Mikel Arteta’s gamble not to sign new striker was a DISASTROUS decision that leaves Arsenal’s season on edge of collapse

HOURS aft the January transportation model closed, Mikel Arteta staunchly defended Arsenal’s argumentation NOT to bring successful attacking reinforcements successful a property league connected February 4.

First, the Gunners brag claimed the determination was NO gamble, contempt seeing Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka struck down with semipermanent injuries and Kai Havertz his lone acceptable centre forward.

Pushed connected whether Havertz could present play each crippled for the remainder of the play without a rest, Arteta said yes, gushing implicit the German’s robustness and labelling him a ‘genetic powerhouse’.

On the failed recruitment push, Arteta added: “We are disappointed, but we person to determination on. Nobody knows whether it is amended to person done it oregon not. We’ll cognize astatine the extremity of the season.”

Eight days later, and Arteta already has his answer: It was an unmitigated, disastrous determination – 1 that sees the remainder of their run teetering connected the borderline of collapse. Costly is an understatement.

Havertz – that carnal specimen of a antheral who looks aft himself decently – tore his hamstring during a grooming session connected the club’s mid-season warm-weather retreat to Dubai this week.

It is precise improbable we volition spot Havertz again successful an Arsenal garment until the 2025/26 play begin.

The Middle East has often been a venue to trigger an upturn successful form, a travel determination successful January 2024 astir spurring Arsenal to the Prem rubric lone to beryllium pipped connected the last time by Manchester City.

Now, it indispensable beryllium the spot of nightmares for Arteta, his complaint to drawback Prem leaders Liverpool and advancement successful the Champions League resting astatine the feet of his THREE remaining acceptable options: Leandro Trossard, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and disappointing summertime indebtedness signing Raheem Sterling.

With Gabriel Martinelli besides expected to beryllium retired for astatine slightest a period with a hamstring strain, Arteta indispensable past for 3 months with NO recognised centre forward.

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Martinelli and Saka volition beryllium pushing for a March return, but to propulsion them consecutive backmost successful would beryllium a immense hazard – yet what prime does Arteta present have? A pit of despair helium helped dig.

The blasted does not solely laic astatine Arteta’s doorway – interim sporting manager Jason Ayto volition beryllium taking immoderate vigor for his dialog struggles successful a mediocre archetypal audition to instrumentality implicit from Edu, the Brazilian shocking Arsenal by resigning from his presumption backmost successful November.

Regardless, it is present connected Arteta to fix. He is known for problem-solving during his five-year tenure successful complaint of Arsenal, consenting to accommodate and alteration styles to acceptable his needs, arsenic good arsenic being unfastened to immoderate outside-the-box reasoning to get done the stickiest of sticky patches.

Of the 3 remaining acceptable forwards astatine his disposal, Trossard and Sterling person deputised arsenic a mendacious 9 earlier – meaning Arteta tin instrumentality with his accustomed 4-3-3.

Nwaneri could besides beryllium tossed into that relation having scored 3 goals successful each competitions successful 2025, with Arteta antecedently suggesting it is simply a presumption the youngster could extremity up successful aboriginal successful his career.

Arteta said successful December: “There is simply a presumption I deliberation helium tin make into – No9.

“He has got the extremity successful beforehand of him and helium looks astatine the extremity and helium has a tremendous quality to enactment the shot successful the backmost of the net.”

Arteta volition request to rotate that 3 for the adjacent period astatine least, having pushed the likes of Saka, Martinelli and present Havertz to limits that person seen their bodies crumble.

Left-back Kieran Tierney could beryllium a left-wing instauration if required – the Scot has featured determination a fewer times already this calendar twelvemonth arsenic a precocious substitute.

There is speech of 6ft2 midfielder Mikel Merino utilizing his physique and stature arsenic a makeshift cardinal fig – a hazard that adjacent Arteta would person 2nd thoughts over.

And successful the academy, striker Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and winger Ismeal Kabia would beryllium the astir apt options.

Butler-Oyedeji, 21, made his archetypal squad debut arsenic an added-time substitute against Dinamo Zagreb past month, portion 19-year-old Kabia made his debut successful September against Bolton Wanderers.

Arsenal play 7 games earlier March’s planetary break, with 3 of those coming successful midweeks. Between them, Trossard, Nwaneri and Sterling person 7 Prem goals.

This is going to beryllium a bumpy, achy thrust for Arteta.