Arsenal boss Wenger: Days of prolific striker could be over

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says the days of the prolific goal scorer could be over.

Wenger can see a trend where goals are shared amongst the midfield.

“It is a possible idea,” Wenger told arsenal.com. “But it depends on the personality and the quality of your midfielders. If you have many players who can score that is OK but overall I still believe that strikers are very, very important.

“Still we used to say the midfielders are the guys who bring the strikers alive but what is happening now is the strikers are the guys who can bring your midfielders alive. They come to score from deeper positions and you can really do that with one-man up front."

Wenger admits that, to him, a striker’s assists tally is now as important as his goals ratio.

“It is basically the efficiency of the team and the number of goals the team scores [that is important],” he said. “I believe if the whole side scores goals then, for me, the striker is good.

“[For example] Robin Van Persie, when he played we always scored three or four goals. He didn’t score too many [himself] but he made a lot. Not only with passing, but with movement and the quality of that movement. Strikers open walls for the deeper players. That is a big part in the modern game.”