Pradeep Kachhala
It gives me great pleasure to write this article after the gloomy summer. Today really does feel like a new beginning for Arsenal Football Club. Fourteen seasons in the Champions League should not be sniffed at; while we most probably will not win it, in terms of attracting players, and as a source of revenue and even bragging rights with our North London neighbours, it is a proud achievement.
Like most Gooners, I feared the worst as Di Natale looped a header over Szczesny. A second from Udinese looked inevitable, and the summer decline of our club seemed almost complete. Wenger has been criticised at times for his lack of tactical acumen and for the timing of his substitutions, and rightly so, but the introduction of Rosicky added fluidity and distribution to our midfield; quite something from a player who has looked pedestrian over the last three years.
I wonder if Wenger gave them a half time talk reminiscent of that at Anfield two years ago when we were going through our usual mid-season crisis. That wry smile returned and the lines on his face eased in his post-match interview; like many, he seemed relieved that a turbulent chapter at the club could finally be put behind us. In my previous post, I mentioned how good Walcott was in one-on-one situations, so it was no surprise that, when put through, he delivered. He will always struggle for consistency on the wing, so a combination of regular goals and the arrivals of Miyachi, Gervinho and Chamberlain may mean soon he will get his wish to play upfront. With regard to Gervinho, his pace, dribbling and distribution have made a great impact already, and it is a shame he stooped to Joey Barton's level at Newcastle, as it is already noticeable how much he is missed when absent.
Szczesny is a monster, quite frankly the best penalty save I have seen in some time. His all-round game has improved to such an extent that not only is he the undisputed number one, there is no longer talk about our signing a top-class keeper: we already have one. A friend pointed out that Man City, Man Utd and Arsenal all have young keepers between the sticks now: while Hart remains the best of the three at the moment, Szczesny is catching up with him rapidly. Overall, one of the great nights in Europe, considering the circumstances and ramifications going into the game. Finally, Carl Jenkinson looks solid if a little unspectacular, possibly at joint fault for the Udinese goal, yet he already looks a great deal more reliable than Eboué who, after all, he has been drafted in to replace.
Now to the fun part. Something I try to refrain from in these blogs is speculating on who the club should buy, but today I will allow myself to gorge and indulge! I have always maintained that if we were to pay the highest ticket prices in Europe I didn't expect to see the likes of Vela, Eboué and Denilson roaming the turf. AFC fans want to see top-quality players and even one or two world stars to justify our wallets being emptied every week. The news today was that a loan bid for Kaka (as a ready made replacement for Fabregas) had been turned down, which is a shame, but the bid itself was a step in the right direction. I hope this isn't the end of the matter and that Wenger pursues this over the next few days. In defence, I would prefer Samba over an expensive Cahill, while West Brom's Odemwingie would provide added depth up front. The idea of Eden Hazard arriving at the E******s doesn't interest me, as it seems we have a plethora of attacking wingers. If AFC concentrate on strengthening the spine, we could be in contention this season.
What are the bets that Jack Wilshere is out until January at least? Is he this season's Vermaelen or even Rosicky prior to that? The number of muscular injuries our players are afflicted with is absurd, and it remains a mystery why the club haven't looked into this. The sight of Koscielny hobbling off last Saturday has become all too familiar.
Impressed with RVP as a captain so far? He seems to enjoy the responsibility and guiding the younger players. Hopefully, Wenger can add similar quality to his star striker, not only to ease the burden but to show RVP that Arsenal are a club moving forward. Hopefully, next summer Man City do not come knocking at his door.
Sunday sees a trip to Old Trafford and, continuing with the optimism, I do think we have a chance to pick up some points. Like AFC, Utd have now placed their faith in youth. A few, such as Smalling and Jones, were courted by our club but chose to go to Manchester. Many are talking up the new crop of Man Utd youngsters as the next big things. However, as we all know, with youth can come inconsistency and inexperience. After recovering from the quagmire yesterday, not only was it a great learning experience for our youngsters, but they should also relish the chance of taking the scalp of the current champions. A win would be another massive step forward. Without doubt, I would like to see De Gea, Jones, Cleverly and Wellbeck tested more than our neighbours did on Monday night. The key problem is that there is a shortage of players going into Sunday's game, so I very much hope that Arsenal sign a few before then.
On the subject of United, it was interesting to read that they have managed to pocket another £40m for the sponsorship of their training kit. As the financial fair-play rules kick in, the larger and more successful clubs will be looking to lock in such deals as an extra source of revenue. Brands want to be associated with winning teams: with silverware come the spoils. Hence, from a commercial point of view, it becomes even more vital that we end our trophy drought. Maybe Silent Stan can use his Wal-Mart contacts in the US to "inject" cash into the club in a similar way that Manchester City have done through Etihad.
