Mikel Arteta's worst fear realised as Arsenal boss changes tune on squad depth
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Five months after suggesting Arsenal had the squad depth to compete with Liverpool, Mikel Arteta is now singing a different tune. The Spaniard was confident about the Gunners' ability to keep pace with England's despite a number of sales in the summer. Arsenal scored 91 Premier League goals last season - their highest-ever tally in the competition - despite playing without a traditional striker, successfully spreading the burden throughout their squad.
And Arteta remained confident in the club's ability to find the back of the net despite numerous departures last summer, with Chelsea loanee Raheem Sterling the only offensive recruit to come in. Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira each left in the summer, but the manager remained confident despite a slow summer in regards to new arrivals.
"One of the biggest strengths that we have over the past two or three years has been the way we’ve shared the goals," he said in August. "We are going to have to continue to do that. If we can on top of that get players to score 25 or 30 goals in the season, then it’s the perfect combination. That’s what we are trying to do.".
Two of Arsenal's five senior signings in the summer were goalkeepers, while defender Riccardo Calafiori was never liable to contribute much up front. And after Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus' absences were felt during Saturday's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, Arteta now appears to be less confident in the depth of his options.
