Former England and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has made a bold assertion that Arsenal would have already clinched the Premier League title this season if they had pursued a different striker last summer. Cole specifically pointed to Hugo Ekitike, who joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt, as the missing piece that could have secured the championship for the Gunners.
Title Race Slips from Arsenal's Grasp
Arsenal's title hopes suffered a significant blow with a costly 2-1 defeat to Manchester City last weekend, leaving the destiny of the Premier League trophy out of their hands. Despite leading the table for much of the campaign, this loss has placed immense pressure on Mikel Arteta's squad in the final stretch.
Arteta's Controversial Lineup Decision
Before the crucial match against City, eyebrows were raised when Arteta opted to start Kai Havertz as the central striker, relegating summer signing Viktor Gyokeres to the bench. Gyokeres, who arrived from Sporting CP for £64 million, has scored 12 league goals in his debut season in north London, but many Arsenal fans feel he has failed to justify his hefty price tag.
Cole expressed his views on The Dressing Room Podcast, stating, "Gyokeres was the big signing. If Arsenal don't win anything, they have got that signing wrong." He further elaborated, "You're coming to the biggest game of the season and you've gone with two No10s, Havertz and Odegaard, and not with a number nine. Havertz was brilliant, but let's just imagine Ekitike was signed instead of Gyokeres, I think Arsenal would have won the league by now, I do. Ekitike is a proper player."
Cole's Assessment of Gyokeres' Season
While acknowledging Gyokeres' abilities, Cole emphasized the need for patience, suggesting the striker deserves another year to adapt. However, he highlighted a critical issue: "But ultimately, you know from our time at top clubs, and especially in the modern game, you rotate, play a different centre forward, different full-backs, but when it is the big games, you are starting with your best XI, and he [Arteta] just doesn't think Gyokeres is."
Rooney Weighs In on Psychological Impact
Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney also commented on Arteta's decision to drop Gyokeres, suggesting it could have a psychological effect on the striker during the final weeks of the season. Speaking to BBC Sport, Rooney said, "I think these decisions if he comes on and scores the winner or scores the equalising goal obviously it's the right decision. I thought with him not starting, Arsenal would've tried to sit in there. It was a strange one, him not starting because you bring a No.9 in which they've been looking for all season, and I actually think he's done OK, to not start him in such a big game, I think that might affect him."
Broader Context of Arsenal's Striker Dilemma
This debate underscores the ongoing scrutiny of Arsenal's transfer strategy and in-game management. With the title race intensifying, every decision is magnified, and Cole's comments add fuel to the discussion about whether the club made the right choice in targeting Gyokeres over alternatives like Ekitike. As the season nears its conclusion, the performance of Arsenal's attacking lineup will remain under the microscope, with fans and pundits alike questioning what might have been with a different summer signing.
