Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, Ruud van Nistelrooy. Ian Wright, Andy Cole, Dennis Bergkamp. And, of course, Robin van Persie.
You would be hard-pressed to find a more star-studded footballing list than this set of Manchester United and Arsenal strikers. Both clubs are steeped in a rich history of goal-scoring prowess.
To say that their current sides do not reflect this is the severest of understatements. It is rare for a score-draw to highlight the attacking frailties of two sides but that is exactly what Manchester United and Arsenal showed, in a far cry from the glory days of Rooney, Henry et al.
Manchester United and Arsenal’s lack of a prolific striker is startling
Arsenal are now 15 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League, and have the toughest run to the final of any side in the Champions League, whilst Manchester United’s Europa League hopes are flickering.
Consistently, performances from both sides have proved that failing to delve into the transfer market for options up-front would be perilous to their respective hopes next year, as they have been in this campaign.
In recent years Manchester City and Liverpool’s scintillating front-lines have been hard to match, but regardless of Bukayo Saka’s injury, Arsenal seem to be miles off those levels.
Mikel Arteta has focused on recruiting tall, strong, and defensive players. Those signings have not been failures but they have left Arsenal with limited funds to improve a depleted attack.
For Manchester United, the poor recruitment is as clear as day. The Old Trafford faithful protested in numbers, against the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and these off-field troubles reflect the performances in attack.
Joshua Zirkzee completed zero passes into the final third, had just one touch in the opposition box and had fewer touches than every other player who started.
Those are damning statistics. When we consider that his time in England has shown he is not a clinical finisher, and his abilities look more suited to a second-striker or false-nine role, these stats look even worse.
Ruben Amorim then has Rasmus Hojlund to call upon. The £62 million man has scored 23 times in 80 games for Manchester United since arriving from Atalanta in a true example of failing to live up to a hefty price tag.
Against Arsenal, it was a phenomenal last-ditch lunge from Declan Rice, who is the third-most expensive Premier League player of all time, that ensured Hojlund could not get a shot off, when through on goal and with the scores level. Yet that moment epitomised his and United’s struggles. Simply, he is a striker devoid of all confidence.
Ten minutes prior to the Danes’ introduction the United faithful began to chant Van Persie’s name. A sly dig at Arsenal fans undoubtedly, but both sets of supporters would snap your hand off for a figure up top as clinical and deadly as Van Persie once was.
When Arteta was asked if he regretted not signing a striker in January he tersely replied “no, not that”, before attempting to walk away from the interview.
It was the reaction of a manager who is tired of being asked about the same mistake over and over. Whilst Arteta may not admit it, he seemingly knows deep down that his side’s failure in front of goal has hampered their season significantly.
Arteta, who ranked at no.4 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best managers in the world right now, said: “We lacked a little bit in the final 15-20 metres, to have more shots, more purpose, more direction, the last pass, the last action, but the game is clearly for us and in the direction that we wanted”.
On countless occasions, Arsenal delivered near-post crosses, far-post dinks and cut-backs. Yet there was no one there and it was a game where the lack of movement and cutting edge in the box was blindingly obvious.
Even with Kai Havertz fit Arsenal have lacked a clinical edge, whilst Gabriel Jesus’ purple patch earlier in the season merely papered over cracks.
The signings of Rice, Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori are all well and good for Arteta’s clear desire to be robust in defence, but if there is no one at the other end to score, then those transfers may have been in vain.
There are plenty of options available in summer, with Alexander Isak consistently touted as the man who could take Arsenal from nearly-men to trophy winners.
Isak’s departure from Newcastle seems dependant on their final league position, but he is not the be-all and end-all. Benjamin Sesko and Jonathan David would both be much-needed upgrades for Arsenal.
With Ratcliffe’s money-saving schemes knowing no bounds, United’s ability to invest in summer is uncertain. Amorim stated, “We need more Bruno’s [Fernandes] that is clear”.
What is even more clear is that Manchester United, like Arsenal, need to sign a striker that Rooney and Henry would be proud of, if the glory days are to return.
