Glenn Hoddle Explains Why Arsenal Might Still Fall Short — Despite Having ‘All the Equipment’ to Win the Title

Former Premier League manager Glenn Hoddle has expressed doubts about Arsenal’s ability to clinch the Premier League title this season, suggesting that their ongoing struggle to find a clinical No.9 could once again cost them at the finish line.

Speaking on Premier League Productions, Hoddle praised Mikel Arteta’s side for their balance, creativity, and defensive solidity, but noted that their attack still lacks the ruthless edge of a top-tier striker.

“He [Arteta] has got the equipment to win the league, there is no doubt about it,” Hoddle said.
“They have got good defenders, they can defend as a team and they have offensive players and creators too. The only missing link at the moment is a No.9 that is going to put the ball in the back of the net, time and time again.”

Hoddle’s comments came after Arsenal’s 2–0 victory over West Ham on Saturday — a game in which goals from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka sealed the win, while the club’s record signing Viktor Gyökeres once again failed to find the net.

The Swedish forward, signed from Sporting CP in a big-money summer move meant to finally solve Arsenal’s striker problem, has now gone five games without scoring.

Despite their success on the pitch — and the arrival of stars like Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, and Martín Zubimendi — questions remain about whether Arsenal have the one player who can turn dominance into destiny.

Opinion: Arsenal’s Final Piece Is Still Missing

There’s no denying it — this Arsenal team is as close to a complete unit as the Premier League has seen in years. The defense is composed, the midfield fluid, and the wings electrifying. Arteta’s blueprint is clear, his squad disciplined, and the belief palpable.

But when it comes to winning titles, belief and structure only take you so far. History has shown — from Drogba to Aguero to Haaland — that champions are often defined by the striker who delivers when it matters most.

Arsenal’s beautiful football is admired across Europe, but beauty must eventually meet brutality in front of goal. Gyökeres, for all his strength and movement, hasn’t yet shown that killer instinct that separates a good forward from a title-winning one.

If he can find that rhythm, Arsenal might not just be contenders — they could be unstoppable.
If not, the same story might repeat: dominance without deliverance.

And as Glenn Hoddle hinted, sometimes the smallest missing piece can keep even the most finely tuned machine from running all the way to glory.