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Can our new striker come from within? Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus. If we stick with that current line one of them, at least, will have to start banging in goals in a way that they haven’t so far. Or we need someone else as suggested by Jamie Carragher if we are to win the title. Gaby our centre? Why not? So can one of these do a Thierry Henry like conversion from their current position to start hammering in the goals like a certain Frenchman? On the surface it is hard to perceive. We do see Martinelli and Saka, with backup from Trossard and Nelson, and even Jesus, marauding along the wing, aiming for that cross or pullback that will unleash a goal. That must be frightening for any team. So pulling Martinelli or Saka from their role seems unlikely. Unless I am mistaken, Martinelli would like to tackle the centre but I don’t honestly see that happening, and nor with Saka. I can’t remember reading that Saka would like a centre role but nor did Henry and that is the critical aspect to this argument. Not what they might like but can they do it? He will need to be given patience The one big drawback is that it might take time to find their feet, like Henry. Old timers like myself will remember Henry struggling to get goals despite showing some flashes of top play. All of the above names are in that category, they have shown flickers of light at scoring goals and causing mayhem for the opposition, but none have really been given a long enough chance to show whether they are capable. I suspect that Jesus will not become a goal machine, though. But a switch with Martinelli could well work. I feel Martinelli can score goals. That for me, is one option to transform the team. Has Eddie really been given a chance? Of course Eddie, as probably the only dedicated centre forward in that line-up could start to blossom. He has at underage. He does need a longer spell and patience as was given to Henry. I reckon he won’t get it, though, and maybe we will never know if he could turn into the goal machine we need. I doubt if many fans would vote for Eddie, but then fans don’t pick the team. A surprise turns up? So, let’s take a step back and look at the rest. Reiss Nelson? He can score goals under pressure, we know that. He is quick, he is strong, and to me, he has a bit of a Henry look about him. Henry’s biggest attribute, in my opinion, was the arrogance he found as the goals flowed. He had the belief he could score against anyone and that is what we need and don’t have at the moment. Reiss? It could be but again there seems little indication that such a gamble would be taken. Emile? I really think this boy could do it Smith Rowe? Have you noticed how often he gets into dangerous positions? Even with a short match time? I feel he could very easily be a focal point. I would like to see him given a chance. I would see him as a Son type player, popping up to score goals from everywhere. He may be a Spud, but Son is a super player. This may well be my preference. Who else? Saka I don’t really see in the centre. For sure he could shine with the ability he has, he wouldn’t let us down, but the mayhem, the wing focal point of the attacks that are so crucial would be lost without him. Getting the ball to Saka always gives players a chance to score. Trossard? Again a Son type forward, to pop up across the line. He knows where the goal is and a sustained run could see him undroppable. If given a chance he could well do exactly what we are hoping for. Odegaard - the new Bergkamp? Martin? A Bergkamp style forward? He could do it, you know. He keeps getting better and he is scoring. He is deceptively strong, able and willing to pick up the ball, and with his confidence up, could make that leap. There would be a sacrifice in his distribution if he was further forward and there seems little indication Arteta would be willing to risk such a move. Paul Scholes comes to mind when I see Odegaard. Oh Kai? And lastly Mr Havertz. We just don’t know, do we? He has shown less goal ability than any of the above for us or Chelsea. He has talent, he has nous, he has size, and perhaps it is that belief that comes from scoring goals that will give him the arrogance to get in the box and find the back of the net regularly. He is the wild card of the lot. All we can really say is that the backroom team and the statisticians decided he was worth the huge money paid and crucially, Arteta believes in him. He has got on the pitch in most games so far. As a midfielder, though, surely he is not above Rice, Odegaard, Partey or even Jorginho? Can he be a forward above Eddie, Jesus and Trossard? If not, then I suspect a bit part role is his destiny. He must score or die. It is what I would tell him. Does he Havertz a chance? The only job open at the moment is the striker’s. The internal candidates are the above. Only Saka, Martinelli and Odegaard are safe in their positions. The others, if they jump on the striker’s role, could also be first choice like Harry Kane at Bayern, and the rest would have to pick up the scraps. Jesus - out wide for the good of the team? And my preference? Martinelli in the centre with Jesus out wide is probably the move that could work. Martinelli gets in the right positions. He can score goals by himself. He does seem to have the arrogance required despite his humble words. I feel he believes in himself. The only way we will ever know is if he is given the chance. I say give him that chance. Ps. You may say why did I not include Vieira? I just don’t see him as a focal point for the attack. I could be wrong, of course.

