Exclusive: Arsenal Not Having Needed Piece Of Jigsaw Bemoaned By Ex-National Team Boss | OneFootball

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Former Sudan and Rwanda manager Stephen Constantine believes Arsenal have once again blown their chance of winning the Premier League title due to not having signed a prolific striker.

There were already calls for Arsenal to sign another striker before injuries depleted the attacking options available to Mikel Arteta, but the Gunners did not act either in the summer or in the winter window.

Liverpool have now developed a huge 13 point lead over Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table and even if the Gunners win their game in hand the difference will still be in double digits.

Arsenal could not score at West Ham last weekend, losing 1-0, while they again drew a blank on Wednesday night in a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest.

Former national team boss Constantine, a self-confessed Arsenal fan, believes that this season, and in other seasons, failing to sign a striker has cost the Gunners.

“I think we have lost the opportunity over the last three seasons of winning Premier League for not having an out and out striker”, the ex-Rwanda boss told Inside Futbol via phone.

He does not feel a lack of leadership is an issue, as some have suggested, and instead feels there is a lack of attacking options for the Gunners to look for during games.

“I am not sure if it is about a lack of leadership.

“There are enough big players for them to step up as it were.

“But when you get on the ball in midfield and you look up there is no one playing between the lines.

“We then need to try and go round the sides which is fine, but again how many times does Arsenal get the ball into the box and when they do, who is attacking the front post?”

Arsenal have scored fewer goals (51) than Tottenham Hotspur (53) have managed in the Premier League this season, but Arteta’s defence has been considerably tighter.

The Gunners’ focus now though is not on the Premier League as they are due to travel to face PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie next week.

PSV Eindhoven do score goals, managing a whopping 71 in just 23 league games in the Netherlands so far.