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Last Season
Arsenal lost to Birmingham in the Carling Cup Final, a defeat that 'destroyed' the players, according to Arsene Wenger
It was an archetypal Arsenal season in so many ways- Football pundits falling over each other in a hurry to write the Gunners off completely, Arsenal getting off to a decent-ish start, free-flowing victories in the august August sunshine, losses to West Broms and Newcastles when they were least expected, losses to Man United and Chelsea when they were very much expected, a sudden flurry of consistency and the whiff of a trophy (or even two), the whiff being cruelly taken away by blunderous Birmingham, ending the season empty handed and, concluding the vicious cycle, football pundits falling over each other in a hurry to tell the world how right they had been.
Transfer Talk
Player Outs (at the time of writing) -
1.Gael Clichy-
The mostly consistent and occasionally calamitous left back was sold to Manchester City for a fee of 7 million pounds after many years of diligent service. Clichy refused to renew his contract with Arsenal, with reasons like the salary involved and the team’s inability to win trophies being cited as reasons for the disagreement. Clichy’s farewell was far from acrimonious however, and most fans shall remember him fondly for his marauding runs forward (culminating in hilariously bad crosses) and as being the last of the Invincibles.
Although no other major departures have been confirmed as of yet, many players including Nicklas Bendtner, Manuel Almunia and Emmanuel Eboue are close to the exit door. The futures of vital players like captain Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri also remain up in the air for the nonce.
Player Ins (at the time of writing) -
1. Carl Jenkinson (from Charlton Athletic) - This lifelong Arsenal fan was signed for a fee of one million pounds and the initial signs of his development and ability are quite positive. Jenkinson is a nineteen year old right back, with impressive work ethic and a good reading of the game. A cautious defender by nature, Jenkinson has played in all pre-season games so far and acquitted himself well. Could turn out to be a respectable understudy to Sagna.
2. Gervinho (from Lille) – The speedy Ivorian was signed for approximately 11 million pounds, in the hope that he would provide a much-needed directness and bite to Arsenal’s often meandering passing style. Gervinho was statistically the most efficient player in Europe last season after the allowable exceptions of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and his efficiency has shown no signs of abating at Arsenal. He scored twice in an explosive thirty minute cameo against FC Cologne and looked dangerous in the Emirates Cup as well. Arsenal fans will hope that the winger can continue to provide end-product as the season continues.
3. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (from Southampton) - The teenager, signed for around 15M is expected to carry forward the Southampton legacy of express wingers. Other notable names to appear from The Saints academy include Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott who set the premier league ablaze with their pace and Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to do the same.
As with the departures, Arsenal are leaving the buying business for late. Many names are being thrown around like Juan Mata, Phil Jagielka, Gary Cahill, Chris Samba and Joey Barton.
Pre-Season
Arsenal have had an average pre-season on the whole. Although they haven’t tasted defeat yet, the performances have hardly been inspiring and the deficiencies in their game have been depressingly familiar. The curtain raiser took place against Malaysia XI, a game that Arsenal won 4-0 with a minimum of fuss. The team then travelled to China to face off against Hangzhou Greentown on a rain-drenched afternoon. Arsenal laboured their way to a 1-1 draw in an encounter that could easily have gone either way. The Gunners’ promotional tour to Asia was a success overall, and might well turn out to be the first of many more.
Arsenal’s next match was against FC Cologne, a game characterised by fluid attacking and suicidal defending from both sides which ended 2-1 in the Londoners’ favour. This was followed by an Emirates Cup where the crowds turned up in huge numbers, only to inexplicably start jeering and booing when Arsenal failed to win either of their matches over the weekend, against Boca Juniors and New York red Bulls respectively.
The star players of Arsenal’s pre-season have been Japanese youngster Ryo Miyaichi, who drew nods of approval all around with his searing pace and dizzying tricks on the ball. Jenkinson and Gervinho have given fans reasons to smile (the former, both because of his no-nonsense defending and bizarre own goal against Cologne). The defensive duo of Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny has been solid at the centre of defence amidst general confusion sweeping through the rest of the backline. Jack Wilshere and Robin van Persie have carried over their good form from last season.
What To Expect
Arsenal’s situation is difficult to gauge at this point of time, particularly because so much potential transfer business remains to be done. But one caveat of late transfer business is an unsettled squad at the start of the season with insufficient match practice under its belt; and Arsenal have a glut of important fixtures in the first two months of the season including the Champions League qualifier and face-offs against Manchester United and Liverpool.
Fan disillusionment has rarely been so widespread, with a vast majority of supporters angered by the club’s apparent lack of addressing problem areas and continual throwing away of leads. Mediocre performances on the pitch coupled with a steep 6% increase on ticket prices have led the gooners to being one unhappy bunch.
Expect Arsenal to toil through the season if the current team remains, or to push on for better things if new signings are made. In either case, expect the fans’ patience to be paper thin this time round.
Team Talisman
People like Cesc Fabregas are arguably more important to the way Arsenal play, but the midfielder’s doubtful future makes it iffy to mention him in this category. Picking form the players who are sure to stay, the talisman would surely have to be Robin van Persie. Much has been made of Arsenal’s defensive frailties, and justifiably so, but equally worrying is their lack of imagination upfront against teams that defend deep. With the Gunners’ lacking a Lampard-like 20 goal a season midfielder, and with Marouane Chamakh hopelessly out of form, a truckload of responsibility falls on Dutchman van Persie’s shoulders at the helm of Arsenal’s attack. If he stay fit, the skilful striker can easily provide in excess of 20 goals to the team, and this is what Arsene Wenger will hope happens.
Formations
Arsenal in blue, like our hideous away kit
The standard 4-3-3 that Arsenal have followed for the past few seasons now. Vermaelen and Koscielny form the spine of the defence, Cesc pulls the strings in midfield if he stays, Wilshere and Song alternate their offensive and defensive duties, and RVP to lead the front line with Gervinho and Nasri plying their trade on the flanks.
Alright, I admit our away kit is better than THIS
The one-time conventional 4-4-2 that Arsenal have abandoned due to the excess of midfielders in their squad. The defence is the same, but the midfield now consists of a central pairing of Wilshere and Song (this formation is assuming that Cesc leaves) with Mata and Arshavin/Nasri/Miyaichi on the wings. The front two can be chosen from RVP/Chamakh/Vela/Gervinho/Afobe and the lot.
Least Targets
Optimistic: Quintuple, goal difference of +150, van Persie to win the Golden Boot, Jack Wilshere to get knighted and Mario Balotelli to get a car totalled while trying some fancy wheelies during a test drive.
Pessimistic: Reaching one cup final, losing on penalties 24-23 after Arsene Wenger’s spot-kick hits both posts and comes back out, losing out on fourth place on the last day of the season to Stoke, and all Arsenal fans dissolving into a heaving pile of unadulterated depression.
Check out our other season previews:
Manchester United: All set for a Treble
Tottenham Hotspur: Champions League Football to Return to the Lane?
Valencia CF: Time to Return to Old Glory?
Manchester City: A Dynasty to be Feared?
Liverpool FC: Will They Walk Alone?
QPR: Underdogs or a Real Deal?
