line can get going at the other end of the pitch.
A new gloveman for the Gunners
If Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City taught us anything, it’s that Alex Runarsson isn’t the competition that Bernd Leno needs for the No.1 jersey at the Emirates.After being left sprawling at Gabriel Jesus’ opener three minutes in, the Icelander had a nightmare for City’s second, as he let Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick go straight through his gloves to give the visitors the softest of leads.
As he tried to make amends for his error, he came rushing out to Phil Foden as the England international was played through, but only succeeded in making the finish easier for the England hotshot, before being beaten late on by Aymeric Laporte.
When things are going against you, a solid performance from the man in goal is something you need to help you rescue points, and if you don’t have that then things start to get worrying.
Heaven forbid Leno gets injured, because Runarsson’s confidence will be at rock-bottom right now, and the Gunners will look as soft as ever at the back.
There will be ample supply of suitable replacements that will happily play second fiddle at a Premier League club, and could make the difference if they were called upon later in the campaign.
Picture Credit: Getty Images
