It’s Groundhog Day for Arsenal supporters heading into the new Premier League season – which kicks off with a tricky task away to newly-promoted Brentford on Friday under the lights.
After that, it’s Chelsea at home and Manchester City away – and the mood around the Emirates is a glum one following a rather fruitless summer in terms of pre-season results but more importantly after their lack of summer business.
After a turbulent 2020-21 campaign which saw them finish a lowly eighth and without European football altogether, there is a real fear that things could soon get worse with their rivals pulling clear. Put clearly, many fans are dreading the new season.
And after a poor pre-season which culminated in a drab 1-0 defeat by north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday, Sportsmail has decided to take a look at the five key issues that are still plaguing Mikel Arteta’s side.
LACK OF CREATIVITY REMAINS
For many years at Arsenal, it has been the defense and a lack of backbone that has been the main cause for concern.
But those who watched the Gunners closely last season will have noticed that it’s now in fact the attacking side of things that are letting them down with Arteta having improved the backline.
The Gunners only scored 55 times in the Premier League last campaign, with eight other teams scoring more than them – including Leeds in ninth. It’s a far cry from the scintillating football played under Arsene Wenger.
But while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette failed to deliver the goods, they certainly weren’t helped by a lack of creativity behind them.
Willian, who endured a horror debut campaign for Arsenal, produced the most assists with just five to his name in the Premier League with Emile Smith Rowe behind him on four, and Aubameyang, Dani Ceballos, Bukayo Saka and Kieran Tierney all one further back.
It’s simply not good enough for a club that pride themselves on their free-flowing football. And their alarming attacking rhythm was evident during pre-season, struggling to create any clear cut chances in both the defeats against Chelsea and Tottenham in the Mind Series friendlies.
They have been heavily linked with a move for James Maddison while Martin Odegaard has been mooted with a return, but weeks have past, and they are no closer to signing either player. The time is ticking, or Arsenal will have the same problems in attack.
OVER-RELIANT ON YOUNGSTERS
The only positive, and it must be said it was a big one, that came out of last season was the emergence of their youth stars – specifically England international Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
Without those two in the starting line-up, who knows where Arsenal would have finished under Arteta last campaign.
When the going got tough last term, and that was often, it was Saka or Smith Rowe that hauled Arsenal out of trouble – the same happened in the Europa League too.
That’s a lot of pressure on the shoulders of a 19-year-old and 21-year-old still needing to gain vital experience playing week in week out in the Premier League. They need their senior stars to step up to the plate and be counted for.
Gabriel Martinelli will be hoping to follow in Saka and Smith Rowe’s footsteps next season but still, Aubameyang needs to rediscover his form and quickly to get Arsenal out of this rut.
Arsenal’s experienced stars, and the ones you’d expect to make the difference, have been far too inconsistent under Arteta.
Arsenal are set to part ways with Newcastle-bound Joe Willock for £22million, but that’s only a start. If the Gunners want to be competitive next season, then they must bring in a couple of fresh faces. Maddison definitely would excite fans…