The No9 dilemma, Ethan Nwaneri’s rise and pressure on Timber? Mikel Arteta’s big Arsenal calls ahead of Prem opener
ONE DRAW. One win. One defeat. Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the States has given Mikel Arteta plenty to ponder on their flight home.
The Gunners boss – without several of his first-team starters following the Euros – escaped clashes with Bournemouth, Manchester United and Liverpool without any injury concerns.
As well as blooding several academy stars, he welcomed a new signing with the £42m arrival of defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.
But with Arsenal kicking off their Premier League campaign at home to Wolves on August 17, what decisions still need to be made?
SunSport’s Jordan Davies takes a look at three key areas…
Do Arsenal NEED a striker?
Arsenal’s gameplan for the summer window regarding recruiting a central striker has been clear – if an irresistible option became available, they would move for him.
Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle’s Alexander Isak have been scouted.
Benjamin Sesko then became a main target before the Slovenian signed a new five-year deal at Red Bull Leipzig.
Since then, focus appears to have switched to bringing in a more versatile forward – one who can play out wide and drift inside, providing cover and competition for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
As a result, Arteta has focused on giving airtime to his current attacking depth down the middle out in the States.
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Eddie Nketiah – linked with a move away to Marseille this month – played 63 minutes of the 1-1 draw against Bournemouth in LA before being replaced by a fit-again Gabriel Jesus.
Brazilian Jesus has spent the last 12 months nursing troublesome knee and hamstring injuries, but after sitting out the Copa America, he looks to be getting back to his best physically.
Playing 71 minutes against Man United, again in LA, Jesus opened the scoring before making way for Nketiah as the Gunners won 2-1.
It was a similar routine in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in Philadelphia, this time after 78 minutes – yet Jesus often looks at his most dangerous drifting into wide areas.
Nketiah, 25, meanwhile looks likely to go the same way as fellow Hale End pal Emile Smith Rowe – on the verge of joining Fulham – with a move away for more first team football.
And what about Kai Havertz? The German international was bought from Chelsea last summer for £65m as an attacking midfielder, yet ended the campaign in stunning form as a no.9 to finish with 14 goals in all competitions.
Arteta has stressed recently that Havertz still has the ability to drop deeper, that idea being backed up by the 25-year-old netting from midfield against the Reds.
But despite notching 91 Prem goals last season, there remains a concern that the North Londoners still lack a killer instinct up top, with Arteta admitting in Philly: “We have to punish teams. That’s where we need to improve.”
And so, without a late splurge, Arsenal go into another Prem season without a ‘recognised’ no.9, something that Arteta seems content with as things stand.
Is Ethan Nwaneri ready?
Already a Prem history maker, Ethan Nwaneri is quickly showing signs he can play a larger role than expected in Arsenal’s upcoming campaign.
Of the 12 academy kids to make the US trip this summer, Nwaneri is the one Arteta is intrigued by the most. His maturity, his ability, his cold-blooded composure.
Nwaneri made history in September 2022 by becoming the youngest ever player to feature in the Prem at 15 years and 181 days away at Brentford.
He then came off the bench last season in Arsenal’s 6-0 league thrashing of West Ham, with Arteta admitting afterwards the players were desperate to see him feature.
Now, as a 17-year-old with a freshly-signed senior contract under his belt, Nwaneri is giving Arteta a real decision to make with just over two weeks until the start of the season.
Nwaneri started against Bournemouth on the wing and Manchester United in midfield before replacing Havertz in the latter against Liverpool for the last 20 minutes.
His assist for Jesus against United was perhaps a sign of things to come.
No Hale End academy hopeful was handed more minutes, such is the expectation that Nwaneri will break into Arteta’s plans sooner rather than later.
Clips of Arsenal’s training sessions in the States have also excited fans, Nwaneri showing his close control and finishing skills against star-studded internationals years his senior.
There are currently no plans for the Enfield-born kid to head out on loan this season, especially with Arsenal competing in four competitions this term.
Alongside Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, Arteta will likely add another midfield face in the coming weeks – potentially Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino.
But Nwaneri has a real chance of getting further minutes if he continues to be patient, with numerous academy players deciding to leave the club this calendar year.
Is Jurrien Timber fighting for his place?
Arteta has not been shy in admitting that he had planned Arsenal’s entire tactical build-up for last season with the newly-signed Jurrien Timber as an inverted left-back.
Those plans were up in flames by the 50th minute of their Prem opener at home to Nottingham Forest – the £38.5m signing from Ajax rupturing his ACL.
The 23-year-old’s arduous recovery saw him return for the Prem finale against Everton nine months later ahead of an important pre-season to get back to full fitness for this term.
Barring any set-backs – having sat out of Arsenal’s last pre-season outing across the Pond as a precaution – the Dutchman will start at the Emirates against Wolves on August 17.
But with the arrival of flexible left-footer Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna last month, what once seemed like a sure thing has now had an element of doubt thrown into the mix.
With Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior struggling to fill the gap left by Timber last season, Arteta wanted more competition in that position, and now he has got it.
While Zinchenko and Kiwior could be on their way out should offers emerge, Timber will have one eye over his shoulder in the opening weeks of the new season.
Given his lack of Prem experience, despite signing over 12 months ago, Timber will need to hit the ground running to show Arteta exactly why he is still such a big part of his plans.
If not, then he could find himself benched for Calafiori, 22 – the Italian international who can seamlessly float between central defence and left-back with an eye for a pass too.
Timber is no stranger to centre back either, playing there against the Cherries and United in LA with first-choice picks Gabriel and William Saliba rested.
This sort of pressure to perform is something Arteta has wanted at Arsenal ever since he took the job almost five years ago. Timber must prove he is up to the task.
