4 gifts Arsenal need from Santa Claus this Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…when you’re in the top four for the first time at this stage since 2016 and you’ve got a cup semi-final to come in. It’s a lot better for Arsenal this year than it was last year.

On a rotten run of seven matches without victory prior to last December’s festivities, Mikel Arteta will be a far happier man as he takes his side up to face Norwich on Boxing Day as opposed to hosting Chelsea with his job on the line.

Victory over Sunderland in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals to set up a semi-final tie with Liverpool makes it all merrier over the holiday period.

Depending on one’s age, this month can be joyous and excitable, or stressful and expensive. This, of course, relates to getting presents.

4 gifts Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal need from Santa Claus this Christmas before the Boxing Day trip up to Norwich in the Premier League

Scrambling to find the right type of earring with the clock ticking down or waiting anxiously by the front door in the hopes that your delivery will arrive at in time, it makes you realise how much more relaxing life was as a young un’ looking forward to Santa’s arrival.

Arteta will be enjoying his day with his family and opening all sorts of presents, but he’ll sneakily be hoping that Father Christmas blesses him with some Arsenal-specific gifts this year.

What might he be wishing for?

It could be something as boring as a new tactics board as his current one is showing signs of wear and tear. But this is Christmas. He might as well set his sights high for something a little bit special. There are four presents we can think of that he might like.

1. A Cloning Machine

On the one hand, AFCON is a magnificent tournament to get your teeth sunk into and the pinnacle of football for those hailing from the continent. It’s great fun, full of brilliant celebrations, and mighty fine players.

From the other side of the coin, managers fret as they lose key members of their Premier League squads at crucial points in the season. Arteta is one of them.

Two in particular are leaving in late December, putting Arsenal in something of a pickle. Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny’s departures will leave a chasm in the centre of the park. With them gone, it’s left to Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sambi Lokonga and Granit Xhaka to man the fort for seven matches across three competitions. Eek.

So what might Arteta be wishing for? Why a cloning machine, of course.

What he’s got is talent on his hands, but the only thing better than talent is double the amount of talent. Two Xhaka’s, two Maitland-Niles’ and two Sambi’s would have no problem balancing the minutes around.

Might have to give them different names, though. It could get confusing.

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