Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal are missing the “spark” needed to win games and challenge for the Premier League title.
Injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka have left the Gunners short of attacking options. Defensive midfielder Mikel Merino has been forced to lead the line in the last two matches, but Arsenal struggled in attack, failing to score in both games and managing just three shots on target over 180 minutes.
Following a 1-0 defeat to West Ham United and a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest, which left them 13 points behind Liverpool in the title race, Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal are not creating enough chances to compete for silverware.
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“It doesn’t feel good,” Arteta reflected after the latest result. “We’re here to win. But we showed unquestionable character, how much we wanted it, and we tried.”
“We dominated the game and tried in many different ways. We insisted, but we lacked that spark, that final pass to break down a well-organized team. We need to generate more shots on target.”
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo pointed out Arsenal’s attacking struggles after the match, stating that he didn’t feel the need to adopt a defensive setup because the Gunners “don’t have a striker.”
Havertz and Jesus are not expected back until the 2025/26 season, while Arteta recently confirmed that Saka and Martinelli will likely return after the March international break.
