Arsenal must axe 5/10 dud who now needs to be replaced by Matheus Cunha

We’re only two games into 2025 for Arsenal and it already looks as though their title charge is lingering in the dust.

The Gunners have dropped points at some vital moments this term but their 1-1 draw against Brighton has perhaps firmly planted the final nail in the coffin.

Twice Mikel Arteta’s men have dropped points against the Seagulls this term and on both occasions, it’s been in controversial circumstances.

At the beginning of the campaign, Declan Rice was sent off for delaying the restart after a red card that has scarcely been seen in Premier League history.

Away at Brighton on Saturday evening, Arsenal dropped points again and it was a contentious penalty that proved to be their downfall.

William Saliba and Joao Pedro contested for the ball and grazed heads which caused the Brighton attacker to go down holding his face. There was contact but it was remarkably soft and wasn’t overturned on VAR review.

Pedro stepped up and fired home his penalty to give the hosts a share of the spoils.

For Arsenal, they could be eight points behind Liverpool come 7pm this evening after Arne Slot’s side have faced Manchester United.

Arteta could at least dip his toes into the transfer window this month and one player they should be all over is Matheus Cunha.

The latest on Matheus Cunha to Arsenal

Reports at the beginning of this transfer window have suggested that Arsenal will push to acquire the Wolves forward this month.

There have even been claims that the London side have closed in on personal terms with the Brazilian ahead of a potential move in 2025.

That said, any deal over the winter looks as though it will be incredibly difficult to complete due to the fee involved and his role at Wolves.

The latest on his future is that allegedly, he has agreed a new deal with the Molineux outfit which will no doubt bump his price tag up should a move occur.

With the former Atletico Madrid forward penning those fresh terms, it would make a deal far more likely in the summer than during January.

Either way, Arsenal could certainly do with a player of his calibre judging by the performance of a certain Leandro Trossard against Brighton.

Leandro Trossard’s performance in numbers

Arsenal have been battling to find form in the final third this season and that hasn’t been helped in recent weeks by Bukayo Saka’s heartbreaking hamstring injury.

Your changes have been saved

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Ethan Nwaneri has deputised well, scoring the Gunners’ only goal at the Amex this weekend. However, after being withdrawn at half time with a muscular injury, it leaves Arteta searching for more answers.

Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli – the scorer of recent goals against Crystal Palace and Brentford – have been positives but Trossard is still failing to cover himself in much glory.

The Belgian registered the assist for the game’s only goal in the 1-0 win over Ipswich during the festive period but he just simply hasn’t been up to scratch for large patches of 2024/25 to date.

Last season, the 30-year-old was Arsenal’s second top scorer with 16 but he has only found the net four times from 27 outings this term.

No one in the club’s forward line, Nwaneri aside, really did anything of note against Trossard’s former employers on Saturday but the Belgium international was by far one of the worst performers.

Handed a 5/10 match rating by the Standard’s Simon Collings, he noted that it was ‘a pretty quiet game back at his old club’ and that he ‘didn’t really get into the game much’. The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid was slightly more harsh with assessment, simply commenting that Trossard was “so so bad”.

That was certainly apt as the winger failed to register a single shot on target, produced no key passes and had fewer touches (49) than goalkeeper David Raya (58).

Trossard did complete his one and only dribble attempt in the match but his inability to fashion chances and get involved in the play showed exactly why Arsenal need to sign a player like Cunha.

This season, despite Wolves’ struggles, he has scored ten goals in 19 Premier League appearances. Cunha isn’t a Saka-level player but few players are and Arsenal must push as hard as they can to either sign him or another forward this winter.

If Saka’s injury hasn’t already forced their hands, then the events of Saturday certainly should have.

Related

Fewer touches than Raya: 5/10 Arsenal dud may have just cost them the title

Arsenal’s title bid took a big blow against Brighton on Saturday.