Arsenal have been served some truth by Alan Shearer as the pundit assessed the state of the Premier League right now.
Countless times this season, Arsenal have been urged to sign a forward, with the Gunners’ poor start to 2025 reflecting why.
From their opening six games, Mikel Arteta’s side have won on just two occasions in all competitions, losing twice and drawing twice.
Even Arteta has pleaded for Arsenal’s squad depth to improve, in what could be a decisive end to the January transfer window.
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Alan Shearer says Arsenal are one of the clubs ‘miles off it’
While Arsenal have picked up more Premier League points than any team in 2025 so far, there’s an alarming call for Arteta’s squad to improve.
Liverpool are reeling away in the title race, sitting six points and a game in hand ahead of the Gunners however, the top two aren’t the only clubs being discussed.
With Nottingham Forest level on points with Arsenal and the likes of Newcastle United and Bournemouth eyeing the top four, there’s additional pressure on the Gunners to not slip up.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football Podcast, Alan Shearer was prompted to answer why some of the ‘smaller clubs’ in the Premier League are doing so well this season.
“I think it’s a bit of everything, I also think it’s other teams being in transition and trying to turn things around,” Shearer said to Gary Lineker and Micah Richards.
“Liverpool have without a doubt made the most of that, Arsenal haven’t recruited a centre-forward, which we all said in the summer that that’s what they needed. Tottenham are…whatever you think of Tottenham.
“So there are so many bigger clubs that are miles off it being caught short that other clubs have caught up.”
Shearer identified Arsenal as one of the bigger clubs that are ‘miles off it’ this season due to poor recruitment in the summer, proving his own concerns about the Gunners to be correct.
Shearer’s Arsenal prediction proven right
In the build-up to the start of the 2024/25 Premier League season, Shearer backed Arsenal to win the league but, only if one thing happened.
The league’s record goalscorer had Arsenal as his favourites to win the title if Arteta recruited a number nine in the summer transfer window.
“If they [Arsenal] sign a top-class striker between now and the end of the window, if they get that striker in, I think they’ll win the league.”
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 50 | 20 | 30 | 50 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal | 22 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 43 | 21 | 22 | 44 |
| 3 |  Nottm ForestNottingham Forest | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 33 | 22 | 11 | 44 |
Arsenal didn’t sign a striker in the summer and lo and behold the Gunners are paying for it, being quite a distance off league leaders Liverpool and dropping points far too frequently.
There’s room for Arteta to turn things around as two weeks of the January transfer window remain but, is it too late?
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