Gabriel Jesus was not the same ebullient pest that had starred for Arsenal at the start of the 2022/23 season at the 2022 World Cup.
The Brazilian striker cut a meek figure as the Seleção fell to an inconsequential 1-0 defeat at the hands of Cameroon in their final group game.
After the game, however, a rationale for Jesus' sub-par showing was provided - much to the despair of Arsenal fans.
A knee injury has ruled him out of the rest of the tournament, with initial reports suggesting the striker will be out until the new year. However, the diagnosis quickly worsened as the possibility of surgery was mentioned.
While nothing has been confirmed, Arsenal could be without their talisman for a prolonged period once Premier League football returns on Boxing Day. It's the news no Gooner wanted to hear, and many have already questioned how the club will go about coping in Jesus' absence.
Here are the options for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.
Entrust Eddie Nketiah
Nketiah showed at the end of last season that he's capable of fulfilling the centre-forward function in Arteta's system. The English forward has evolved from a handy poacher into a modern, multi-faceted number nine, but his campaign thus far has been disappointing.
Minutes were always going to be hard to come by when Arsenal splashed out on Jesus in the summer, but chances have arrived in the Europa League. However, his continental form fell off a cliff after a productive start.
Nketiah's scored three goals this term and is yet to find the back of the net in the Premier League.
However, the vast majority of his minutes thus far have arrived while playing in Arsenal's 'second' team and you'd have to expect Eddie to benefit from playing with superior players in the Gunners' table-topping league outfit.
There's a reason why the club handed him a lucrative long-term extension in the summer and why he's currently donning the most iconic shirt number associated with the Gunners. It's time for Nketiah to prove his worth.
Play Gabriel Martinelli as a striker
Martinelli has come of age this season, emerging as one of Arsenal's stars in their stellar start to 2022/23. The Brazilian has exclusively played off the left, where he's developed a telepathic relationship with left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko and renaissance man Granit Xhaka.
Martinelli is a full-back's nightmare and certainly has the potential to blossom into one of the world's most potent wingers. Arteta will be reluctant to shift him to a central position for that reason, but it's a plausible option.
The 21-year-old arrived in north London from Brazilian minnows Ituano three years ago as an incredibly raw forward and certainly has the attributes to perform as a centre-forward in the Premier League. Martinelli has seven goals in 14 games when he's lined up as a striker for Arsenal.
Return to the false nine
Arteta seeks total control and the utilisation of a false nine would likely see Arsenal completely dominate in central areas. The Spaniard's mentor, Pep Guardiola, was incredibly creative in his deployment of midfielders up top in the period between Sergio Aguero's decline and the arrival of the Norwegian monster Erling Haaland.
So, who could Arteta use in a more advanced position? Fabio Vieira occasionally lined up as a false nine for Porto last season but is yet to acclimatise to the Premier League, while Emile Smith Rowe has previously been used by Arteta in the front line and is poised to return from injury after Christmas.
Smith Rowe appears to be the most intriguing possibility given his skill set, but it may take some time for the dynamic midfielder to get up to speed following his lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Sign a replacement in January
Arsenal had a major striker predicament last January with the club severing ties with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The forward eventually moved to Barcelona at the conclusion of the winter window, while the Gunners opted against signing a replacement.
This decision compromised Arsenal in the short-term, but their unwillingness to panic buy helped them out in the long run as the transformative Jesus was acquired a few months later.
Should the Brazilian be ruled out for months as opposed to weeks, Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy may be tempted to acquire a replacement in January in a bid to ensure the high levels they reached through the first 14 games of the Premier League season are maintained in 2023.
This, however, appears unlikely, but Jesus' absence could convince the board to move quickly to ensure key targets in other areas of the pitch are secured early on in the window. Arsenal have been strongly linked with Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk and Palmeiras midfielder Danilo.
Recall Folarin Balogun
Young Balogun is having a whale of a time in Ligue 1 with Reims and Arsenal would ideally like to keep the English striker out on loan for the remainder of the season.
However, the Gunners reportedly have the option of recalling Balogun in January to ease the burden on Nketiah should Jesus miss the next three months of action.
While Balogun appeared woefully out of his depth on his Premier League debut at the start of last season, the 21-year-old has matured considerably over the past year and he's enjoying a productive campaign in France.
The Arsenal loanee has scored eight times in 15 Ligue 1 appearances for Reims, who saw Hugo Ekitike depart for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
Source : 90min