Jermaine Pennant: Arsenal's Attack Has Weakened

Jermaine Pennant fears Arsenal have gone backwards in attack – and he believes a “superstar” left winger is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

“I think Arsenal are weaker”

A year on from splashing big money on Viktor Gyokeres to finally crack the No.9 puzzle, Arsenal still don’t have a nailed-on centre-forward. The Sweden international hit 21 goals in his debut season, yet finds himself watching Kai Havertz lead the line at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.

Around him, the supporting cast has been ripped up.

Leandro Trossard, scorer of crucial goals in last season’s title triumph, has gone to Besiktas. Gabriel Martinelli has ended a seven-year stay in north London to join Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. Those exits have stripped away proven, late-game firepower.

Pennant, speaking to GOAL in association with NetBet Casino, did not dress it up.

“I think they've actually got weaker. I think Arsenal are weaker, especially going forward anyway, than they were last season. Because they've lost some really clutch individuals,” he said.

“I think without Trossard they probably wouldn't have won the league. The West Ham goal, you could go on with the important goals he scored – Aston Villa. Then they've lost Martinelli, yeah, his number's dwindled but again it's still a good impact player you can bring off the bench. They've lost him.”

Left flank under the microscope

Arsenal chased elite quality in the market. They sounded out what it would take to prise Champions League winner Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. The answer: £123 million. Liverpool paid it. Arsenal walked away.

There had even been noise around a move for Vinicius Junior while his Real Madrid contract talks dragged on, but the Brazilian stayed put as a “Galactico” at Santiago Bernabeu.

Instead, Christos Tzolis has been handed the left-wing role. Talented, yes. Proven at the very top level? Not yet. And that is where Pennant sees the fault line.

“Their left side's kind of doomed,” he warned, if Tzolis suffers an injury. “You’ve got to put [Eberechi] Eze out there, he's not a winger, he's a midfielder.”

From Arsenal’s point of view, the picture is more nuanced. They have invested heavily in other areas. The defence looks deeper and more secure. Martin Odegaard has rediscovered his spark as the creative hub. Bukayo Saka already has two goals to his name. On paper, the structure is strong.

On the pitch, it has been flawless so far: three wins from three in the Premier League and a composed Champions League victory over Napoli. Mikel Arteta can point to that record and insist he has enough to mount more trophy pushes.

Pennant’s argument cuts in a different direction.

“They have to at some point”

For the former winger, the issue is not today’s table. It is the arms race to come.

“They have to at some point because teams are not going to sit dormant,” he said of Arsenal signing a marquee left winger.

“Teams around them are not going to not strengthen in those areas. Come January, I'm sure the likes of Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool and Man City are going to go in the market again and strengthen again. So they have to.”

His concern is that Arsenal’s attack has lost edge while rivals prepare to reload. Trossard’s knack for decisive moments is gone. Martinelli’s ability to change a game from the bench is gone. The replacement list, right now, is short.

“And they've not really replaced that apart from Tzolis,” Pennant said. “So if he gets injured or whatnot, their left side's kind of doomed.”

Up front, the picture is just as intriguing. Gyokeres, the man signed to be the 20-goal spearhead, has slipped into an impact role. Arsenal have turned back to Havertz, the player many still don’t see as a natural penalty-box predator.

“Yes, they’ve strengthened at the back,” Pennant admitted. “So I think going forward they definitely need to strengthen. Because they've probably fallen out of favour with Gyokeres and they've reverted back to [Kai] Havertz, who was never really their 15, 20-goal-a-season guy.”

Arteta’s gamble

Arteta can counter with the scoreboard. Perfect in the league. Perfect in Europe. A captain in form. A right flank driven by Saka. A squad that has already proven it can go the distance in a title race.

Yet the question lingers over that left wing and the centre-forward pecking order. Arsenal passed on Barcola. Vinicius stayed out of reach. The “superstar” profile Pennant is talking about has not arrived.

For now, results shield those decisions from scrutiny. But when January opens and the market stirs, will Arsenal still be content to look away from that flank – or will the pressure of another title chase finally force their hand?