It was a result that seemed so extraordinary yet so typical of what to expect from Arsenal over the past few years as the Gunners drew with 20th-place Burnley at home.
It’s a situation we have seen time and again. Arsenal find themselves in a golden opportunity to put themselves in a brilliant position in the Premier League against a club they are heavy favourites against, yet instead of an easy win, they choke and fail.
Burnley this Sunday was just the latest in a long line of disastrous games that have seen Arsenal bottle the most simple of fixtures and inflict further damage to their goals for the season. Yet unlike previous slip-ups, the Gunners this time have a chance to address the problem.
Gunners have to kick into the gear with transfer window creaking shut
The transfer window slams shut in just over a week, and with no football to be played until February, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar can solely focus on bringing in the extra quality needed to take Arsenal over the edge and back into the top-four conversation.
I’m sure you’re aware of who the big names are on Arsenal’s transfer list. As reported by the Daily Mail, Dusan Vlahovic is the striker Arteta is eyeing, with Tuttosport claiming that ACF Fiorentina could sell the attacker for €60m (£50m).
As well as a striker, a central midfielder is also needed for Arsenal. The decision to loan out Ainsley Maitland-Niles so early in the window has been rightly criticised by supporters, with the Gunners relying on 21-year-old Albert Sambi Lokonga to play the entire role by himself.
The returns of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka from suspension will ease the burden on Lokonga as well as Mohamed Elneny. Yet for many Arsenal fans, more is needed in central midfield if the Gunners are to close the gap on top-four.
Edu needs to repeat transfer magic Arsenal produced in the summer
Two quality signings in the striker and central midfield position could be what pushes Arsenal to the promised land of UEFA Champions League football. But to do that, Edu needs to rework his magic which the Brazilian technical director pulled off last summer.
The former Arsenal midfielder was key to bringing in six players for the Gunners, with each and every one of them bringing something unique and positive to the north London side. And with just over a week of the window left to go, Edu doesn’t have much time left.
As things stand, a deal for Vlahovic looks unlikely whilst moves for the likes of Arthur Melo and Bruno Guimaraes also feel uncertain. And with time ticking fast, Edu knows that he needs to pull off two incredible moves that will help Arsenal in the second half of the season.
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