Arsenal's hopes for their first trophy of the season were dashed in a devastating 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United at St James' Park, resulting in a 4-0 aggregate loss in the Carabao Cup semi-final. The defeat has once again highlighted the Gunners' critical need for a prolific striker.
The loss leaves Arsenal still in contention for the Premier League title, sitting six points behind Liverpool, and competing in the Champions League last 16. However, failing to secure either trophy would extend their silverware drought to six years since their 2020 FA Cup triumph.
Manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged the team's inefficiency, stating, "You need to be very efficient on the day. That is what takes you close to winning trophies and today we weren't." Former Arsenal defender Matt Upson emphasized on BBC Radio 5 Live that despite the team's impressive performances, "That is not enough for what the club expects."
Despite being the Premier League's second-highest scorers with 49 goals this season, Arsenal's striker situation remains precarious. Their attempts to strengthen their attacking options during the transfer window proved unsuccessful, with approaches for players like Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins yielding no results. This leaves Kai Havertz, primarily an attacking midfielder, as their only viable option at number nine.
While Havertz has managed 15 goals across all competitions, his Premier League tally of nine goals puts him joint 12th in the scoring charts, alongside Ipswich Town's Liam Delap. The situation is further complicated by injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka, with the latter being their only 20-goal scorer last season.
The contrast between Arsenal's attacking prowess and Newcastle's was evident in the tie, particularly through Alexander Isak's performance. The Swedish striker, who has 19 goals this season, demonstrated what Arsenal lacks, prompting Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville to observe, "It has shone a massive spotlight on the toothlessness of Arsenal's front players compared to Newcastle's."
Former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp added his perspective: "Havertz does a good job up there but does he do a great job? No. Arsenal have had wonderful nines and the fans will know he isn't in the class of the players they have had."
Despite these challenges, Arsenal has shown significant improvement under Arteta's leadership, securing second-place finishes in the Premier League in recent seasons and returning to the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17. The club has supported Arteta with approximately £500m in net spending since his arrival.
As former Newcastle winger Chris Waddle noted on BBC Radio 5 Live, "Arsenal are out of the FA Cup and out of the League Cup, they can focus now on chasing down Liverpool, who are still in everything, and the Champions League. However, it could help them chase down Liverpool."
The defeat has sparked mixed reactions from fans, with some questioning the team's mentality in crucial moments. As one fan from Belfast commented, "It's time for us Arsenal fans to admit Arteta does not have the mentality to take us across the winning line." However, others defended the manager, pointing out the inconsistency in fan reactions following their recent 5-1 victory over Manchester City.
