Arsenal striker debate starts again as Isak shines

The debate about whether Arsenal need an elite striker to get over the line and win a trophy has started again.

The Gunners have finished second in the Premier League for the past two seasons and have not won a trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 2020.

Mikel Arteta has said that one player may not be the answer to his side's goalscoring problems, or be the difference in winning a trophy, but Newcastle forward Alexander Isak showed him what an impact an elite striker can have.

Isak scored the first and had a big hand in Anthony Gordon's second goal as the Magpies beat Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday night.

The Gunners have been criticised this season for not creating chances but in the match with Newcastle they could not finish the ones they did create.

Arsenal had 23 shots during the game with just three hitting the target.

Gabriel Martinelli struck the post and Kai Havertz, Arsenal's best option in the striker role, headed a simple chance wide.

It has been a tricky season for Arteta's side with injuries and illness to key players at bad times making it difficult for them, but the question is still there that if they had an elite 20-goal-a-season striker, would they be in a better position?