Team Focus: Could Arsenal's Title Charge be Over Without Signing Another Striker?
The world of football let out a hearty chortle when reports on Wednesday linked Arsenal with a move for Nikola Zigic. The 33-year-old striker netted only 7 goals in 33 Championship appearances for Birmingham last season and after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Besiktas to confirm their place in the Champions League, Arsène Wenger joined in laughing off suggestions that the north London side were set to sign the burly Serb. In fact, the Frenchman insisted that he would not be moving for another striker at all in the current transfer window. The revelation came after it was also confirmed that Olivier Giroud would be sidelined with a broken foot for up to four months.
Many felt Giroud's injury would have been enough to convince Wenger to dip into the market to bolster his strikeforce. Nevertheless, despite being linked with big-money moves for Edinson Cavani, Radamel Falcao and Loïc Remy, Wenger is steadfast in his assertions that he would not be signing a new frontman.
This, though, increases the pressure on Alexis to hit the ground running in England. The Chilean has shown glimpses of his quality during his short time in north London and was WhoScored’s man of the match against Besiktas on Wednesday night with a rating of 8.38. Against Everton last weekend, however, the 25-year-old was easily nullified by the Toffees' defence and was hauled off at half time as a result, with Giroud his replacement.
The France international gave Arsenal a focal point to their attack and the team was more effective going forwards with Giroud than Alexis. The former Barcelona star has the tenacity and work rate to hassle defenders that will help win possession in the final third, but his performances this term as the lone frontman suggest he is not yet ready for the role.
For Barcelona, Alexis played either to the right or the left of the central striker - more often than not Lionel Messi - and thrived. Defenders were often drawn to Messi, providing space for Alexis to exploit, this allowing him to score 19 goals and register 10 assists in the league for the Blaugrana last season. Unfortunately, though, the attacker will not be gifted the same space in the Premier League as he was in La Liga. The Gunners have started in a 4-1-4-1 formation in each of their 5 competitive matches this season and in the last 2, Alexis has played up front.
Alexis is not physically equipped to perform the same duties as Giroud. At 5’7”, he is not going to win many aerial duels, which is where Giroud did so well when he came on in the 2-2 draw with Everton at the weekend. He brought teammates into play and scored a headed equaliser, able to hold off the challenges of Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin. His rating from the bench (7.39) was significantly higher than Alexis managed (6.16), the summer arrival having failed to get a single shot off before the interval.
His display against Besiktas was much-improved, but it still wasn't of the standard expected of a centre-forward for a team like Arsenal. Granted, when Mathieu Debuchy was red carded late on, Alexis worked hard to relieve the pressure on the defence, drawing fouls in the final third as the minutes counted down. However, Alexis looks like he may struggle to adjust to the physically demanding rigours of the Premier League straight away and it’s for this reason that fans feel their club need to sign a striker.
At this late stage of the transfer window, attackers are going to come at a premium. Despite being strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid and Juventus, Falcao reportedly remains a target for Arsenal, even if Wenger suggests otherwise. The Gunners boss gained a first-hand look at the Colombian during the Emirates Cup, where Falcao’s goal proved to be the difference in Monaco’s 1-0 win over Arsenal.
Despite plying his trade in Ligue 1 last season and this, only Messi (126) and Cristiano Ronaldo (112) have scored more goals than Falcao (52) over the duration of the last 4 La Liga seasons. The Colombia international is as natural a goalscorer as they come and with reports suggesting he could be available on loan for €20m, the Gunners could certainly do with his ability in the 18-yard box. While not as strong as Giroud in the air - Falcao won 1.1 aerial duels per game last season compared to the Frenchman's 4.0 - the Monaco star is far more prolific in front of goal as his conversion rate in the past 12 months suggests (20.4% compared to Giroud’s 14.4%).
With Madrid and Juventus sniffing around, Arsenal would have to act quickly if they are to snare Falcao, but he would undoubtedly strengthen their potent attack and increase their chances of securing Premier League glory. A more attainable lead frontman, though, could be Javier Hernández, who has proven his goalscoring pedigree with Manchester United. Supposedly unwanted by manager Louis van Gaal, the Mexican could be a cheaper option for Wenger, although he too fares well in front of goal.
Of the 34 players to score at least 20 league goals over the last 4 seasons, Hernández has the best conversion rate (21.4%) and his striking instincts, coupled with the creativity in the Arsenal ranks, could see him flourish at the Emirates, though doubts would remain as to how well he could hold the ball up and whether he'd be a real improvement on Alexis. Cavani and Remy would swell an Arsenal attack teeming with talent and with the transfer window closing on Monday, there is still time for Wenger to make a move.
Alexis' performances in the role against both Everton and Besiktas suggest Wenger would be wise to strengthen up front in the coming days. Sanogo is an option, but he is clearly not yet Premier League winning quality. Lukas Podolski remains in the squad, too, but only 6 of his 39 league starts under Wenger have been as the lone frontman, with the manager preferring the German out wide.
For now though, Alexis will spearhead the Gunners’ attack. His display against Everton, however, is cause for concern for Arsenal fans, especially with the offensive burden placed on his shoulders with Giroud's. If Alexis fails to handle the pressure in the coming months, Wenger may live to regret not investing in another striker this transfer window.
Do you think Arsenal need to sign a striker before the transfer window slams shut? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
