Premier League 2013/14 Team Preview – Arsenal

Welcome to IntoTheTopCorner’s team-by-team preview to the new Premier League season. Here, we look at Arsenal‘s vital stats, their summer transfers and analyse their chances.

Arsenal FC

Manager: Arsene Wenger.Captain: Thomas Vermaelen.Stadium: Emirates Stadium (60,361).Last season: 4th.Leading scorer (PL): Theo Walcott (14).Odds: Title 10-1. Relegation 1000-1.

Transfers

In: Yaya Sanogo (Auxerre, Free).

Out: Chuks Aneke (Crewe, Loan) Martin Angha (FC Nurenburg, Free), Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St. Petersburg, Free), Samir Bihmoute (Released), Joel Campbell (Olympaikos, Loan), Reice Charles-Cook (Bury, Free), Francis Coquelin (Freiburg, Loan), Denilson (Sao Paulo, Free), Johan Djourou (Hamburg, Loan), Craig Eastmond (Colchester United, Free), Kyle Ebecilio (FC Twente, Free), Sead Harjovic (Released), Conor Henderson (Released), Vito Mannone (Sunderland, £2.1M), Jernade Meade (Swansea City, Free), Elton Monteiro (Club Brugge, Free), Nigel Neita (Released), Josh Rees (Released), Philip Roberts (Released), Andre Santos (Flamengo, Free), James Shea (Released), Sebastian Squillaci (Bastia, Free), Sanchez Watt (Colchester United, Free), Jordan Wynter (Bristol City, Free).

Kits

Key Player:

Jack Wilshere – He is one of most exciting players in England and it’s fair to say that this season is going to be a big one for Jack Wilshere, with the World Cup coming up.

He has been very unlucky with injuries in the past three years, but he is back to his full fitness and will get a good pre-season under his belt. The young Gunner can play behind the striker or deeper in midfield, but wherever he plays, he is important to the team and Wenger knows that.

He is an inspirational figure on the pitch and will play a key part if Arsenal are to end their eight-year trophy drought.

Youngster to watch out for

Serge Gnabry – The young German is very highly rated at Arsenal, and really caught the eyes with his stand-out performances in the NextGen Series last season.

The 17-year-old has abundance of pace in him, and is often seen on the wings but is equally capable of playing in the middle. He came very close to the first team on several occasions, with brief but impressive substitute appearances in the Premier League, Champions League and the Capital One Cup.

Signed from Stuttgart, Gnarby looks like being another huge talent coming out of German football and with Wenger’s fondness for young players, we could be seeing a lot more of him this season.

Probable Formation

Team (4-3-3): Wojciech Szczesny – Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs – Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla – Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud.

Opening Fixtures

17th Aug – Aston Villa (H)24th Aug – Fulham (A)31st Aug – Tottenham Hotspur (H)14th Sep – Sunderland (A)22nd Sep – Stoke City (H)

Verdict

Arsenal haven’t made any new big signing this summer and that could be a worry for many Arsenal fans, but one thing that the Gunners have which they haven’t had for the last few seasons is stability.

They haven’t lost any key player in this transfer window and this could play a big part in their season. With Wilshere back to full fitness and Giroud, Cazorla and Walcott at the top of their game, Arsenal could be serious title contenders.

However, I don’t see them in the top three come May, but a top four finish. Maybe, just.

IntoTheTopCorner Prediction: 4th.