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Now that Arsenal have put the small business of ending their 9 year trophy drought behind them, they would like to concentrate on bringing the big prize home.
Twelve months can make a huge difference in sports and so it has turned out for Arsenal. From the fear of the worst to anticipating an overhaul; the Gunner faithful have trodden down the muddy streets of gloom and despair and are now ready to head towards victory lane.
Gone are the “Wenger Out” banners, gone are the boo boys. They trust in “Le Professor” again.
It all started on a fateful day in August last year when the Gunners agreed to a 43million fee with Real Madrid to bring German playmaker Mesut Özil to The Emirates. What was the reason for the Spanish giants to get rid of the main man in the middle? Nobody in North London really cares.
What they care about is the series of events that unfolded after the arrival of mercurial German string puller. His arrival in North London not only added depth and quality in the Arsenal ranks, but also he sparked a belief in around the Emirates that can’t be quantified by any metrics.
The place was buzzing, the goals were flowing and Arsenal were leading the Premier League table. But they couldn’t hold on last season as lack of depth and loss of form saw them stutter towards the end as they went on to finish in their very familiar fourth place.
Now comes their big test. With arguably their strongest squad in a decade in place, can they build on last season? Can they really mount a serious challenge for the title?
Transfers
In: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United, Undisclosed ~ £12mil), Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona, Undisclosed ~ £30mil), Calum Chambers(Southampton, £11mil ), David Ospina (OGC Nice, Undisclosed ~ £3.2mil)
Out: Bacary Sagna (Manchester City, free), Lukasz Fabianksi (Swansea, free), Nicklas Bendtner(released), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona, Undisclosed ~ £15,000,000)
Squad
Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szcz?sny, David Ospina, Damián Martinez
Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Calum Chambers
Midfielders: Tomáš Rosický, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Mesut Özil, Aaron Ramsey, Mathieu Flamini, Francis Coquelin, Gedion Zelalem, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Santi Cazorla, Abou Diaby
Forwards: Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Alexis Sánchez, Yaya Sanogo, Joel Campbell, Ryo Miyaichi
Manager
He came, he saw (with the help of some innocuous glasses at first), he conquered (it’s been some years though).
Many were in disbelief when an unheralded, lanky looking man wearing a huge spec was chosen as the man to take over from George Graham at the start of the 1996 season.
Nearly two decades later, Wenger is no longer the one who strive to reach the benchmark. He has been the one setting them.
There is no doubt about the pedigree of Arsene Wenger. Not only has he won three titles, but has gone on to transform football in general in England.
Gone are the days when wingers curling in balls from the sidelines were the major route to the goal. Arsenal under Wenger were an avant-garde in the modern footballing world, who brought us the first glimpses of what we call “beautiful football”.
However, now it’s time to deliver again. No one is going to snatch the hot seat from under him at Arsenal, but ten years must be hurting the Frenchman too.
Money now spent and mostly in a good way at that means Wenger is ready to give up his old philosophies (which can be adjudged on another day), but that also heightens expectations from both fans and the board.
Formation and Tactics
Unlike Rodgers and van Gaal, Wenger has always loved a back four and thus there is no doubt that he will opt for the same yet again. The backline of the Gunners was a formidable force for the Gunners last season barring three games in which they conceded (wait for it)… seventeen goals.
While Mertesacker and Koscielny are arguably one of the best combinations at the back in the entire league, the club cannot afford another triumvirate of such games if they want mount a serious challenge.
With Bacary Sagna taking the familiar route from The Emirates to The Etihad this summer, Mathieu Debuchy has been roped in to take his place. Debuchy was the first choice for the French this summer at the World Cup for the right-back spot in front of Sagna.
While both are French, Mathieu Debuchy is a very different proposal to Bacary Sagna. Debuchy has that buccaneering edge while going forward; romping forward to help his compatriot on the right on every occasion. It helps as well that he can pack a punch with his efforts at goal.
Defensively however, he was still a bit suspect in his Newcastle days. While he is robust in his challenges and downright dominant in the air, his positioning sense sometimes lets him down. While he will thrill you with his maverick runs down the flanks, the Gunners are sure to have a few hiccups with him at the back.
With World Cup winner Per Mertesacker missing the beginning of the season and Thomas Vermaelen heading off to Barcelona, all eyes will be on the youngster Calum Chambers to deliver instantly, partnering the experienced Koscielny.
With the back four all but bedded in, the real tinkering will be done with the front six.
4-3-3 (or 4-1-4-1)
Wenger was one of the pioneers of the five-man midfield and I can’t see a reason he will change that this season, although there will be subtle changes in schemes and personnel throughout the season.
With Mesut Özil also missing action during the openings weekends, we can fully anticipate Arsenal to line-up in the opening games in the same they did in the Community Shield.
There will be no pure no. 10 at the heart of their offensive schemes. Instead two box-to-box midfielder in Wilshire and Ramsey are likely to be deployed in front of their deep playmaker Mikael Arteta.
