The Gunners have come out of the January transfer window weaker in the attack than when the market first opened, which has left Mikel Arteta’s side qualifying for a Champions League place in doubt.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departed for Barcelona, while Folarin Balogun joined Middlesbrough on a loan deal until the end of the season.
Arsenal failed to replace the departures with a new signing, which has left Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah as the only strikers at the club, however, the two layers only have three open play goals between them in the Premier League which has caused a lot of doubt amongst the fan base.
The Arsenal Way looks at potential striker solutions that Arteta could use to help push for a European spot ahead of next season.
Bailey Keogh, The Arsenal Way Writer/Presenter
Arsenal have already used Gabriel Martinelli as a striker this season, which did not go to plan, but that should not prevent Mikel Arteta from playing the Brazilian in that position going forward.
He is more potent in front of goal than Eddie Nketiah and would be an excellent backup option to Lacazette.
Having Martinelli as the forward can definitely work if Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe, and Bukayo Saka play as the three behind because they can all be interchangeable and create a fluid attack.
Martinelli has played as a striker before and that was proved during the 2019/20 season against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup when he scored a brace in an end-to-end 5-5 clash.
He played so well in this match that he was endorsed by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, as he described the Brazilian as being an “Incredible striker.”
One of Arsenal’s greatest strikers Robin Van Persie compared Martinelli’s growth himself, as he said Speaking on BT Sport as a pundit: “The moves he makes, he is always looking for space. I was playing on the wing at that age. With time he will get even better"
The 20-year-old has been Arsenal’s best player over the last few games and has reignited the threat in attack, which had been missing in the opening stages of the season.
The Brazilian is destined to play as a striker one day, and there will be no better time to test him on a consistent basis in that position than now.
Tom Canton, The Arsenal way Writer/Presenter
It becomes almost frustrating just writing the solutions to how Arsenal can solve their striker depth problem from within because it depicts how obvious it is to many of us supporters how desperate it was that we bought in that necessary part of the puzzle externally.
However, for me, there is real intrigue about the possibility of using Nicolas Pepe in the centre-forward position. Previously, I have been very hesitant about putting yet another round peg in a squad hole.
The difference here is that Pepe’s exploits in the wide role have also see his best characteristics wasted. The Ivorian is one of the top finishers, maybe now the best finisher, in the side. However, he is deployed so far from the goal that his opportunities in front of it are frustratingly restricted.
Using him as a sole striker will not be perfect. Pepe lacks the hold-up and link-up play of a natural number nine. However, I would prefer Pepe given the opportunity to show what he can do over a 22-year-old Eddie Nketiah who will most certainly be leaving at the end of the season.
Pepe has played centrally in the past for Lille, but never for Arsenal. Plus my obsession with Gabriel Martinelli remaining in a wide role certainly contributes to this wild suggestion if not to keep the Brazilian where he thrives.
Make sure you have subscribed to The Arsenal Way! The Fan Brands team along with plenty of your football.london favourites will be producing daily Arsenal content for you to enjoy including match reactions, podcasts, football fun and interviews. You can follow Tom Canton and Bailey Keogh from the TAW team to keep up to date with his work.
