Will Lack Of A Ruthless Matchwinner Cost Arsenal The Title?

It is uncommon for a squad to beryllium challenging for nan title without a guardant successful nan speech for squad of nan season, but it is difficult to reason against nan truth that is wherever Arsenal are.

Man City's Haaland and Antoine Semenyo will undoubtedly beryllium successful contention for nan end-of-the-season awards while past title-winners person boasted nan likes of Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero and Didier Droga.

Arsenal's disposable guardant options of Gyokeres, Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, Eze and Gabriel Jesus undoubtedly person their strengths - but it feels a agelong to telephone immoderate of them ruthless match-winners.

The each information play of Gyokeres has been questioned and he is often only effective against sides that aren't astatine nan apical extremity of nan table.

Havertz's opening extremity was his first of nan season, Leandro Trossard has not scored for 22 games, Madueke has 2 convention goals, while Eze has six - but 5 of those person travel successful 2 matches against rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal were besides without Bukayo Saka, who missed retired pinch an Achilles injury, but contempt usually being 1 of Arsenal's astir reliable forwards, his numbers are down this season.

Arteta's broadside person been criticised passim nan play for their style of play pinch their strengths being their threat from set-pieces and their excellence successful defending nan cornerstones.

At times passim nan season, Arsenal person struggled to create chances and that is reflected successful their goals from unfastened play.

Arsenal person 35.8 expected goals from unfastened play this play - sixth successful nan league. Manchester City are 2nd (42.1) pinch Chelsea apical (43.2).

"Teams were starting to get frightened of Arsenal's set-pieces," erstwhile Arsenal defender Gael Clichy said connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"This is awesome erstwhile you get points but nan much and much clip goes on, you commencement to trust connected this and commencement to consciousness comfortable pinch this. You don't concede galore goals, you don't create galore goals but you get those chances wherever you consciousness for illustration you are going to score.

"The connection you are giving is, 'don't interest guys, enactment beardown and if we get set-pieces we tin count connected that'."

And nan erstwhile defender thinks if Arsenal played pinch a different style, their forwards would flourish.

"The much clip that goes on, nan little you deliberation astir really you are going to create and wounded people," he said.

"It's not astir playing 'free football' and scoring 5 goals but I do consciousness pinch nan players they signed complete nan summer, they could harm immoderate squad if you springiness them that freedom.

"I person conscionable felt complete nan past fewer weeks, it feels for illustration they are conscionable not trying to make mistakes alternatively than trying to return risks and going for nan win."