Player Focus: Arsenal's Potential Striker Signings Analysed by Alistair Tweedale at Wednesday, Jan 15 2014 12:39 Share on twitter Share on faceboo Share on di!! Share on reddit Share on st"#ble"$on % &t s$eas 'ol"#es abo"t the stren!th of Arsenal(s #idfield that recent in)"ries to Theo Walcottand Aaron *a#sey ha'e not been eno"!h to !enerate #"ch in the way of serio"s transfers$ec"lation re!ardin! re$lace#ent #idfielders+ Wides$read r"#o"rs ha'e contin"ed, tho"!h,s"rro"ndin! the lac of de$th in the ,"nners( strier de$art#ent+ Walcott(s dis$lay as the loneforward in the win o'er Tottenha#, in which he was e'ent"ally in)"red, wo"ld ha'e easedfans( worries re!ardin!other o$tions to-li'ier ,iro"d, b"t hewas ar!"ablyne'er thesol"tion. Arsenal had lon! since been lined with a rea# of attacers+ Which, if any, wo"ldbe #ost worthwhile, is one of the hot to$ics of the c"rrent transfer window+ The budget option /i#itar 0erbato' #ay ha'e lon!standin! ties with Arsenal(s north 1ondon ri'als Tottenha#,b"t the battle for s"$re#acy between the two has beco#e so fierce that fans( !rie'ances o'er$layers( for#er cl"bs ha'e been increasin!ly disre!arded+ As Arsenal a$$roach the season(sfinal strait still ato$ the 2re#ier 1ea!"e, any s"$$orter wo"ld 3"icly for!et 0erbato'(s $astwere he to hel$ the# end their near nine4year tro$hyless s$ell+ 0"t wo"ld the 0"l!arian be as"itable si!nin! for Ars5ne Wen!er% 6e has dis$layed #i7ed for# this season, nettin! only once in his first 12 lea!"e a$$earancesof the season, b"t has co#e bac into the !oals, scorin! in 3 of his last 4 !a#es. hardly title4ins$irin!st"ffb"t decent nonetheless+ What does stando"t for 0erbato', tho"!h, is his$assin! ability+ A $layer who lies to #o'e the ball aro"nd 3"icly, he wo"ld fit in at Arsenal in this re!ard+The ,"nners ha'e co#$leted o'er 300 #ore $asses in the final third than any other tea# inthe 2re#ier 1ea!"e this season 83001, a rate of 142+9 $er !a#e9+ 0erbato' has co#$leted a$ass in the attacin! third, on a'era!e, e'ery : #in"tes 41 seconds o'er the $ast two seasons,a rate only to$$ed by Wayne *ooney, 1"is S";re< and Ser!io A!=ero of all striers with atleast 40 a$$earances+ While so#e forwards are all4too foc"sed on finishin! off #o'es, thebest ha'e #ore to their !a#e, )"st lie 0erbato' and the other 3 #entioned here+ Wen!er does, tho"!h, enco"ra!e his $layers to win the ball bac hi!h "$ the $itch, b"t itsi#$lyisn(t in0erbato'(s !enes to$ress"redefenders into!i'in!"$$ossession+ WhileArsenal lead the 2re#ier 1ea!"e for winnin! the ball bac in the attacin! third o'er the $asttwo seasons 82239, in 49 a$$earances o'er that ti#e fra#e, 0erbato' has won the ball )"st 14ti#es in attacin! $ositions+ This season alone, he has done so )"st : ti#es in 1: #atches+ /i#itar 0erbato'certainly wo"ldn(t be the $erfect fit for Arsenal, b"t his ability is"ndo"bted, and for the >2# $rice that has been s"!!ested, they co"ld do a lot worse+ The marquee signing The si!nin! of ?es"t @