Please please us with goals What do Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Granit Xhaka, and Eddie Nketiah have in common? These 6 players were our main goal-scorers last season. The first four with 15 and the next 2 with 9. 78 goals across all competitions with Xhaka’s arguably the most impressive as he is a defensive midfielder. He did start most matches though. Eddie Nketiah started the least at only 18 so his nine could be argued as the most impressive and they did include some very crucial ones which kept us believing. I was there for the Man Utd one and we celebrated like crazy. 20 plus this year, Gabi Jesus started 27 plus 6 as sub for his 15 and again these are good figures so our two strikers did well considering they had limited playing time and both had long term injuries. I feel that if either one had been first choice and injury free we would have won the league as the more you play with your assistants the more of the telepathy you share. They are 2 different players and you have to find them differently. Jesus is everywhere and Nketiah is more of a traditional striker. So the midfielders and wingers had to adjust each time as to when and where to pass. I would imagine that Nketiah’s positions are easier as he would be in and around the box. We can work it out both ways It meant that Arteta had to train the players both ways. You have to know where a player is likely to be and also how they like the ball. To the left foot, the right, the head, can they handle the ball at mid height, have they good control of a fast moving ball, how are they for receiving the ball under pressure, behind or in front, do they have the pace to get to a ball in a sprint with a defender? It is fair to say that those 2 players are quite different as we all can see. It has to be a challenge for the players to adjust mid-match or even from one match to the next. And 20 plus from you, Eddie If anyone watches Match of the day, they have a predominance of strikers as their main commentators, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and our own Ian Wright. They all agree that they want the midfielders and wingers to find them as quickly as possible when they run into a good position and get angry if they are not found. Jesus is not really such a player as he gets more involved in the build-up and is often found on the wings or receiving the ball in the middle. It does mean, however, that he is quite often not in the strikers position. He is no goal poacher whereas Nketiah is. Alan Shearer got angry if he didn't get the ball One can guess, judging by the start of the season, that Arteta has decided to play both ways, possibly depending on the opposition, to give an unpredictability to how we play. It will probably mean that If Jesus starts, Nketiah will come on with some time left and vice versa to disrupt the opposition. We need goals here, there and everywhere I feel that Saka, Martinelli and Odegaard will be required to have strong figures like last season and Trossard, Havertz and Viera will be required to step up and score. 8 solid scorers gives us a great chance. How about 15, Guy Havertz? Judging by Nketiah’s positioning and runs, Arteta wants Nketiah to be more like Jesus and yet not abandon the striker role. And judging by Jesus’s goal, perhaps Jesus to be more like a striker. He put the goal away superbly just like Henry. A total of 24 goals last season for our 2 main strikers is not a good return but as I have said above, not too bad considering their limited game time. We have to hope for a better return this season. Norwegian’s good Arteta’s vision seems to be moving away from Pep’s to a more total football style. All players to defend, win balls and participate in attacks. Pep has a generational player in Haaland, and he is as close to a pure striker as I have ever seen. The trend has been to move away from such players in favour of more all round players but Haaland’s numbers mean you can rely on him to score the goals and the other players can just give assists. They will be enough to keep the City machine winning. I suspect every team would love to have him. And we do have our own Norwegian genius in Odegaard. No less than 15, Leandro But we have to play with what we have, 2 flying wingers who can score, move inside, win balls and defend if necessary. Midfielders like Odegaard and Xhaka (read the guys mentioned above) who thunder forward and bag plenty of scores. And of course, Jesus and Nketiah. Nketiah is closer to Haaland in style but I feel that Arteta is right. We need variety, scores from everywhere, changes in style, a mix-em up approach to give final results better than City. Nketiah is not Haaland. Don’t let me down Despite Haaland’s astonishing numbers, we only finished 6 goals behind City last season and we were well ahead of all the rest. Arteta got a lot right. And the team looks better balanced all round with players ready to come in that won’t weaken the team. I am not happy with moving Tierney on but I have to assume that he does not work as Arteta wants him. Kyle Walker had such spells at City where Pep said he does not do what he wants but Walker kept coming back. I hope Tierney can do the same. To me he brings a better goal threat and is a better defender than Zinchenko. Arteta does not agree with me at the moment, but I hope that is why he is the manager, not me. Be the first Portuguese to score 15 for us, Fabio My conclusion is simple, we will not have a super scorer this season. We will need lots of guys to hit double figures or close, which should be a benefit of the total football approach that Arteta seems to be tweaking this season. I am pretty certain of one thing, though. Jesus and Nketiah will have to hit better numbers, and we could do with a mostly injury free time this year for those two guys. I have a feeling if that is so, that they will both have a similar number of total games as both get a run out most times. Strikers always get subbed. The different qualities both bring could be the key to a big season for us. The opposition will have to change tack every match as one or the other comes on. C’mon the Arsenal!