Troy Deeney: Arsenal will NOT sign Alexander Isak – Mikel Arteta is too frightened of having a genuine maverick No9
TEN days ago, I watched Arsenal get knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
During that semi-final second leg, I spotted Eddie Howe and his assistant Jason Tindall screaming at their centre-forward Alexander Isak to sprint back and help his team defend.
It must have happened five times and, on each occasion, Isak smiled at them and carried on jogging.
Howe and Tindall weren’t happy but they know that Isak is a proper goal-scorer and a match-winner.
It seems to me that the man in the opposing dug-out that night, Mikel Arteta, is frightened of signing a genuine No 9 like Isak.
True centre-forwards always have that element of selfishness, of single-mindedness.
They are often mavericks, they can often be disruptive, they usually have minds of their own and they live for scoring goals.
Arsene Wenger almost always had a world-class finisher, from Ian Wright to Nicolas Anelka to Thierry Henry to Robin Van Persie, right up to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in his final season.
But I believe Arteta is so wrapped up in his team ethos that he shies away from signing such players.
Fans paint murals of Arsenal’s set-piece coach when I’m sure they’d much rather be splashing the Dulux in homage to a world-class number nine.
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The policy of not signing a genuine centre forward backfired spectacularly after Kai Havertz suffered a season-ending injury on the club’s mid-season break to Dubai.
I know there was a £60million bid for Ollie Watkins in January but for me that just felt like a PR stunt. Watkins was never going to leave Aston Villa in mid-season.
But it meant Arsenal could tell their fans ‘at least we tried’. It didn’t feel as if the club tried too hard.
When Ivan Toney was available last summer, Arsenal didn’t do the deal because of finances – but it was a false economy.
Victor Osimhen was on the market too but Arteta didn’t go for him.
Back-up striker Eddie Nketiah was sold to Crystal Palace and no replacement was bought.
Arsenal have been transformed and greatly improved during five years under Arteta – but while they have spent big in defence and midfield, they have not invested anywhere near as much in their front line.
The summer was the time to strike. In the January window you are always going to be struggling – especially when other clubs know you are desperate.
Gabriel Jesus, Arteta’s other option at centre-forward, had already been ruled out for the season so the idea of a serious injury to Havertz was always the nightmare scenario.
Fans paint murals of Arsenal’s set-piece coach when I’m sure they’d much rather be splashing the Dulux in homage to a world-class number nine.
Neither Jesus nor Havertz is an out-and-out centre-forward but the German has done a really decent job there.
People are going to realise how effective he is in both boxes – and as an attacking focal point – now that he is on the sidelines.
Without Havertz, Arteta is now into ‘false nine’ territory – with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli also out, his only attacking options are Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and the 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.
Those might be enough to beat Leicester handsomely today but they are not going to allow the perfect 14-match run-in Arsenal will need to have any chance of hunting down Liverpool – which would have to include a win at Anfield.
As an old-school nine, I’m sceptical about the idea of false nines.
The only two clubs who have been consistently successful playing such a system were Barcelona, with Lionel Messi, and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, between Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland.
Those were two of the greatest teams in history.
To play that way, you have to pass teams to death, grind them down. Only the very best are good enough to do that.
ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS: Saliba will be having nightmares about Isak as Lewis-Skelly is only Gunners star to show up
ARSENAL were humbled by Newcastle at St James' Park as the Magpies beat them 2-0 to secure a spot in the League Cup final.
The North Londoners knew they needed to take an early advantage if they were to overturn the 2-0 defeat at the Emirates.
But Jacob Murphy was on hand to put the Magpies a goal ahead after Alexander Isak‘s shot rebounded off of the post and out to him.
Shortly after the break, Anthony Gordon doubled the lead to all but confirm a second League Cup final in three years for Eddie Howe.
Here’s how SunSport’s Gary Stonehouse rated the Gunners.
David Raya – 5
Stitched Declan Rice right up for the second goal.
And that absolutely killed this as a contest for his side.
Jurrien Timber – 6
Tried to get forward and support the attack early but soon found himself dropping deeper to avoid being caught on the counter.
Tough night for the Dutchman up against Gordon in front of the red-hot home crowd.
William Saliba – 4
Let frustration get the better of him when he got himself booked for grabbing Anthony Gordon’s shirt.
And the winger almost embarrassed him again at the start of the second period when he caught the defender sleeping, nicked the ball from him, but could only shoot wide.
