By Nitram
As always seems to happen, we have a game where we struggle to score and the same old subject arises of Arsenal’s need for a ‘proper number 9’. The general consensus throughout the media, and of course in their wake many of our fans, is that if we don’t get one in the transfer window we have no chance of winning the league. Add to that the accusation that if only we had had a ‘proper number 9’ the last 2 seasons we may well have got over the line in one or both of them.
Well, we may have or we may not. We may win it this year with or without. Who knows. One thing I do know is that this notion of a ‘proper number 9’ being the crucial piece of the puzzle is nonsense. History is littered with examples of teams with incredible number 9’s that fail to win titles, or win anything for that matter. Shearer at Newcastle and Lineker at Spurs are two prime examples.
The problem is people make such radical judgments on such little evidence, and often on the back of those radical judgements demand radical change. We fail to score, or just score one and fail to win, as at Brighton, and the “we need a ‘proper number 9” bandwagon starts all over again. Now this demand for a striker is nothing new and has, as we all know, been going on for a few years. But it has very little basis in fact – if any at all.
Yesterday evening when trawling around the internet I came across a piece in the Daily Mirror on this very subject. It was one of many in fact. But this one struck me particularly as it not only suggested how we needed a ‘proper number 9’, if we wanted to win the league but went on to say, the last time Arsenal had a ‘proper number 9’ was Aubameyang.
I thought, okay and your point is?
The suggestion was clearly being made that if only we had a ‘proper number 9’, such as Aubameyang for example, all would be well. I thought that a bit strange because as memory served we were not exactly setting the world alight with that particular ‘proper number 9’, so I thought I’d have a look.
Aubameyang joined Arsenal in December 2018 and played the second half of the season and went on to play three full seasons, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21. He played the first half of season 2021/22, before leaving us on 21 February 2022.
This is his and Arsenal’s goal scoring record over that time:
- 2018: 10 of 28 goals
- 18/19: 20 of 73 goals
- 19/20: 22 of 56 goals
- 20/21: 10 of 55 goals
- 2021: 4 of 32 goals
Total = 66 of 244
So, effectively in four full seasons over which Aubameyang scored 66 times he averaged 16.5 per season. At his best he scored 20 goals in 18/19 and 22 in 19/20, and a fat lot of good that did us, finishing 5th and 8th respectively.
Over those, what were effectively 4 full seasons with a ‘proper number 9’, Arsenal scored an average of 61 goals per season
Over the last two seasons, without a ‘proper number 9’ Arsenal have scored 88 and 91 goals respectively. So far, this season after 20 matches we have scored 39 goals, and that’s with all the injuries, red cards and difficult away fixtures. We are still on course to score around 80 goals this season, and even if we don’t we are still guaranteed to eclipse the average of 61 goals per season we achieved with Aubameyang.
That’s an average goals scored per season, WITHOUT a ‘proper number 9’ of 87 goals.
But, I thought okay, as good as he could be, perhaps Aubameyang isn’t up there with our more iconic strikers, as such I thought I’d go back and see how prolific we were with 3 of Arsenal’s best strikers of all time..
ALAN SMITH 1987 – 1995 = 8 Seasons
Arsenal’s average goals scored per season = 67
Note: Four of these were 42 game seasons
IAN WRIGHT 1991 – 1998 = 7 Seasons
Arsenal’s average goals scored per season = 65
Note: 3 of these were 42 game seasons
THIERRY HENRY 1999 – 2007 = 8 Seasons
Arsenal’s average goals scored per season = 77
So, even in those halcyon days with perhaps the best striker we have ever had, and one of the best strikers in the history of English football, we still scored 10 goals less per season than the incompetent rabble we have to put up with now.
I’m not saying it isn’t great to have an Alan Smith, an Ian Wright or a Thierry Henry. What I am saying is they are not necessarily the difference between a team scoring poorly or prolifically. They are not the difference between a team winning the league and not.
What wins you titles is the team. The amount you concede as well as the amount you score. Often as not the most influential factor in winning a title is actually Goal Difference. It’s no good having a prolific number 9 if nobody else scores, or you let in far too many goals. It’s all about balance.
We have yet to win the Premier League under Arteta, not because of a lack of a ‘proper number 9’, but because we are scoring more goals without one than we ever have with one. And it is not because of a poor defence. It is widely acknowledged that we have a magnificent defence. But we have that magnificent defence partly because of how we defend from the front.
No, it is because we are playing in the toughest league in the World, against some of the best teams in the World.
As I have shown, over the last two and a half seasons we are a match for Man City, a team lorded as possibly one of the best ever assembled by a manager generally accepted as one of the best ever.
Despite all our injury problems, red cards, supposed lack of a ‘proper number 9’, difficult fixture schedule and not even being at our best, we are still sitting 2nd with at least a chance of catching pace setters Liverpool.
I really don’t understand where these people are coming from.
Nitram, I agree totally with your analysis.
Nitram,
In a word, no. Your point is backed with facts. I’m a bit surprised to see how few goals we were scoring with iconic strikers leading the line, sometimes in 42 match seasons. Also, 20 goal scorers don’t grow on trees, may not be available and may not want to come. None of this matters to the football media. And as Tony often points out, they’re lazy. Trot out the same old tripe with different dates and score lines. Easy. Doesn’t even cut into their drinking time.
We have enough scoring, the best defense in the League and a great Manager. What we don’t have is competent, unbiased refereeing. That’s why AFC can’t win the league.
John L
Thank you.
Gooner72
“What we don’t have is competent, unbiased refereeing. That’s why AFC can’t win the league”.
What I try to do when I write an article is to remain ‘objective’, and as you suggest, I just stick with the facts, or statistics. I try to keep my ‘subjective’ thoughts on referees separate. I don’t always manage it, but I do try.
By doing so, what I hope to avoid is accusations of being paranoid or a conspiracy theorist.
As such, you may of noticed that the usual suspects have very little to say when you just present facts. You get the occasional, ‘you can make statistics say whatever you want’ brigade, which is clearly baloney, but by and large there’s nothing they can say. Facts are facts.
Yes, it is a fact we haven’t won the premier league. It is clearly also a fact that it has nothing to do with not having a ‘proper number 9’.
Surprise surprise Dermot Gallagher agrees with Anthony Taylor and VAR, and his justification is simply astonishing.
Honestly, it’s sickening
Nitram, yes Gallagher sickening but not surprising.
Going to absurd lengths to justify the penalty, saying that Saliba did not play the ball. but had been hit by it.????
Also, he said that Taylor had taken time to consider the decision, when in fact it was instant, suggesting that he was
looking for an excuse to give a penalty against Arsenal.
We would be top of the table now , but for referee bias / incomptence