Alexander Isak shows Arsenal what they desperately need as transfer calls grow louder | OneFootball

The Gunners were again wasteful in front of goal in a growing concern for Mikel Arteta

Over the years, Arsenal fans have witnessed some impressive performances by strikers wearing the No14 shirt - but this was one they will want to forget in a hurry.

The striker scored Newcastle’s opener and played a vital role in their second goal, with his saved effort tapped home by Anthony Gordon.

William Saliba has rarely looked so vulnerable and, in particular, there was one moment in the first half where Isak left the Frenchman for dead with his pace, but Gordon could not quite latch onto the cross.

AP

Gordon afterwards labelled Isak as the best striker in Europe right now - and it is hard to argue with that.

The Swede has scored 14 goals in his last 15 games. His effort on Tuesday night was his 50th since he joined Newcastle in the summer of 2022. In that time, only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have scored more goals in all competitions among Premier League players.

What Arsenal would give for a striker like that and no wonder they are interested in Isak.

The Gunners were toothless in this defeat and the fact Isak was so clinical will only added to calls for them to bring in a forward this month.

Arsenal had the chances, finishing the match with 23 shots on goal and 47 touches in the Newcastle box. Only three of those shots were on target, though.

“(Arteta) needs help,” said former Arsenal striker Ian Wright afterwards, who was working as a pundit on ITV.

I know it is very difficult in January, but if it’s going to carry on like this, it’s going to be very difficult to score

Ian Wright on Arsenal transfer needs

“I know it is very difficult to get anything in this January window, but he needs something else because, if it’s going to carry on like this, it’s going to be very difficult to score.

“We are not scoring with the corners, we are not scoring with the chances we are making. Something needs to change. Something needs to happen.”

Wright’s calls for a striker bring back memories of last January, when Arsenal were suffering a similar slump.

The Gunners lost three games in a row around the turn of the year and they had 61 shots across the matches, scoring just once.

“We need a killer,” said Wright on social media at the time.

Arteta was able to find solutions internally, moving Kai Havertz from midfield to up front. The squad were also re-energised by a warm-weather training camp in Dubai.

Those options aren’t available to Arteta now. Havertz has already made his move further forward and he was one of those who struggled on Tuesday night, shouldering a glorious chance wide when he tried to head home Leandro Trossard’s deflected cross.

Action Images via Reuters

Winter sun can’t come to Arsenal’s aid, either. The Gunners have six more games this month and then they kick off February with a huge clash against Manchester City.

That will complete a run of 10 games in 33 days. Three days after that, Arsenal head to St. James’ Park for the second leg of this semi-final.

Arteta still has “full belief” that Arsenal can turn it around then, but the history is not on their side.

Prior to this season, only once had a side in the semi-finals of the League Cup progressed to the final after losing the first leg by two or more goals, with Aston Villa doing so against Tranmere Rovers in 1993-94.

Arteta hopes his squad will be in better shape by the second leg and a new forward now feels like a necessity. Bukayo Saka’s absence is becoming more apparent with every passing game.

Tuesday night could easily be chalked off as a freak result given the chances that Arsenal squandered and they ended the game with an xG of 3.12. According to Opta, that is the highest figure by a Premier League team in any game this season that they failed to score in.

Arteta may argue that makes the defeat an anomaly, but the harsh reality is that with an elite striker, nights like that don’t happen.

Isak needed just one chance to make Arsenal pay.