In the tangle of issues that Arsenal have been beset by across the opening months of the 2024/25 campaign, there’s one interesting thread that can be pulled and observed.
Oh sure, Gunners fans will be frustrated by the red cards – three, to be precise – that have precluded Mikel Arteta’s men from constructing the form needed to perch atop the Premier League table after eight matches.
Arsenal’s issues are more nuanced than that. Arsenal’s issues, such as they are, have not pulled them away from title contention: victory over first-placed Liverpool at the Emirates next weekend would bridge the gap toward a single point. Hardly a gulf.
Wastefulness is the crux of the problem. Last season, Kai Havertz missed more big chances in the top flight than any of his teammates (ten), but sat joint-tenth in the Premier League’s overall rankings, alluding to Arsenal’s clinical edge.
This term, so far, the club have missed more than any of their divisional rivals.
1.
Arsenal
15
20
2.
Tottenham
18
17
2=
Man United
7
17
4.
Liverpool
15
16
5.
Fulham
11
15
5=
Chelsea
17
15
Manchester City, owing largely to Erling Haaland, have missed just ten big chances while sending 19 strikes past hapless shot-stoppers. This is the difference-maker, and why they will probably retain their title for the fourth season running.
Against Bournemouth, Arsenal failed to inspire victory, and though plenty went wrong, fans were left rueing a big miss from Gabriel Martinelli once again.
Gabriel Martinelli's struggles continue
Back in 2022, former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed Martinelli as “a talent of the century”, and though this is quite the comment, the winger has carried the potential to become one of the Premier League’s finest after joining from Ituano in the Brazilian second tier in 2019, for a smart £6m fee.
Still only 23, he’s completed 185 appearances for Arsenal, notching 43 goals and 26 assists, but the Brazil international failed to match his individual numbers with that of his high-flying team last term and has started the current term in a similarly patchy showing.
Arsenal have not started the season as fluently as Arteta would have hoped, with the defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday evening giving Liverpool and Manchester City a headstart in the pursuit of the Premier League title.
It was a collective blunder, but Martinelli received criticism after missing a wonderful chance to hand Arsenal a lead in the first half, with journalist Connor Humm noting that Arteta “was fuming that he didn’t put that away”, having referenced the miss twice during his post-match interview.
Bukayo Saka was absent, but has slotted into a playmaking role this season and is not playing the part of a 20-goal-per-season striker. Martinelli’s creativity has been nominal in recent years despite the effect that his pace has, but he’s usually found neat pockets of space to fire at goal.
Unfortunately, he’s already missed four big chances in the Premier League this term despite only scoring twice, roughly hitting the target once every two outings.
More is needed, and Arteta and technical director Edu might be inclined to turn their heads toward fresh talent in 2025.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Arsenal offered PSG forward
According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey last week, Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani, with Arteta’s outfit in need of a new striker.
Kolo Muani, who can play across the frontline, joined the Ligue 1 champions from Eintracht Frankfurt in a £76.4m deal in September 2023 but is believed to be open to moving to the Premier League, as is his manager Luis Enrique.
The £70m-rated Frenchman would be perfect for Arsenal’s system, apt to compete with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus for the centre-forward spot while boasting athletic qualities that would see him thrive on the wing.
What Kolo Muani would bring to Arsenal
Kolo Muani is fast. The 25-year-old ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, emphasising the dynamic skills that he would bring to north London.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
Arsenal’s counter-attacking brand of football is perfect for the Les Bleus star’s own style, with former Eintracht and Bayern Munich boss Felix Magath once saying: “He’s not only a strong dribbler, but he’s very clinical in the final third. I love his mentality; he’s always thinking about the team. That’s obvious when you look at how many assists he’s got this season.”
Having only been afforded two starting appearances in the French top flight this season, it’s clear that Kolo Muani is not favoured by Enrique, but with two goals to his name, will be confident in his ability to translate his ability to the Premier League, with Arsenal.
Last term, he only bagged nine goals and six assists for the Parisiens across all competitions and is clearly struggling to settle in the French capital, but his ridiculous form in Germany that season before, posting 23 goals and 17 assists highlights the form that Arsenal could inject into their own mix.
It’s a degree of strength that Martinelli is not producing at Arsenal despite being handed regular opportunities to impress from the outset. Moreover, when looking at Kolo Muani’s form, he might have only scored eight goals in Ligue 1 since joining PSG but has also missed just eight big chances, starting 15 matches. Examining the various facets contextualises his performances in Paris.
Martinelli has been a valuable asset for the Gunners over the past five years but he’s not proving his level to be in accord with that of Arteta’s vision, and with Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard seeking regular starting berths themselves, it’s perhaps time to cut him loose.
Kolo Muani has what it takes to light up the Premier League, and must be signed if the stars indeed align.
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