Arsenal may regret losing “outrageous” goal machine

Regardless of accidents, dodgy choices, and inconsistent kind, Arsenal have managed to maintain inside touching distance of Liverpool within the Premier League and completed third within the league section of the Champions League.

Nonetheless, any constructive sentiments that have been beginning to coalesce across the crew following their emphatic 5-1 demolition of Manchester Metropolis on the weekend have been totally annihilated by the 2-0 loss to Newcastle United final evening.

Mikel Arteta’s facet went into the second leg realizing that, on account of their 2-0 defeat within the first, development to the ultimate was an unlikely consequence, however there was hope, and even expectation, amongst followers that the crew would not less than battle tooth and nail to tug themselves via.

As a substitute, the Gunners, who have been clearly overawed by the hostile ambiance, wasted their early possibilities and have been put to the sword by Eddie Howe’s full-throttle Magpies.

Worse but, a participant the North Londoners have courted however handed up on prior to now, Alexander Isak, was as soon as once more sensational, and if lacking out on his companies wasn’t dangerous sufficient, it appears like Arsenal might need misplaced their very own model of the Swede final 12 months.

Arsenal’s hyperlinks to Isak

So, the hyperlinks between Arsenal and Isak began all the way back in 2021, when the previous Borussia Dortmund star was taking part in in La Liga for Basque outfit Actual Sociedad.

Nonetheless, in keeping with a report from The Athletic in early 2022, the Gunners opted in opposition to signing the then-22-year-old, as they deemed his launch clause too pricey, which was around £75m on the time.

Sadly, with the North Londoners out of the image, Newcastle swooped in and signed the Solna-born dynamo in the summer of 2022, and since then, he has gone from power to power within the northeast.

Since making the transfer, the unstoppable ahead has racked up a sensational haul of 54 goals and nine assists in simply 94 appearances for the Toon, which involves a median of a purpose involvement each 1.49 video games.

Furthermore, the 50-capped worldwide has scored two goals and been on the profitable facet thrice in simply 5 matches in opposition to the North Londoners, and we would not be stunned to see him add to that purpose tally when the golf equipment meet on the Emirates later this season.

In all, Isak is undoubtedly among the best strikers on this planet in the meanwhile, and Arsenal will likely be kicking themselves that they didn’t signal him after they may’ve, and worse but, they could have misplaced their very own model of the ahead final 12 months.

Arsenal’s personal Isak

Whereas Arsenal’s assault has been lacklustre this season, it must be mentioned that when Bukayo Saka is match, and the likes of Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard, and Kai Havertz are in kind, the crew might be an extremely potent pressure.

You solely have to have a look at final season to see that, as whereas they finally completed second, the Gunners racked up an impressive tally of 91 goals, which was solely bettered by Metropolis.

Nonetheless, the membership lacks a scientific centre-forward within the mould of Isak, and to make issues worse, they misplaced a teenager who may have been their model of him in Chidozie Obi-Martin, who joined Manchester United last year, regardless of the membership’s greatest efforts.

Now, earlier than the pitchforks come out, we’re not saying the 17-year-old may have come into the facet this season and matched the previous Sociedad star’s output or performances, however the indicators have been actually there.

For instance, throughout his time within the academy, the younger Dane was a lean, mean-scoring machine.

In simply 24 appearances final season, the “outrageous” prospect, as dubbed by Hale End expert Jeorge Bird, scored a mammoth 32 goals and provided three assists for good measure, which comes out to a frankly ridiculous common of 1.45 purpose involvements each single recreation.

On high of sharing a watch for purpose with the Newcastle star and being a fellow Scandinavian, the previous Hale Ender can also be an imposing determine, standing at 6 foot 2, and given his age, he is greater than possible set to get even taller.

Sadly for Arteta and Co, he appears to have carried his good kind over to United as properly, as in ten appearances, he is already scored nine goals and provided one help.

In the end, whereas Arsenal tried to maintain a maintain of Obi Martin final 12 months, it looks like they could remorse dropping him in the identical manner they have to remorse not signing Isak in 2022.

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