5 Arsenal players still waiting for their first goal

3. Nuno Tavares

While he technically has scored, on his debut no less, it was a non-competitive fixture and therefore we aren’t counting it. Still, it was a well taken effort on his supposed wrong foot, one he claimed upon his arrival that he likes to shoot with.

But if you thought that Sambi’s shooting was touch on the loose side, Nuno’s efforts this season might make you revise that.

The standout game – one that since Arsenal won can be looked back on in a different light – is the 2-0 home win over Newcastle. It was a match that Nuno was heavily involved in, and one where he was clearly enjoying his football. Given the freedom to make those charging runs infield and swap positions with players across the pitch, he fired in no fewer than six shots in the game.

None of them were on target.

Having failed hopelessly with a few efforts on his left peg, most would have called it a day there and started trying to set goals up instead, or just defending. Not Nuno. His thought process was that if he couldn’t score with his left he should just use his right instead. It was the same outcome.

In total he’s had 14 shots in the Premier League and hit the target just once for a total xG of just 0.6. You get the feeling that one day, eventually, one is just going to fizz right into the top corner. Or, a la Partey, it’ll be a scrappy one that goes in off his shoulder.

One or the other.

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