Arsenal should have signed Shane Long in January

Shane Long has got off to a flying start at Hull City

Arsenal have had a forgettable transfer window this year with their only loan signing Kim Kallstrom unable to play for around three weeks due to an injury. The Gunners also have a shortage of attacking options at the moment to add to their misery. Theo Walcott is out until June while Nicklas Bendtner is just not good enough to play for Arsenal. Should an injury befall their main striker Olivier Giroud then their whole season is over as Lukas Podolski cannot carry the pressure on his own.

Even as Arsenal searched half of Europe for a suitable back-up striker there was one in England right under their noses in the form of Shane Long. Arsenal could have snapped up the talented forward before he left for Hull City this winter. Long was a target for Steve Bruce’s Hull City way back in the summer, but the move fell through due to then West Brom manager Steve Clarke blocking the transfer because of a shortage of attacking options at the club. Long would have certainly preferred to join Arsenal over Hull in order to test his skills on the big stage.

The 27-year-old has loads of talent and is one of the most under-rated strikers in the Premier League. The Irishman is blessed with pace and some clinical finishing along with being a dead ball expert. Long is also very good at set pieces and could have been an asset to Arsenal.

The forward first gained recognition with Reading where he developed a red hot scoring form and hit braces in three games in a row. But his transfer to West Bromwich Albion in 2011 really got his career going. Long scored the equalizing goal against Manchester United on his debut for the Baggies in an eventual 2-1 loss. Since then Long has a record of scoring against all the big clubs which shows how much he can be relied upon in important matches.

The 2012-2013 campaign was Long’s best season with West Brom. During that year the striker scored goals against Everton, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and Sunderland making him one of the few strikers to achieve such a record. In spite of his good form it was a surprise to see none of the bigger clubs chase the striker. Arsenal should have made a move in the beginning of January. Long’s wages plus his transfer fee would not have been too much for the Gunners and he could have even been one of the bargains of the window.

The striker still has a lot of years left in him and could have had his skills developed by Arsene Wenger who is known for bringing out the best in his players. Long could have been partnered with either Giroud or Podolski depending on who he developed a better rapport on the field. The Ireland international is also capable of playing on the wing or dropping deep in order to support the attack.

It is unfortunate that Arsenal missed out on Long, who will probably stay at Hull for a couple of years. If he performs well with the Tigers then it won’t be a surprise to see the bigger clubs lining up for his signature. But to Arsenal, he is the one that got away.