Former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher says Arsenal should sign a world class striker if they are to be title contenders this season.
The Gunners looked out of ideas as they failed to break the deadlock against West Ham United in their first Premier League game of the season at the Emirates.
Striker Danny Welbeck will again not be available this weekend with Olivier Giroud set to lead the attack away at Crystal Palace.
"Questions were being asked about Arsenal's shortage up front leading into this season," Carragher told Sky Sports.
"Has anything that happened against West Ham altered those doubts?
"I do not think so, but we can all criticise Arsenal for not bringing in a striker.
"However, there are not that many out there really and when you look at the options Arsene Wenger has got, I think Olivier Giroud is a good player, while Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott can all play that role very well.
"But I do think they lack a Diego Costa, Sergio Aguero or a Wayne Rooney - a really top-class striker.
"There is talk of Real Madrid's Karim Benzema coming in, but I think it will be very difficult to get him because that would leave them short.
"And you very rarely see Real moving players on, unless they have had enough of them, and I do not think that is the case just yet with Benzema.
"So it is not as easy as people say to just bring in a striker, as they have got to be better than what you have already got."
