Gary Lineker has claimed Arsenal's limited attacking firepower is to blame for their Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal crashed out of the competition last night following a 2-1 loss at the Parc des Princes meaning they will go yet another season without a trophy.
Mikel Arteta's side started strongly and piled early pressure on the PSG defence, with Gianluigi Donnarumma forced to make a string of impressive saves from Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.
Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring for the hosts with a sweet strike before Achraf Hakimi doubled their lead in the 72nd minute.
Saka eventually beat Donnarumma to give Arsenal a glimmer of hope but it proved to be too late.
A lack of attacking threat was the key reason behind their loss, according to former England star Gary Lineker.
He told The Rest is Football podcast: 'They started the game really well but you don't need to be a footballing Einstein to work out what Arsenal's problem is, and has been all season: A lack of firepower.
'There were so many good little balls into the box with nobody there.'
Alan Shearer added: 'Albeit they've come up against an incredible goalkeeper who made some fantastic saves, the one from Martin Odegaard down to his left was off the charts, a great save...
'There were so many balls going into the box and I was thinking 'come on, somebody's got to make a run, somebody's got to anticipate where the ball's going' and yeah, we've been saying it all season, about their need for a centre-forward. They know that, everyone knows that, and that showed again.'
Arsenal's attacking options have been hampered by injury this season, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus currently sidelined.
Midfielder Mikel Merino has stepped up to fill an emergency attacker role, which the Spaniard previously described as 'crazy'.
The 28-year-old has won plaudits for adapting to a new forward position and played alongside Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in Arsenal's front three against PSG.
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown lamented the lack of a 'fox in the box', adding he expected 'big recruitment' at the Emirates in the summer.
'It was just in that final third where you needed a fox in the box, someone who was going to really hurt them,' he told TNT Sports.
'There were times when PSG were counter-attacking and had real pace, but [Arsenal] didn't have the same weapons to hurt them with.
'I think that's where the change will come. Big recruitment will come in the summer.'
Arsenal have been linked with Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike, Sporting Libson's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko.
Meanwhile, in January they had a bid rejected for England and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
duwbcelr
0
No arsenal should not run.out of fire power
Biccnorz
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Arteta must activate Rice more often for strike as he shows can do it right.
Nikadlnuy
0
Reject to sign O.Wakin during January transfer was another big mistake
watkin better than harvetz are u sure?? don't underlook wat u have at the moment
Nikadlnuy
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arteta wants to play Enrique style of no striker in it can work but Enrique z the master so he handled him well no need for the striker at arsenal , nketiah, balogun lacazete, aubameyang were all there but nothing won stop talking nonsense z kai harvetz adefender or jesus,??? all won trophies before joining arsenal as strikers so arsenal just cursed club
wowadrsyz
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psg didn't have a striker as well just accept defeat simple
21REXY
0
sack trophyless coach out
Sucaeilprz
0
The same as Arsenal..whos PSG striker?You people should stop giving excuses..
darrenham
2
Reject to sign O.Wakin during January transfer was another big mistake