Unfortunately for Mikel Arteta and Co, that has simply not been the case, as a concoction of injuries, foolish suspensions, and subpar displays has seen the team fall to fourth in the Premier League, nine points off leaders Liverpool.
Now, it's not been all bad, as there have been some impressive results, and a handful of players are doing their best to turn things around, but overall, it's been a disappointing start to the campaign for the North Londoners.
Arsenal's recent PL results
Opposition
Result
Chelsea
1-1 (D)
Newcastle (A)
1-0 (L)
Liverpool (H)
2-2 (D)
Bournemouth (A)
2-0 (L)
Southampton (H)
3-1 (W)
Moreover, it's been particularly worrying for one of the Gunners' best-paid attackers, who's gone from a guaranteed starter to someone who has to be sold.
Arsenal's middling attack
Okay, so before we get to the player in question, let's examine Arsenal's most dangerous players this season, starting with one who can keep his head held high: Bukayo Saka.
The Hale End icon hasn't necessarily been at his very best this year, but even then, he's scored four goals and provided seven assists in 15 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, and, unsurprisingly, has been the club's most effective attacker.
Just behind him is last summer's £65m man, Kai Havertz, who has also not been at his very best this season but has nonetheless looked better than most of his teammates, as in his 17 appearances, he's found the back of the net on seven occasions and provided one assist for good measure.
kai-havertz-arsenal-champions-league
The final attacker, who it could be argued is starting to have a good season so far, is Gabriel Martinelli, who, after a slow start to the campaign, now has a semi-respectable haul of three goals and three assists to his name in 17 appearances.
Unfortunately for Arteta, the only other players in the squad to have amassed three goal involvements this season are Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Declan Rice, which, for a team aiming to win the Premier League or Champions League, is more than a little worrying.
Arsenal's most dangerous players
Position
Player
Appearances
Goals
Assists
1
Saka
15
4
7
2
Havertz
17
7
1
3
Martinelli
17
3
3
4
Nwaneri
8
3
0
=
Trossard
15
2
1
=
Rice
14
1
2
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Moreover, the eagle-eyed of you will notice a certain forward is entirely absent from the Gunners' most dangerous players this year, a forward who should finally be moved on in 2025.
The Arsenal star who must be sold
So, it's probably quite apparent by this point that the forward in question is, of course, Gabriel Jesus.
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal spent £45m to secure his services from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, and at the time, it wasn't the fans who were delighted with the deal, as Arteta told the press that he was "very excited" about the Brazilian's arrival, and based on how he started that season it was easy to understand why.
"I’m very excited. The club has done a tremendous job to recruit a player of this stature. I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here. This is a position that’s been on our radar for a long time now and we have managed to get a player that we all wanted, so I’m really happy."
For example, in the 16 Premier League games before the Qatar World Cup, the Sao Paulo-born dynamo scored five goals and provided five assists, meaning he was averaging a goal involvement every 1.6 games in the league.
Unfortunately, he suffered a severe knee injury at the World Cup and was out of action until mid-March, and while he still managed to score six goals and provide one assist in his final 12 league games that season, he looked notably slower and understandably less sharp.
There was a general hope among the fanbase that, with a summer to rest, he'd be back to his electric self the following season, but that wasn't the case.
Gabriel Jesus Arsenal stats
By February, he had lost his place in the team to Havertz, and due to the German's incredible form towards the backend of the campaign, he's not regained it this year.
Moreover, while the 27-year-old was still able to produce 16 goal involvements in his 36 appearances last season, he's taken another massive step back this year and, as things stand, has scored just one goal and provided one assist in 15 appearances.
Gabriel-Jesus-Arsenal
It's a sad situation, and for another side, he might be given another chance to earn his place in the team again, but as Arsenal continue to fight for significant honours, they cannot afford any passengers.
This is especially true in Jesus' case, as he's currently the second-highest earner in the squad, on a whopping £265k-per-week, which is becoming increasingly difficult to justify with every dismal display. Therefore, while it could be construed as harsh by some, Arteta and the club must cut their losses and sell the former City star as soon as possible.
Arsenal-Lamine-Yamal
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