Meanwhile, Arsenal Football Club is dealing with an alarming plunge in attacking prowess as we move further into December. This change raises concerns as to how this affects their likelihood of succeeding in key matches. The team recently suffered a late concession against Crystal Palace, which underscored their ongoing struggle to maintain a strong attack. This third issue deeply calls into question the efficacy of the team. If it feels like the issue isn’t only defensive breakdowns, you’d be right—they’re failing to capitalize on scoring chances as well.
Most recently, in their dramatic seat-clenching match against Crystal Palace, Arsenal themselves conceded in injury time to draw with The Eagles. This would be yet another example of their late-game fragility. Kepa Arrizabalaga, the team’s goalkeeper, expressed the need to get better at this as much as anyone. Late goals, as he noted, are always killer on their goal differential.
Arsenal has brought in exciting attacking talents like Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze to help improve their offense. The heart of their attack is still finding it difficult to get things going. The attack has been hopelessly barren, with the team failing to score from open play in over 300 minutes. They’ve been buoyed by own goals and a single penalty from Gyokeres throughout this inhospitable stretch. Not scoring has led to serious concerns about the effectiveness of all the players they’ve recently brought on.
Even that glimmer of promise has been dampened by Arsenal’s calamitous Carabao Cup exit on Wednesday. In that same semi-final first leg at home against Newcastle, they controlled the game’s first half. They were unable to turn that possession into chances. Manager Mikel Arteta expressed disappointment over the missed opportunities, commenting, “The margin should have been much bigger.”
Just a couple of weeks ago, Arsenal’s 0-0 result against Crystal Palace perfectly exemplified their current attacking woes. They jumped out in front 2-0 just after halftime, the third time this season they’ve done so. Yet, they were unable to maintain that advantage. Noni Madueke lamented the missed chances, stating, “That should have been three or four, and then we’re not worried about what happens in the last minutes.”
Adding to that frustration, Jesus was denied three times by goalkeeper Walter Benitez in the semifinal. Even Jurrien Timber had a chance or 5 before the game went to penalties. This led fans and analysts alike to question just how strong the team’s offense would be.
Arsenal’s 1-0 victory against Ipswich was not much confidence-building material in terms of their attacking talent. While they got the win, given their performance they looked convincing on defense only, a squad that didn’t look like an offensive threat. This trend is reminiscent of last December’s woes when Arsenal dropped points in successive games to Fulham and Everton. In addition, they endured back-to-back league defeats just before Christmas against Fulham and West Ham.
The team’s struggles extend beyond league play. Arsenal exited the FA Cup earlier this month despite dominating Liverpool with numerous scoring chances. With December already here, time is ticking for Arsenal to make their move. They need to address their attacking inefficiencies to salvage what still can be a strong season.
After a summer of substantial investment the pressure is building on Mikel Arteta and his team as they enter a difficult run of fixtures. With fans hoping for a revival in form, Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining whether they can regain their competitive edge.
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