Mikel Arteta has admitted it. Nuno Santo highlighted it earlier this week. Everyone is aware of the main problem at Arsenal Football Club right now.
2024 was a year of progress for the Gunners. They ended the previous season with just one defeat, combining an impressive attacking display with defensive solidity to keep their title challenge alive until the final day of the Premier League.
During a dominant run between late February and early March, Arsenal showcased their firepower, netting six goals against West Ham, five against Burnley, four against Newcastle, and another six against Sheffield United.
What a difference a year makes. Now, Arsenal are struggling to find the back of the net, no matter what they try. Mikel Merino’s brace remains their only two goals across the last three games, with the Gunners suffering a 1-0 defeat to West Ham before grinding out a goalless draw against top-four contenders Nottingham Forest.
So, where has it all gone wrong?
How Arteta Has Tried to Fix Arsenal’s Attack in 2025
Heading into the winter transfer window, Arsenal knew they were short in attack. The absence of Bukayo Saka, sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered against Crystal Palace in November, meant they were without their star player.
Even so, interim sporting director Jason Ayto and the club’s ownership didn’t seem to be in any rush to address the issue. That changed abruptly when Gabriel Jesus suffered an ACL injury in the FA Cup, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
With Gabriel Jesus sidelined, Arsenal suddenly found themselves in need of not just one but two attacking reinforcements. Transfer rumors swirled, but nothing materialized. A move for Alexander Isak was always unlikely, and prying long-term target Benjamin Šeško away from RB Leipzig in January proved too difficult. While Arsenal may revisit Šeško in the summer, that won’t help them in the 2024/25 season.
As the transfer window closed without a single signing, frustration boiled over. Fans groaned, complained, and vented their anger at the Emirates. Then, just when things couldn’t get worse, came the biggest setback of all—Kai Havertz. The player Mikel Arteta had praised for his “robustness and unbelievable availability” was now sidelined as well.
That remark now seems almost cursed. Just a week later, during Arsenal’s warm-weather training camp in Dubai, Havertz suffered a hamstring injury. He’s now been ruled out for the rest of the season as well.
That remark now seems almost cursed. Just a week later, during Arsenal’s warm-weather training camp in Dubai, Havertz suffered a hamstring injury. He’s now been ruled out for the rest of the season as well.
Merino, however, emerged as Arsenal’s savior, scoring twice with superb assists from Nwaneri and Trossard. But since then, the Gunners have been completely toothless in attack.
The idea of deploying Merino as a makeshift striker—given his wiry frame, similar to Havertz—makes some sense. But in reality, he’s far from a natural center-forward.
Against Nottingham Forest, Arsenal even experimented with left-back Riccardo Calafiori drifting into central attacking positions. He nearly made an impact, striking the woodwork with a brilliant first-half effort. However, his shaky defensive display led to him being substituted at halftime.
This is likely to be Arsenal’s story for the rest of the season—struggling for goals and wondering what might have been. How they must regret selling some of their brightest Hale End talents. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but one former academy star is now outscoring even Alexander Isak…
Arsenal Must Regret Selling Their Hale End Superstar
Hale End has been a steady pipeline of talent for Arsenal in recent years. When Mikel Arteta first arrived, it was Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who helped steady the ship. Now, he’s seeing similar promise from two more academy graduates—Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, they have already cashed in on a player who has made even greater strides than both this season.
That player is Mika Biereth. By now, most fans have heard his name—but back when he was developing in Arsenal’s academy, he largely flew under the radar.
After signing from Fulham, the centre-forward immediately joined the U21 squad, where he netted 12 goals in 26 appearances—solid but not particularly remarkable numbers.
During that period, he had multiple loan stints, playing for Dutch club RKC Waalwijk before enjoying a productive 2023/24 season with Motherwell and Sturm Graz. Across both clubs, he recorded 15 goals and nine assists.
Mika Biereth’s Performance in 2023/24
| Team | Motherwell | Sturm Graz |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 15 | 22 |
| Minutes | 1,045 | 1,624 |
| Goals | 6 | 9 |
| Assists | 5 | – |
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