As another chance bit the dust during Arsenal's FA Cup third round tie with Liverpool on Sunday, there was a sense of dreaded inevitability regarding the game's final outcome.
The Gunners were rampant in the opening stages of the cup tie as Liverpool's build-up succumbed to their intensity. Chance after chance was created, but each went begging.
For Arsenal supporters, enduring such final-third inefficiency is not new. While a proficient performance in front of goal last season from an array of sources allowed them to go toe-to-toe with Manchester City for the Premier League title, their success in 2023/24 has been built on their stout defensive foundations.
Their attackers have often floundered. Alternate dynamics with Kai Havertz taking on a new role following Granit Xhaka's departure have inhibited Mikel Arteta's wingers, particularly Gabriel Martinelli, but Arsenal are still creating enough to win matches. They've won just one of their last seven in all competitions - outgunning their opponents on xG in five.
Despite talk regarding their impressive xG, Arsenal have a chance creation issue just as much as they've got a goalscoring one. However, what's clear is that they need, as Ian Wright put it, a 'killer' in front of goal to take Arteta's project to the next level.
Finding such a profile in January will be tough, but here are five options for the Gunners.
5 strikers Arsenal should target in January transfer window
1. Ivan Toney
Toney to Arsenal has been hot for a while, with the currently suspended striker flirting with the idea of joining the north London club.
However, striking a deal with Brentford will be no easy task. The Bees are reportedly demanding in excess of £100m for Toney this month - a fee no club (other than Chelsea) would pay for the Englishman, let alone one who has Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns.
Nevertheless, this link is set to remain right up until the deadline. Toney's return from an eight-month ban is imminent and there's no doubt he is the striker Arsenal supporters desire most.
Toney has outperformed his xG every season since 2020/21, scoring 20 times in the Premier League last term. His profile is suited for a transition-based approach, but you wouldn't bet against him shining in north London.
2. Santiago Gimenez
The Mexican sensation came out of nowhere to inspire Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title last season and he's continued from where he left off in 2023/24.
After scoring 15 league goals last term, the bullish forward already has 18 goals in just 16 games this season all while outperforming his xG by an impressive 3.8.
Such efficiency is exactly what Arsenal need and Dutch icon Ruud Gullit described the young striker as a "good fit" for Mikel Arteta's side.
Gimenez has excelled in a similar-ish set-up under Arne Slot at Feyenoord, although there will undoubtedly be concerns over whether his form in the Netherlands can translate over to the big leagues.
3. Dominic Solanke
Solanke has long been regarded as a player simply not cut out for the rigours of the Premier League. Some placed him in the category of striker too good for the Championship, but forgettable at the elite level.
However, if 2022/23 was a campaign of promise for the striker, 2023/24 has been revelatory. At the
By the halfway point of the season, Solanke has already enjoyed his most prolific Premier League campaign to date, scoring 12 times.
He's proven to be much more efficient than in years gone by, with Andoni Iraola's pressing ideals creating the transition situations for Solanke to shine.
He's an imposing figure with impressive playmaking instincts, too. Arsenal have been tenuously linked with a winter move, but Bournemouth won't want to lose such a prized asset midway through the season given their aspirations.
4. Joshua Zirkzee
Zirkzee's career reached a crossroads in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Once touted for stardom at Bayern Munich, Zirkzee's progression stagnated after suffering a knee injury during a forgettable loan spell at Parma in 2021.
However, he returned from that setback like a player reborn and has been one of Europe's most watchable players this season after settling in Bologna. His #9 instincts manifested during a productive loan at Anderlecht in 2021/22, but Thiago Motta has since given him the freedom to evolve in Italy.
Zirkzee is nothing short of a delight. A masterful technician with supreme aesthetics, the striker has played a crucial role in Bologna's excellent campaign thus far.
He's not lethal in front of goal just yet, but he has all the makings of an elite deep-lying forward.
5. Roberto Firmino
This suggestion might raise a few eyebrows, but Arsenal have got to be realistic about what they can afford this month.
Arteta has already played down a move for a striker before the deadline, but the Gunners will undoubtedly consider viable options if they present themselves.
Former Liverpool hero Firmino could be a savvy short-term option before they target their next leading man in the summer.
Firmino's more of the deep-lying mould, but the Brazilian certainly knows where the goal is and his profile could aid Arsenal's flailing wide men. He's already got a Premier League title under his belt and is said to be one of a few players supposedly keen on a return to the English top flight after departing for Saudi Arabia in the summer.