The single pivot makes a lot of sense for Wenger’s team allowing Ramsey and Wilshire to acknowledge their basic urge to surge forward while their work rate should help them track back to give support to Arteta.
While Wilshire has the ability to run with the ball, converting defence into attack in an instance, Ramsey has a great football IQ which helps get into dangerous spaces more often than not.
4-2-3-1
However, as the season progresses and Mesut Özil returns into fold for the Gunners, expect to see a more traditional 4-2-3-1.
While Özil started as the focal point of Arsenal’s attacking schemes last season, he was later retracted to play deeper, allowing Aaron Ramsey to surge forward. Even Rosicky provided Wenger with the option to play in the double pivot.
More options mean more fluidity to their game. With another big season (in number of games as well) in front of the Gunners, they can ill-afford to stagnate at one fixed mindset both in terms of personnel as well as tactics.
The False 9
Many had expected that the False 9 tactics might be employed at The Emirates with the signing of the Dynamic Alexis Sanchez. However, the pre-season hasn’t given us any indication that Wenger might go on to employ such tactics.
The idea was further shot down the list when Wenger also uttered that Sanchez can “play on both flanks”. A more conventional role on the wings seems to be in store for Sanchez to begin his career at North-London.
However, if I remember correctly, the saying goes like “never say never”. The long meandering season always throws up something you might have least expected. And while we don’t expect much of Sanchez playing on the shoulders of the last defender, Wenger might resort to the plan sometime in the future. That however looks like most likely only if both Giroud and Sanogo fail to deliver.
Best Starting XI
Szczesny; Debuchy, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Arteta, Ramsey, Özil, Sanchez, Cazorla, Sanogo
Szczesny’s performances last season should have given the Gunner faithful atleast some assurances for the first time in many years. He showed real improvement without being spectacular and should be good value to keep his place in the side.
Kieron Gibbs has been impressive. Not only has been impressing with his performances on the field but has shown the mentality of a winner. Wenger brought Spanish international Nacho Monreal from Malaga in January, 2013 to bolster his left-back spot as Gibbs flattered to deceive on being given his initial chance after the departure of Gael Clichy.
Rather than sulk, the England international has taken the onus on himself to show the Gaffer that the investment on the Spanish international wasn’t of prime importance. In the space of a year, Gibbs has fought prudently and won back the left-back spot.
Koscielny and Mertesacker are shoe-ins at the spine of the defence, regarded by many as the best defensive pairing in the league at the moment.
Debuchy was brought in as a replacement for Sagna and that’s exactly what he will do on the right side of the back. However a few slip-ups which he is prone to might see Calum Chambers pushing the French international for his spot.
The duo of Özil and Ramsey are automatic selections. Özil can make all the difference for Arsenal this time round as well. The Gunners can reach a whole new level if the German is back to his puppet-mastering best. The Welsh international Aaron Ramsey was arguably last season’s biggest revelation.
His 15 goals in all competitions was one of the major reasons Arsenal got off to a flying start and crucial to ending Arsenal nine year wait for a trophy. If not for his mid-season injury, he would surely have been in amongst the talks for the Player of The Season.
Wenger’s love for ball players and deep trust in Mikel Arteta (the ex-Everton man was named new Arsenal captain) would surely see the Spaniard walk into the team ahead of someone like Flamini.
Sanchez is guaranteed a start in either of the flanks, while Spanish international makes the cut for the other vacant position on the flanks with neither Oxlade-Chamberlain nor Podolski truly staking their claim at the position.
This might be the year of Yaya Sanogo. Four goals in the pre-season game against Benfica was just a glimpse of the talent, the young Frenchman has in his arsenal.
Prediction
Death, taxes and Arsenal finishing in the top four are the only three sureties in this world. This is what we have come to learn from our past experiences and there should be no reason to have a doubt on the Gunners yet again.
Even in the dreariest of season, Wenger was able to pull the Gunners into Champions League places. Now that they re-stocked their squad for the first in many years, I find no reason to believe they won’t achieve the same again this time around.
But will they challenge for the title? Even if last season’s fabulous start and the addition of stalwarts like Sanchez gives Arsenal fans more than one reason to feel optimistic about their chances, there are probably too many question marks.
Let’s re-visit them:
- Can Sanogo come good this season/ Can Giroud take another step forward this time?
- Can Arsenal do without someone in the middle to do the dirty work?
- Will Debuchy truly be able to replace Sagna?
- Mertesacker is already out for the beginning of the season, resulting in a huge pressure on Calum Chambers to hit the ground running. What happens if they lose Koscielny as well? So who is the fourth option at the back?
- Can Cazorla truly blossom while playing on the wing?
- Will Podolski come to the fore finally?
- Can Walcott put in a season without injuries?
- Can youngsters like Gnabry and Oxlade-Chamberlain finally stake their claim?
There are just too many question marks to my liking.
They have a first XI as good as anyone in the league. But they lack that certain depth (not quality) in the squad.
Can they challenge for the title? Surely they can. But for that to happen, most of the question above must have the answer “Yes”.
Glory might not be coming this season. But this season should certainly be a right step towards a glorious future.
