Rachael Warham
As the start of the new Premier League season is almost upon us, I see the media is awash with fellow Gooners, and pundits alike, predicting that this could be Arsenal’s season. Well, let me be the Grim Reaper of the footballing community and insert my scythe into this bubble of confidence and tell you that this could be our biggest struggle yet.
So what reason do I have for wielding my blade into the hearts of Arsenal supporters and offering my prediction of doom and gloom? And don’t worry I’m not a closet Tottenham fan.
It’s the same old story I’m afraid but I can sum it up and point my indignation at one person... Arsene Wenger. Transfer window after transfer window has passed and not once has he addressed the areas of the team that are so blatantly in need of repair that his failure to resolve this perpetual issue has left me wondering whether he’s lost the plot. After all, this is a man on a salary of £7.5m who can’t seem to see that the squad is crying out for a defensive central midfielder, as well as a world class central defender to bolster a back line that, at times last season, seemed to forget the meaning of the words “clean sheet”.
After an indifferent World Cup, from an English point of view, the summer started out with a wave of excitement. Wenger loosened the purse-strings, that at one-time seemed to be permanently knotted, for the second time in the space of the year and beat Liverpool to the signature of Barcelona’s attacking midfielder, Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean forward starred in Brazil and had us Gooners drooling at the prospect of what our midfield and forward line could would do to Premier League defences. But no Central Midfielder?
July also saw the departure of right-back Bacary Sagna to feeder club Manchester City. Sagna was as solid as they come Sagna was a fans’ favourite and has seemingly been replaced with Newcastle’s Mathieu Debuchy, who it remains to be seen if he is in the same league as his French compatriot. But no Central Midfielder?
Then came David Ospina as back up in goal to Sczsesny, and Calum Chambers, a central defender who left via the revolving door at Southampton will be one for the future. But still no Central Midfielder?
The way I see the coming season, from the additions to our squad thus far, is that, similar to last season, going forward we will be more potent and our defensive capabilities will look superior compared to the lesser sides. But against well oiled, organised teams such as Chelski , we will be left red-faced once again, especially in light of Vermaelen’s departure. And I for one can’t handle any more lashings at the hands of the Premier League’s, so called, “elite.”
Having said that, if the daily torment in the papers would end and the everlasting whisperings of whether Sami Khedira and William Carvalho will join us would become fact, I would take all of my pessimism back. We all saw what Khedira did with Real Madrid (until his injury plagued 2013-14 season) and for Germany in the World Cup. A born winner, he would plug that gaping hole in midfield that the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea so easily exploited, break up opposition attacks and setup the counter.
Then there’s the lesser known William Carvalho of Sporting Lisbon. At 22 he is highly regarded and thought to be one of Europe’s up and coming superstars; a carbon copy of Patrick Vieira.
If Arsene was to capture one, or both, of these players, then the impending doom I currently feel would subside and give way to sheer an utter elation. Indeed, it would be me that would be filling fans’ forums and twitter feeds with notions of us being champions elect.
So please Arsene Wenger, hear my words. As it is, we stand to follow our usual route of showing promise but fall by the wayside due to your continual arrogance of believing that what we have is better than anything else out there. Consider that you may be wrong, that Mikel Arteta is a budget option and isn’t the man who will bring Championship winning success. I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news but time is running out and unless further, world class acquisitions are made, we’re heading for our recurrent seasonal disappointment.
