Now the dust has settled after Arsenal’s unsuccessful efforts to sign a new forward in January, Mail Sport can provide some rationale.
Some supporters won’t want to hear it. Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup semi-final exit to Newcastle will serve only to strengthen their view the window was an unmitigated disaster.
They’ll explain that what follows here is propaganda. That isn’t the case, but accuse away.
This isn’t meant as a defence of Arsenal’s window - but rather an explanation of why it transpired the way it did.
The first point that should be made clear is that Arsenal’s intention was always to be active.