Arsene Wenger has warned his goal-shy strikers must be more clinical otherwise Arsenal will face more frustration against Newcastle.
Wenger claims more teams are setting up defensively with the main objective of trying not to lose after Arsenal were held to frustrating draws at Southampton and West Ham.
Incredibly, Arsenal have had 64 shots in their last three games and scored just two goals while they have created more chances than any other team in the Premier League - including Manchester City - but have not been taking them.
That comes down to their strikers but Wenger has backed eight goal Alexandre Lacazette to come good while insisting Alexis Sanchez has not been affected by the uncertainty over his future.
Gunners boss Wenger said: “Not quite clinical enough, yes. It’s difficult to explain. As we spoke about Sanchez last year, he scored 24, he’s on four at the moment. But he is still committed and he works hard.
“I feel if you look at his (Lacazette) record, it’s quite good. Especially at home. At home his scoring record is really good. Away from home, a bit less.
“But also, do the teams defend better? You could say no, because we create more chances than anybody else. Are the chances of the same quality? I don’t know. There is no objective reason to have a verdict on that.
“Is it confidence? Is it the fact that the guys think we have absolutely to score? It’s difficult to know. But we have the chances, the quality of our game is there. But it’s true that at the moment, we cannot show it up with points.”
Wenger also warned that Arsenal must beware dropping points against Newcastle by dominating the game and then only to concede late chances as they press forward and leave themselves short at the back.
Wenger added: “What is even worse you know if you have not scored in the last 10 minutes you will have to go through one moment, they will find one moment, one free kick or corner where you’ll be in trouble and that’s what could’ve happened at West Ham.
“That’s where you sit there you can lose the game where you’ve have 70 per cent of the ball. It is a modern problem. The defence gives you a new problem, you have to find a new solution. We are not far from it because you feel the quality of the game is there but we have to be more efficient to finish what we prepare.”