Jermaine Jenas has criticised Mikel Arteta’s failure to sign a striker this season, referencing the Arsenal manager’s “stubbornness” and warning that a lack of ruthlessness up front could cost them again next season.
Arsenal came heartbreakingly close to ending their long wait for a Premier League title last season, pushing Man City all the way until the final weeks. They finished second, just two points behind Pep Guardiola’s side, racking up 89 points and ending the campaign with the best defensive record in the league.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the former England international was baffled by Arteta’s inaction during recent transfer windows and suggested the Spaniard may be too set in his ways to give Arsenal the edge they need to finally go one better in the Premier League.
“His biggest issue is the fact that the Arsenal fans know exactly what they need, but he just seems to have this stubbornness to just not go and do it.
“And even from someone who has no interest in Arsenal, it amazes me that he doesn’t seem to want to address the striker problem by going and getting any striker to shut people up.
“I know people might say he tried with Gabriel Jesus, but I still wouldn’t class Jesus as a No.9 who’s going to get you 10, 11 goals. That’s still something he has to address.”
Now in the home stretch of the 2024/25 campaign, Arsenal were very much in the conversation, but they haven’t kicked on in the way Jenas hoped.
They’re looking over their shoulders as they aim to secure a top-four finish rather than the title and have fallen short by dropping points in 11 of 18 matches against sides currently in the top half of the table.
To this point, they have registered 27 fewer goals with just three matches remaining, and they’re on course to finish the season with just 72 points.
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Jenas was quick to clarify that Arteta has undeniably improved Arsenal during his time at the helm, but believes expectations have shifted and patience could be running out.
“As to Arteta’s journey, I still believe that he has hugely improved Arsenal.
“But I think [fan mentality towards Arteta] has shifted over the last couple of months and this league campaign, a lot more was expected.”
Perhaps even more frustrating for Gunners fans is that Arteta made comments as recently as January that seem to back up Jenas’ point of view.
Speaking during the previous transfer window, the Arsenal boss publicly confirmed the club were trying to bring in reinforcements amid injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
“We lack goals, we lack people, we lack options in the front line,” he said at the time.
“Ideally, we need some help, because we were short already, and we’re even shorter.”
All eyes will be on Arsenal in the summer transfer window with fans expecting a big-money arrival at the top of the pitch.
