Arsenal’s Draw Dilemma: Lack of X-Factor Could Cost Us Again

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·10. Mai 2025

Arsenal’s Draw Dilemma: Lack of X-Factor Could Cost Us Again

Arsenal return to Premier League action this weekend, still reeling from that gut-wrenching night in Paris. Next up? A trip to Merseyside to face newly crowned champions Liverpool. Earlier in the campaign, this fixture was billed as a potential title decider. Fast forward a few months, and things couldn’t look more different.

Liverpool now sit 15 points clear of the Gunners, and the title race is long over. On paper, this looks like a dead rubber. But for Arsenal, who are clinging to a Champions League spot, there’s still everything to play for.

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Reports suggest Arsenal will give Liverpool a guard of honour – a gesture that would’ve been ours to receive if not for one damning pattern: too many draws. It’s been the defining frustration of our campaign.

Of the 36 games played so far, Arsenal have drawn 13 – that’s over a third of our matches (36%). Only Everton (with 15) have more, while Brighton are level on 13. It’s a staggering number, especially considering we’ve lost just four matches all season – fewer than both Manchester City and Newcastle. Yet somehow, they may still finish above us.

The reason? Draws kill momentum – and league positions.

In my view, these dropped points reflect one glaring issue: a lack of an X-factor up front. A killer No.9. A match-winner. Out of those 13 draws, nine ended either 1–1 or 0–0. In several of those games, we took the lead but failed to seal it. In others, we trailed but couldn’t claw our way back. Time and time again, we lacked that decisive spark in the final third.

Even when Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz were fit, we didn’t have that instinctive finisher. Sure, we’ve come up with clutch moments here and there, but not with the frequency required to challenge the very best.

A proven striker would’ve changed the story of our season. Turning just a few of those draws into wins could have kept us in the title conversation. Instead, we’re left counting the cost, again.

This summer will be massive. Arsenal can’t afford another transfer window without addressing the need for a natural goalscorer. If the club get it wrong again, 2025–26 could be another long, painful campaign.

Over to you, Gooners – how costly have these draws been?

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