Arsenal’s best chances for a trophy this season

After back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Premier League, Arsenal entered the 2024/25 campaign determined to end Manchester City’s long-term dominance.

With Jurgen Klopp waving goodbye to Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s reign at the Etihad Stadium drawing to a halt, this was supposed to be the Gunners’ best chance to end a two-decade title drought.

Only 11 rounds into the new season, Arsenal’s bid to ascend the throne looks dead in the water.

Premier League summit already out of reach

Victory against Chelsea in last weekend’s London derby was imperative after Arsenal dropped points in three successive league matches beforehand.

But they had to settle for a stomach-wrenching 1-1 draw.

Sunday’s encounter at Stamford Bridge was a standout fixture, offering fans a thrilling display of live football on TV that kept viewers on the edge of their seats.

Despite grabbing a second-half lead through Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal slumped to a fourth consecutive winless league outing as Pedro Neto drew Chelsea level.

As a result of another gut-wrenching result, Mikel Arteta’s men headed into November’s international break trailing table-topping Liverpool by a whopping nine points.

However, a lack of victories is the least of Arteta’s problems.

Fitness issues spell further trouble

Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice picked up injuries at the Bridge and had to pull out from the England national team for November’s UEFA Nations League games against Greece and Ireland.

According to the Evening Standard, Ben White has joined the ever-growing injury list at the Emirates Stadium after undergoing a minor knee procedure.

The Gunners are already without Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu, with fresh injury concerns only fuelling skepticism in North London.

With Liverpool showing no signs of slowing down, Arteta needs all hands on deck to make an unlikely comeback, as the league title looks already lost.

Unequipped for Europe

Despite enjoying a three-match unbeaten UEFA Champions League start, Arsenal’s shortcomings came to the fore in the first high-profile encounter.

Inter Milan squeezed past the Gunners 1-0 at Giuseppe Meazza, becoming the first side to score against Arteta’s team at Europe’s top table this season.

If it’s any consolation, Hakan Calhanoglu’s match-winner came from the spot, meaning they’ve yet to concede from open play.

However, Arsenal failed to find the net in Italy for the second time this season.

Had it not been for David Raya’s heroics between the sticks, the Gunners would’ve probably slipped to a loss at Atalanta in round one.

Arteta’s misfiring squad must recalibrate their crosshairs to stay in contention for automatic knockout qualification.

Even then, it’s hard to expect Arsenal to achieve Champions League glory for the first time in the club’s history.

Saving grace

Domestic cup competitions have been the only source of joy for Arsenal since the iconic Premier League triumph in 2004.

They have since won five FA Cup trophies, including one in the Spaniard’s first season in London.

However, since conquering the tournament in 2020, they’ve failed to reach the grand final.

As for the Carabao Cup, Arsenal’s last victory dates back to 1993.

They’ve appeared in the title-defining contest in 2018, so Arteta’s men may be encouraged to break their long-standing drought in this competition and aim for silverware this season.

What needs to be done

Patching things up in the midfield has become a necessity.

In the absence of Martin Odegaard, Arsenal’s creativity problems became more apparent, leaving the team struggling to generate scoring opportunities, especially in high-profile matches.

As per The Independent, the Gunners are hellbent on beating Liverpool to the signature of sought-after Real Sociedad ace Martin Zubimendi.

The Spaniard’s arrival would be a massive coup for Arsenal, provided they can lure him to the Emirates in January.

Arsenal would be well-advised to open their chequebook this winter, not just for Zubimendi.

They desperately need a goal-getter after Gabriel Jesus failed to live up to expectations.

Arteta cannot afford to rely on Kai Havertz only. He needs another reliable attacking option.