Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool: Mikel Arteta has no choice but to boost flawed forward line as Ivan Toney commits to Brentford

Arsenal's feeble forward line was exposed again in their 2-0 FA Cup third-round exit to Liverpool; Mikel Arteta's Gunners have scored just once from 61 shots — accumulating an xG of 6.47; with Ivan Toney committing himself to Brentford — where do Arsenal turn now?

By Peter Gill, Sky Sports football editor

Monday 8 January 2024 09:09, UK

Perhaps word of Ivan Toney’s re-commitment to the Brentford cause was what Mikel Arteta had in mind when he admitted after Arsenal’s defeat to Liverpool that signing another striker «does not look realistic» during the current transfer window.

As calculated elsewhere on these pages, in Arsenal's last three games, they have had 61 shots to a backdrop of 6.47 worth of expected goals and scored just once.

This was a defeat by type.

Arsenal have other problems: neither of their goalkeepers seem capable of making a save. VAR has been a regular scourge. Injuries have been debilitating. Set-pieces have been an obvious vulnerability (Arsenal have conceded from a corner or free-kick in each of their last three matches).

But these are just problems. Arsenal's inability to convert their chances is now shifting into fatal flaw territory.

«I don't think they win the league if they don't get a centre-forward,» opined Sky Sports' Paul Merson last week. Few would disagree.

In that context, Toney's pledge to Brentford must be considered a serious setback. Toney is — or was — the obvious candidate to be Arsenal's missing piece.

Transfer Centre LIVE!

Arsenal's fixtures

Papers — latest headlines

Premier League ins and outs

There are, of course, twin difficulties at play here. The first is the difficulty of forecasting a successful season for Arsenal if they don't sign a striker. The second is signing a