Arsenal FC, one of the English Premier League’s most famous clubs, have failed to lift the premier league title in over two decades, the last time being in 2003, a year they went unbeaten under legendary head coach Arsene Wenger.
The Gunners have been on a lopsided trajectory over the years that has seen coaches come and go.
Since Wenger’s departure, they’ve seen three coaches take charge.
Still, none of them has been able to lead the club to the prized asset of the league title, with current boss Mikel Arteta coming close on multiple occasions but leading the club to one FA Cup trophy and two community shields since his takeover in 2019.
For 22 years, the Emirates stadium has not seen the players lift and celebrate the title, which is concerning for everybody affiliated with the club.
Old stadium, Highbury, was the last place they celebrated victory, and since that period, they’ve come close but have not done enough to clinch it.
From Wenger to Emery: The Start of a New Chapter
Unai Emery, now Aston Villa’s head coach, was appointed Arsenal’s manager in May 2018, succeeding Arsène Wenger.
His 18-month tenure in North London was challenging but had notable highs.
Emery achieved a 55% win rate, the third-highest in Arsenal’s history at the time, and guided the team to the 2018/19 Europa League final, where they lost 4-1 to Chelsea.
The Spaniard was hired based on his Europa League successes, where he won the competition three consecutive times, and his in-depth knowledge of the club’s academy players.
Early in his tenure, Arsenal embarked on a 22-game unbeaten run, sparking chants of “We’ve got our Arsenal back” from away fans at Fulham’s Craven Cottage after overcoming initial losses to Manchester City and Chelsea.
The feel-good factor was back at the club, but it didn’t last. Arsenal missed out on a top-four Premier League finish, edged out by rivals Tottenham Hotspur
The positive effect the Spaniard had gathered began to dissipate rapidly, and at the end of November, after no wins in seven games – the team’s worst run since 1992 – he was relieved of his job.
After Unai Emery was sacked, Former Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg took charge as interim coach. He managed the team for six matches, achieving one win, three draws and two losses.
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From Player to Manager: Arteta’s Impact at Arsenal
The club has been on a promising path under the stewardship of their Spanish coach, Mikel Arteta.
The fortunes of the club have been transformed since his appointment, as they’ve moved from being a mid-table club into title contenders and also reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
In consecutive seasons (2022–2024), Arsenal finished as runners-up to Manchester City and Liverpool, with City’s dominance under Pep Guardiola presenting a significant obstacle.
To bridge the gap and mount a serious title challenge, the gunners must prioritise securing a world-class, clinical striker to lead the line.
Coupled with smart squad reinforcements, tactical adaptability, and continued investment, this could elevate the club to the summit of English football.
Missing Firepower: The Striker Void at Arsenal
The striking department has been a major issue for Arsenal over the last couple of years, as it has lacked the ruthless edge needed to kill off games and dethrone Liverpool.
Last season, the Gunners found the net 91 times in 38 games, an impressive figure only bettered by Manchester City’s 96.
However, their conversion rate revealed a deep-lying issue, they often needed multiple chances to score.
A major reason could be the missing of key players, like Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and their star boy Bukayo Saka, who missed a huge part of the campaign, ending up with six goals.
The Gunners, due to lack of striking options, deployed Midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift Striker.
Arsenal’s current attackers, while talented, fall short of what’s needed to compete for the Premier League title.
Players like Martinelli and Havertz, though skilled, lack the consistent goal-scoring prowess required for a title-winning side.
Trossard, a valuable squad player, doesn’t possess the elite pedigree to deliver 20 goals a season.
The critical missing piece is a world-class No. 9, a seasoned, clinical striker who can convert half-chances, excel in high-pressure matches, and dominate aerially with composure in the box.
A striker in the mould of Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland, or Harry Kane would diversify Arsenal’s tactics, make them less predictable, and significantly boost the club’s title prospects.
Transfer targets like Victor Osimhen, who is a proven goal scorer, ended last season with 31G/A in 30 games, winning the Turkish League with Galatasaray.
He also played a key part in Napoli securing their first Scudetto in 33 years, ending that season as the highest goal scorer with 26 goals.