The usually assured star will be having nightmares of Gordon and Isak.
Gabriel Magalhaes – 6
Another who struggled to contain Toon’s two pacey attacking threats but did fair slightly better than his usually formidable partner.
Myles Lewis-Skelly – 7
Another assured performance from the full-back in a raucous atmosphere.
Could not be faulted for any of the goals and showed flashes off his potential despite the humbling.
Martin Odegaard – 6
Everything Arsenal did try came through the skipper.
Although he loses a mark as things could have been a very different story if he had finished his first half effort had hit the inside rather than outside of the post.
Thomas Partey – 6
Plenty of running about but very little to show or product for his efforts.
Declan Rice – 6
Looked to take a knock late in the first half and continued to struggle on after the restart.
Was hung out to dry by his goalie for the second goal and he did keep pushing until the very end.
But it was a disappointing night for the England star and his partner Partey as they came up short against Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.
Gabriel Martinelli – 5
Struggled to get past big Dan Burn during his brief time on the pitch.
And his night was brought to an abrupt end when he limped off before the break.
Kai Havertz – 4
Outmuscled, outbattled and outthought but Svan Botman and Fabian Schar.
Produced zilch on an evening when he and his team-mates lacked creativity and ideas.
Leandro Trossard – 5
Many will have been fancying him to cause some problems for the 34-year-old Kieran Trippier but the veteran had him in his pocket all night.
Arteta had seen enough by the hour mark and opted to let Raheem Sterling have a go instead.
Subs used
Ethan Nwaneri (37 mins for Martinelli) – 6
Desperately tried to inject some pace and threat into the faltering Arsenal attack but the task proved too much for the young Gunn.
He should have plenty more big occasions to look forward to though in his career.
Mikel Merino (70 mins for Odegaard) – 5
The game was already done and dusted when he entered the fray for battle.
Some nice touches, but like those before him, he couldn’t produce anything for the visitors.
Raheem Sterling (61 mins for Trossard) – 4
Got half an hour to try and get at Trippier but, just like Trossard before him, he was not given an ounce of joy.
Riccardo Calafiori (78 mins for Timber) – 4
Was brought on simply to get some minutes in his legs.
Jorginho (78 mins for Partey) – 4
See above. Little chance to make an impact with the game well and truly over.
In the last two seasons, Arsenal could argue that City were a truly great team, more experienced and more expensive than them.
But when they miss out on the title again, this one is all on Arsenal – and their failure to sign a goalscorer.
Liverpool have only signed one player in the last year and they have overtaken Arteta’s team.
City have fallen off a cliff and Arsenal haven’t been able to capitalise.
I know there was a £60million bid for Ollie Watkins in January but for me that just felt like a PR stunt. Watkins was never going to leave Aston Villa in mid-season.
The Gunners don’t have a single player with ten league goals to his name this season – while Chris Wood, a veteran who has been around the block, has 17 for Nottingham Forest.
The other day, I was talking to a proven Premier League goalscorer, a centre-forward who is likely to be on the move this summer.
I told him that Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and perhaps Tottenham could all be options – because there aren’t many good young centre-forwards around.
This player could easily have done a job for Arsenal for the next few months had they come in for him.
Now Arsenal will be relying even more on set-pieces, meaning opposing teams will be extra determined not to concede corners against them.
Yet without Havertz Arsenal lack one of their prime targets from set-pieces too.
It seems crazy to me that they have allowed themselves to get into this situation.
Maybe it’s arrogance, maybe it’s tactical pigheadedness.
But for me it’s more a case of a manager too afraid to sign a striker with a one-track mind.
Tifo madness
WHAT on Earth were Manchester City thinking of with that giant banner and those posters of Rodri with the Ballon d’Or before their Champions League clash with Real Madrid?
Real boycotted the awards ceremony, believing their man Vinicius Junior should have won the prize rather than Rodri.
If that was a bit childish, then City’s response before a match against the 15-time European champions was sillier still.
Why would you want to go out of your way to wind up Vinicius and his team-mates?
City are in no position right now to be taking the p*** out of the greatest club in the world.
I’m sure City’s own players wouldn’t have appreciated it.
The closest thing I can remember from my career was when
Watford’s mascot Harry the Hornet dived to ridicule Wilf Zaha during a match against Crystal Palace.
And I think the bloke inside the big wasp’s costume got sacked for that!