Whenever the question is asked as to a striker Arsenal should sign, the name Ivan Toney is always mentioned.
The Brentford striker has never overly interested me, even before his gambling ban.
In recent years, Mikel Arteta and Edu have done well to get rid of what they felt were players with problematic characteristics.
These were players that partied too much, players who were a bit to active on social media, and players who felt they were bigger than the club. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil were not the only two former-Arsenal players to fall into this category.
We now have a group of players who, during the off-season, are not filmed in Ibiza, Marbella or Dubai drinking copious amounts of alcohol and chatting to any pretty girl that is looking to become a WAG.
Just last year during the mid-season break, Toney was videoed launching expletives at his club. It came across as an immature lad trying to impress a girl by showing that he does not care for his club.
I am not sure if Toney, and his obvious ego, would fit in well with the current crop of players.
There is, however, another man at Brentford who might better suit The Arsenal – Toney’s replacement during his ban Bryan Mbeumo.
Still only 24, Mbeumo has been in impressive form this season for the Bees, with 4 goals from his 6 games.
Mbeumo is a different sort of forward to Toney.
Whilst Toney is a bit more of a target man and someone who comes alive in the box, Mbeumo is someone who looks to get on the ball deeper and run at players. The Frenchman is adept at the high press, harrassing defenders on the ball, and drifts horizontally across the front line making him a nightmare to mark.
The way Mbeumo plays upfront reminds me a lot of Gabriel Jesus. The movement, those hip swivels. He could be the perfect understudy for the Brazilian.
Now a lot of fans always talk about us needing a “Plan B” – a big man upfront who we can hit the ball to if Plan A is not working. For me this is always a basic version of having an alternative plan, a tactic of yesteryear of just sticking a big donkey up-top and hitting it long to him.
Considering Jesus’s injury issues in his two seasons at Arsenal, I think we are better off looking for a striker that is similar to him in attributes than someone complete different.
You get in a Olivier Giroud (for example) to be a Plan B to Jesus and as your second choice striker, it means that if your Plan A picks up a long term injury, the entire structure of the team will need to change.
Your second striker almost needs to be a clone of your first choice so that if your starter is injured (or needs a rest), you can make a swap without having to completely change your tactics.
Some might then say “well yes, but you can also still have a Plan B at the club as well as two Plan A’s”. They are wrong.
We live in a world where teams play one up top. Too carry 2 back-up strikers will result in neither getting enough game time to keep them happy. And anyway, I think Kai Havertz with his 6′ 4″ frame and ability in the air is that Plan B.
The other advantage of Mbeumo is that he has also spent much of his time outwide, and is left footed.
That means he could do the duel role of being cover for both Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka. Two players in one.
If we are looking to add another attacker next summer, Bryan Mbeumo will be a better option than Ivan Toney.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
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