Managing Arsenal – Ethan Nwaneri mission, January transfer window and fixing the form

Arsenal have found themselves in the trough of their season and perhaps a low they have not experienced in quite some time.

The international break has come at a good time as the club looks to recover from a difficult October and November dip in form.

With that in mind, football.london takes the reins and provides an insight into how we feel Arsenal should approach the coming months.

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Signing of the winter

It may still be more than six weeks away but the January transfer window is a necessity for the Gunners. Reinforcement is needed and the club has no excuses when it comes to spending money after a near-net-zero summer and having brought in plenty of money from the sales of Eddie Nketiah, Aaron Ramsdale and Emile Smith Rowe.

The area in focus remains centre-forward but the likelihood that the key targets of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres are not going to be available or accessible this winter and signing an alternative and settling for second best is not the right choice either. With that then Arsenal should look to the other attacking need.

A versatile forward who can play in both the wide areas and the central position if need be. Having looked at several options, the player who stands out is Ademola Lookman and trying to secure a move this winter might bring the goals and creativity missing from this side when thin for talent due to injuries.

Give him the minutes

Ethan Nwaneri was seen by many as the player who would breakout this season and he may yet still do that. He has not made a Premier League start yet and with some favourable games approaching that does need to change.

Martin Odegaard might now be back but he needs to be protected and Nwaneri can offer that depth. Arteta must be braver and start to give the talented teenager more exposure and certainly a start.

Matches against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Monaco, West Ham, Everton, and Ipswich Town could all provide the platform. It would be a shame if it gets to 2025, and Nwaneri still has not made a Premier League or Champions League start.

Don't lose that spark

Arsenal ended the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in a way which should have given them all three points. William Saliba’s cross was put wide by Leandro Trossard when Kai Havertz was ready to tap in the ball and send the Gunners into a state of euphoria.

While it was gutting not to see the ball hit the back of the net, the build-up certainly gave reason for optimism. It was the first time Arsenal felt like Arsenal again.

Arteta needs to grab hold of those moment and use that as the benchmark, the marker. It becomes a reference point to show the team what they are capable of and take that forwards.

A goal and a win could be all it takes for Arsenal to rediscover their form. A weight could lift and then the season can kick on with the hope of going on a run which re-establishes the club in the race.