“It is that simple [that Arsenal need a number nine],” former West Ham captain Nigel Reo-Coker told BBC Radio 5 Live. “You can see why they have been linked with Alexander Isak from Newcastle because they need that.
“When you think they lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Arteta says ‘we don’t have a striker who is going to score 25 goals’ – there is your answer. He knows it. The top teams need that in their side.”
The title was not lost by Arsenal on the final day, but by the moments throughout the season where they have just fallen short.
In the league, a Christmas period when they picked up just one point from three games, and the gutting home defeat by Aston Villa in April will be pinpointed.
They also lacked killer instinct against Liverpool when they exited the FA Cup, and quality when being knocked out the Champions League by Bayern Munich.
However he decides to tackle the challenge of catching the first English club to win four consecutive top-flight titles, Arteta knows there is no way of shirking that task.
“I know what happened and this is the level,” he told his post-match media conference. “No-one has to explain what the level is because I was there four years every day and I know what we have to do if we are going to reach there.
“But we are on the right path, the right journey and to see the evolution so quickly happening, I haven’t seen it before. So, we’re on the right trajectory and now we need really to pull the teeth and bite into it because we really want more.”
Even Guardiola knows this is not the last he will hear from his former number two and his young Gunners.
“Before it was Liverpool that pushed us, and now the last two seasons [it has been Arsenal],” the Manchester City manager said.
“Young manager, big talent. They send us a message that we have to be careful for the next years.”
