
Mikel Arteta expressed his disappointment about the lack of activity of Arsenal in the transfer window of January prior to their EFL cup flash with Newcastle United on Wednesday.
Arsenal was one of the five clubs, together with Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and Fulham, who were unable to bring signing sessions in the half phase of the 2024-25 campaign.
The Gunners were connected to a large number of names through the window, with people like Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins and Martin Zubimendi, reported all goals for Arteta.
From Arsenal, he was expected to bring in an attacker after Gabriel Jesus had picked up a seasonal front cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, while Bukayo Saka is still sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Kai Havertz, who scored on Sunday in Arsenal's 5-1 Thrashing of Champions Manchester City, is the only recognized striker of Arteta, with the Spaniard who allows his side to be flexible and that he might have to try something else because of the injuries.
Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are other remarkable absenters for the Gunners, but Arteta said that his team should continue with their frustrations in the transfer window and concentrate on a challenge on all fronts for the remaining season.
“We had a clear intention, which is always when a window is opened to explore the opportunities to improve our team,” Arteta told reporters on Tuesday.
“We are struck with players with injuries and we have not achieved it.
“We are disappointed in that sense, but we are also aware that we only want to take certain types of players with us, and we also have to be disciplined very well with that.
“If you do your best and do things, you see the people, and we share the same intentions. If you don't achieve it, okay, there are certainly things to learn from it.
“But you have to go further and that is a piece that was important at the moment, but now we have continued.”
Arsenal's victory over Man City Last Time Out saw them extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 14 games (W9 D5), who last do this under Unai Emery in December 2018 (also 14).
And Arteta and his team hope to use that momentum to destroy their 2-0 deficit against Newcastle in their second leg EFL Cup collision with Newcastle in St James' Park on Wednesday.
Before this season there were 32 authorities that a side lost the first stage of a semi-final of an EFL cup with a margin of two or more goals. Only one of them has been advanced to the final, with Aston Villa destroying a 3-1 first leg deficit against Tranmere Rovers in 1993-94.
The Gunners lost the first stage of Eddie How's side in the Emirates Stadium thanks to goals in both Half of Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, despite placing an expected goals (XG) a total of 3.2.
Arsenal also lost 1-0 in St James' Park in the Premier League in November. Only against three games did they not score in three different games in one season in the 21st century (Liverpool in 2021-22, Chelsea in 2013-14 and Man Utd in 2004-05).
“When you compare the emotions of the team after the defeat and today it is different because we come from very strong versions, especially those to the city,” he said.
“It's a moment [for] Fully gas and [we’re] Ready to go for it and approach it in a way where we can reach the final.
“The next stop is the final at Wembley, we know what it's like and you can feel it.
“The buzz that gave us the game against City and the way we did it. We are really going to try it.”
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