ARSENAL finished this summer’s transfer window without the marquee attacker they craved.
And their failure to do so could be hammered home this weekend, when Chelsea make the short trip across London.
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Morgan Rogers will be turning out for the Blues at the Emirates as part of a forward line that is already purring under Xabi Alonso.
But in another world, the England star could have been wearing an Arsenal shirt.
And it’s why Sunday may end up being like an old episode of Bullseye, when host Jim Bowen would turn to contestants and go: “Have a look at what you could have won.”
Rogers was one of the three main attacking targets Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta pursued this summer, alongside Julian Alvarez and Vinicius Junior.
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The quality of that trio sums up the market the Gunners were shopping in after being crowned Premier League champions.
And the shortlist also rang true with Mikel Arteta’s words following defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in May.
The Spaniard spoke about being “very ambitious” in what felt like a pointed message ahead of the transfer window opening.
Arsenal’s owners Josh and Stan Kroenke had echoed that the week before, vowing in a statement to the fans how “there will be no standing still”.
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Arsenal were undeniably ambitious in their pursuit of a superstar – but they have ultimately failed to sign one.
And it is not the first time that the club has been in this position.
When they crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to Bayern Munich in 2024, Arteta bemoaned his side failing to produce a “magic moment”.
He added: “That is needed in this competition, to unlock it, to make something happen when the game requires us to open that door. We didn’t have it and that’s why we’re out.”
Those words could have easily applied to last season’s 1-0 defeat to PSG in the final, when the real difference between the two sides was in attack.
The only addition Arsenal have made to their forward line since then is the arrival of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34million.
And that has come alongside Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard being sold, while Ethan Nwaneri was also loaned out.
Tzolis has been praised at Arsenal for smashing pre-season testing, and his fitness will be important.
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Between them, Martinelli and Trossard made over 100 appearances last season – making them big shoes to fill.
The club believes Eberechi Eze will help with that and he will now get more minutes on the left flank.
In that sense, Arteta is not adding to his deck but instead shuffling it.
And there is the added joker of Max Dowman, whose cameos will increase ahead of signing his first professional contract in December.
Arsenal will hope, too, that they have far better luck with injuries, especially when it comes to Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard.
The trio have already shown this season how devastating an attack they can be, but the worry is what does Arteta do if he loses one of them for an extended period?
Rotation feels vital and it is why this is a big season for someone like Noni Madueke, who is capable of playing on either flank.
The failure to sign a star forward should not overshadow the fact that the Gunners did some good business this summer.
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The defence is even stronger after signing Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa as part of a deal worth £55m.
Bruno Guimaraes is a brilliant addition to the midfield and, at £75m, not an outrageous fee in the current market.
The Brazilian’s arrival crucially means last season’s error of running Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi into the ground shouldn’t be repeated.
The signings of Guimaraes and Konsa also allow Arteta the option to revert to the style of play that won Arsenal the title.
The early signs this term are that the Gunners will shift to a more attacking approach, as shown by their 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield.
However, if injuries hit and Arteta is short in forward areas, it will be easy for him to revert back to last season’s blueprint.
Guimaraes and Konsa means the squad is now incredibly stacked with quality in defence and midfield, even if it is light up top.
And the win at Villa Park on Monday was a reminder of how Arsenal can shut a game down at 1-0 if they want.
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Unai Emery’s side finished that match without a single shot on target, which is why many rightly believe this squad will see the Gunners retain the title.
But it will likely be tested at the business end of the Champions League, when those “magic moments” Arteta speaks of are so often needed.