00:00Now, there's no denying that Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal and brought them tantalisingly close to the top.
00:12But coming close is no longer enough. The growing frustration stems not from outright failure, but from repeated near misses.
00:20Despite a clear style and strong team identity, the club has yet to add a major trophy since 2020.
00:27As rival clubs continue to collect silverware and expectations rise season after season, Arsenal supporters are left wondering how much longer they'll have to wait.
00:36This summer could be a defining moment, not just in the transfer market, but in deciding whether Arsenal's vision is still commanding full force.
00:46We spoke to Jack Abella of London World to get a sense of the mood around Arsenal, where the ongoing wait for silverware under Arteta is testing the patience.
00:55Of the fans and how important this summer could prove to be.
00:59And, you know, we've obviously mentioned the striker situation, the number nine, the lack of goals.
01:09Who'd they go for in the summer? Who, you know, is that still the solution to this?
01:14And obviously, if they are to get a world-class number nine in an ideal world, does Arteta then run out of excuses if they aren't delivering?
01:23If he does find a, you know, 15, 20 goal a season in the Premier League striker, they've got to go all the way, you feel?
01:30Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we mentioned, you know, briefly earlier January, and I think a lot of Arsenal fans were upset that Arsenal didn't go and sign a striker there.
01:40I think, you know, what's becoming maybe increasingly clear is, you know, at that time, Arsenal didn't have a permanent sporting director.
01:46Jason Ato was in on a temporary basis after Edu left.
01:50And I think while signing a striker would have helped push for maybe the Champions League in the Premier League at that point,
01:57maybe the right thing to do was to wait for the sporting director to come in and go again this season.
02:02You know, Arsenal fans won't be happy with that.
02:04But now, Andrea Berta is in. He's an experienced sporting director from Atletico Madrid.
02:10And I think, you know, by all accounts, it looks like he's ready to come in and make a real statement and back Arteta.
02:18Who do we want? Well, look, Arteta loves Alexander Isak.
02:22That's been widely reported. That's going to be a pretty impossible get, I'd imagine, especially if Newcastle get Champions League.
02:29You know, if Newcastle beat Arsenal at the Emirates on at the weekend, then, you know, they will look favourites to go second place as well.
02:38So whether Isak would even want to leave is another question altogether.
02:43It looks as if Victor Jocherez is the number one target.
02:48It's Andrea Berta's made it very clear that he's a big fan of the Sporting Lisbon striker who, you know, scored 95 goals in 100 games for Sporting Lisbon.
02:59Obviously, you know, that league is slightly different to the Premier League.
03:01We know it's not as strong, but, you know, those numbers still, you can't turn your nose up at that.
03:06So if Arsenal go out and get a Jocherez or a Benjamin Sesko, I think, especially if Arsenal get Jocherez, who's, you know, looks to be a proven goal scorer,
03:17I think it will be played as the final piece of the puzzle for Arteta.
03:24And, yeah, without, with a big centre forward, it does, yeah, it seems like you say that will be the final piece of the puzzle and the pressure will be on Arteta to deliver.
03:36Now, whether or not Jocherez is Arteta's dream signing is another conversation.
03:40But, yeah, I think you're right.
03:42That's also, you know, you have to bear in mind, we have to try and keep all the players this window as well.
03:46I think if Arsenal maintain their squad, I can't really see anyone leaving, but Real Madrid have looked at William Saliba.
03:52If that was to happen, then suddenly you've got another situation that you need to fix at the back.
03:56And, you know, if Arsenal can keep hold of this current squad and sign a top striker in Europe, then, yeah, I mean, they need another winger as well.
04:05But, yeah, they've got a really good chance and then pressure really will start to mount on Arteta around Arsenal to get a big trophy over the line.
04:14I don't think that's a strong sense within the Arsenal fan base, to be honest, but that narrative will grow.
04:21And, you know, football, we're at an elite level with Arsenal and, you know, those questions should be asked at some point.
04:28So it will be interesting to see how it develops for sure.
04:32But, yeah, as you say, if Arsenal had the form they had last season, yeah, they'd definitely be with a shout.
04:38But I think that mental and physical fatigue has just caught up within this campaign.
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