Arsenal curiously told they’re ‘better equipped’ for the title this season if they make one signing

Jermaine Beckford believes Arsenal are “better equipped” to win the Premier League than they were last season, and they’re a “centre-forward short of clinching the title”.

After 20 games last season, the Gunners were five points clear of Manchester City at the summit of the league. After 20 games this term, they’re fourth, a couple of points below first-placed Liverpool, and that gap could rise if the Reds win their game in hand.

While that would suggest things aren’t going as well, Beckford feels Arsenal should have a better chance now given the tools at their disposal.

“I think they look much better equipped [than last season], I’m mainly putting that down to the acquisition of Declan Rice,” he told Football Daily.

The signings Arsenal have made are clearly not pushing them towards the title right now, though, after a run of three games without a win. The players that were already in the squad are also stuttering, particularly in the attack.

Neither of Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah have netted more than five league goals this term, and it’s been suggested the Gunners must recruit up top.

Beckford feels if they do that, the title will be theirs, and he suggests heavily-linked Brentford man Ivan Toney is the striker to go for, but he could be rusty having not played this season.

“I still think they are a centre-forward short of clinching the title, so January will be interesting,” Beckford added.

“I would say yes [to go for Toney], but not to pin all their hopes on him. He’s been out for an age, so it’s going to take a little while to catch up with the tempo of the Premier League.

“He’s a completely different type of player to what they’ve had for a while. He’s not blessed with pace, but he’s got that physicality.”

He seems to be the main option at the moment, and after 20 goals last season, he obviously appears to be a good one, if he can bring that form with him. But surely Arsenal would be pinning a lot of hopes on him, or they wouldn’t sign him.

However, Chris Sutton has also suggested that the rust could be a hindrance to Arsenal, who “haven’t got time to wait for anyone to get up to speed” as they chase the title.

As such, he feels 12-goal Bournemouth man Dominic Solanke “stands out as the best candidate.”

Whether Arsenal go for either of those men in January remains to be seen, but Beckford could be right that a striker could guide them to the title, and they might well be interested in testing that theory.

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