The Nigerian, together with a quality player like Alexander Isak, who guided Newcastle to their first Carabao Cup triumph in 70 years, are prime options for Arsenal to revitalise their campaign.
Although, there have been reports of the Gunners being in the race to sign Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres.
Despite the high transfer fees their various clubs would demand to secure these players, Arsenal’s recent investments, such as the £105 million signing of Declan Rice, demonstrate their financial strength in the transfer market.
Signing a top-tier striker could prove decisive in clinching the Premier League title rather than enduring another near-miss.
A world-class centre forward would give Arteta the chance to experiment with a two-striker system, where the new striker would pair with either Havertz or Mikel Merino, who has shown versatility as a forward player.
The system could unlock new attacking patterns which could lead to positive outcomes against teams that set a low block against them.
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Power in Numbers: Reinforcing Arsenal’s Squad
While a top-quality striker is a crucial missing piece, the club must also reinforce other areas of the squad.
Consider Manchester City’s 2020/21 season as an example: their team was built with depth, featuring multiple players for each position.
In attack, they had Sergio Agüero, Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus, and a young Liam Delap – now at Chelsea. This squad depth played a key role in helping them secure the Premier League title that year.
For the gunners, depth has been a major issue, particularly when injuries occur; the absence of key players exposes vulnerabilities, as their title charge destabilised due to a lack of quality replacement.
To address this reoccurrence, Arsenal would need to shore up multiple positions with quality players who can come into the squad and seamlessly slot into the starting eleven
Despite the brilliance of the midfield trio Declan Rice, Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard, additional reinforcements in midfield are needed, as they could benefit from a box-to-box midfielder who would reduce the workload on Partey, who missed 34 games in the 2023/24 season.
Likewise, Arsenal’s defence could benefit from quality backups for Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba, who formed one of the Premier League’s top defensive partnerships last season, conceding just 34 goals and earning praise from pundits as the league’s best centre-backs in the league.
Adding a young, ball-playing centre-back like Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite would provide depth and future-proof the backline.
The club has also been linked with Ajax’s versatile left-back Jorrel Hato to further strengthen the defence.
Investing for the Long Term: Youth and Financial Strategy
Building a title-winning team demands significant financial investment, and Arsenal’s owners, Kroenke Sports, have demonstrated a willingness to support the manager. In the past five years, the club has spent over £500 million.
However, to keep pace with financially powerful rivals, the Gunners must continue investing strategically while staying within Financial Fair Play regulations.
Offloading fringe players like Oleksandr Zinchenko could help generate funds to bring in a game-changing addition to the squad.
Equally important is the club’s ability to bring through players from the Youth team.
Arsenal’s academy has produced players like Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis Skelly and also Bukayo Saka who has grown to be their main man.
A mixture of homegrown talents and experienced world-class players has been proven over the years to be a key factor in securing silverware, such as Arsenal’s 03/04 invincibles.
More Than Talent: The Mental Game Arsenal Must Master
Beyond tactics and formations, one of the most crucial areas the club must strengthen – both institutionally and within its current and future players – is the winning mentality.
This mindset is essential for Premier League success, as it instils unwavering belief in the team’s ability to overcome adversity, regardless of the opponent.
After winning the EPL in the 2023/24 season, Rodri speaking to Australian channel Optus sport said;
“I think, to be honest, it’s the mentality.
“Great players are all over the leagues and clubs. Arsenal also, they did an unbelievable season but the difference was in here,” he said that as he pointed to his head.
“When they faced us here at the Etihad, I saw these guy who don’t want to beat us – they just want to draw.
“That mentality – we wouldn’t do it the same way and we catch it. If you give us one point we will win the last seven or eight games, even with how tough it is. So I think it’s in terms of mentality.”
“It’s not easy to implement this – but every season the manager and players find a way to do it.”
A strong winning mentality pushes players to reach their full potential, adapt to challenges, and bounce back quickly from setbacks.
In the 2022/23 season, Arsenal led the Premier League for much of the campaign but faltered under pressure during the run-in.
While there was notable progress the following season, Mikel Arteta – himself a disciple of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola – must now cultivate the same relentless drive and belief that has become a hallmark of City’s dominance.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / ABACAPRESS
Recording Date: 07.05.2025