Arsenal managed to somehow come away from yesterday’s game against Everton with a point after two late goals from Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud.
Considering the performance from the side, it felt like a win to me, but we need to play a hell of a lot better if we are to seriously challenge for the title this season.
We have done well so far in terms of results, but, admittedly, our displays haven’t been up to scratch which is a little worrying. We managed to nick a late win against CrystalPalace last weekend, hold out in Turkey and take a 0-0 aggregate to the Emirates, and yesterday bag a point against Roberto Martinez’s side.
It’s still early doors and with just seven days to go before the transfer window shuts, many will say that we still need two or three new faces to arrive to make this a title winning side, and I agree.
A lot of fans will say that we have move forward in terms of personnel and strengthened the side this summer. But have we really? I don’t think we have to be honest.
When you look at who’ve we signed and who we got rid of, the number players in our squad haven’t increased dramatically.
Just taking into account first-team players who featured for us last season, we got rid of Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna and Lukasz Fabianski. Now take a look at who’ve we brought in thus far – Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina, Calum Chambers and Alexis Sanchez.
Can you honestly say we’ve strengthened our side?
Debuchy has simply replaced Sagna and we opted to loan out Carl Jenkinson to West Ham. Ospina has taken Fabianski’s role as Wojciech Szczesny’s understudy, while Chambers, for the time being, is Vermaelen’s successor. The only player you can really say has strengthened our side is Alexis. But reports suggest Lukas Podolski is off, so another body in (Sanchez), another body out.
Don’t get me wrong, Wenger has pulled off some great deals thus far, selling and buying. But you can’t tell me we are in better shape as we were last season? Not yet anyway.
Yes we have technically a very good side and players have stepped up – Ramsey in particular – but the numbers game is once again against us. And a side that win trophies is a side which boast options.
Some of you may be, but I’m not totally convinced yet. Like I said, we do have a talented squad but we need more options and actually add players to the side – not just buy one and ship one out.
Without doubt the biggest problem at Arsenal is Wenger. Our 8 million pound manager who in three matches still can’t get a decent formation, does zilch tactics and talks nonsense most of the time.
And since when must Wilshere either play on the wings or in no-man’s-land in midfield to accomodate him? He needs to be shoved in the reserves and learn the basics again. England international? My foot!
Ramsey, except for his goals, is letting the team down with constant wayward passes resulting in serious pressure for the defence.
Only when Wilshere was removed and Campbell, a proper winger, come in did we have cohesion.
But you can’t tell that to Lord Wenger, he has done 70 000 substitutions in his career.
He thinks he’s going to get fourth this season: pass da delusional pot on da left hand side, maan!
To me Wenger have not done anything thing yet in strethening his squad. Arsenal problem before now still remain unsolved. That is a natural DM and an agressive top 9. So far, Arsenal brought inn only one player this season Alexis. Debuchi, Chamber and Ospina are to replaced the space left by Sagna, Vermalein and Fabiaski.
You are very spot on. I am beginning to loose respect for Arsene. He is the ONLY human being in the world that doesn’t know that setting up with Nacho and Ozil on the left hand side is a recipe for disaster; Playing Wilshere and Ramsey in our midfield and especially with both further up is the Perfect recipe for confusion. Our midfield was at the least confused yesterday. Arsene is loosing his technical edge and Arsenal will pay for it. Cant wenger see that our best option for the left wing is Oxlade Chamberlain? Couldn’t Wenger have played Koscielny and Mertasaker at the Back and push Chambers to the Central midfield with Ramey beside him, Ozil ahead of them Campbel and Oxlade on the wings. With this setup i GUARANTEE we would have WON the game FAIR and SQUARE.
This thing is NOT rocket science. Wenger should bloody get his act together or get out. He is the MAIN issue of this club and HE DOESNT KNOWS BEST. At this rate ill be tempted to believe even the players know more than him.
At the end of the season wenger said we need 2-3 players and all the fans were given a lot of hope that that would happen. We needed a dm, a fast winger and a deadly striker.
Then we lost Sagna, fabianski, Jenks, bender, Verma and failed to bring back vela. Just to top that list of (that is already missing a number of other less prominent players who have left) wenger also turns down the chance to sign cesc and apparently balloteli (for 2 million more than we payed for asrshavin)
So we buy ospina who replaces fab, debuchy who replaces Sagna, chambers who replaces jenkinson (I guess) and bring in Sanchez who I suppose replaces bender and makes up for vela.
I would say with Walcott coming back, Sanchez fills the whole we needed on the wing nicely! Good job arsenal. But we need to replace Verma and we still need dm and striker! So as it stands, for me, we have strengthened but only 1/4 as much as we should have.
The side is stronger. Diaby could prove to be a top class player. No reason not to let Poldi play. Jack and Ox should come in. Santi and Özil starters. Wenger is reluctant to play different formations, so the team is not used to various approaches, when teams defend in a block, and counter fast. But that should not be a problem, if we sort the attacking solutions, because the team is stronger. We rarely score from the breaks, too few fouls in front of the opponents box…
Don’t let the facts get in the way of your narrative…. We have Campbell back from loan for a start, Bellerin looks a great prospect, which leaves Chambers as CB/CDM cover. Wenger has said he will buy no more strikers, but another CB or CDM is possible. Yes, the squad is stronger than last year.
It still does not paper over the fact that all of arsenal’s purchases so far have been replacements for the players we have lost. I agree that we have strengthened, but as I said we have only strengthened about 1/4 as much as we were one, led to believe we would and two, should have.
I forgot about campbel, but as excited as I am to see him get his chance, he is being kept in 3rd place by sanogo, who despite showing a lot of fight has so far not impressed in the league. Compare our strike force to our rivals and we are woefully suspect. Giroud himself said he would welcome a striker and I don’t think he had either sanogo or Campbell in mind.
Then we need a dm. Ramsey recently said that city and Chelsea are bigger and stronger but maybe we can pass better and be quicker (something like that) but the reality is that those teams are not only bigger but quick as well. Arsenal need a physical presence in the middle and diaby is not the answer. It’s negligent to continually go into seasons hoping he will stay fit.
Get those positions and a back up cb and we will have strengthened as much as we conceivably could have
Go go Arsenal. Dont forget you are not Wenger. Wenger are the best couch in England
I guess most of the fans are on the same page. 1. Tall, physical, aggressive DM, who can pass the ball. 2. A quality young CB. 3. Clinical, pacy, technically gifted ST. We get those and the team is complete
Yes, but that’s another 100 millions….
U spending 150 millions this year?
Price a champions of England more 500 000 000, Do you have?
To me Wenger has not strengthen Arsenal it’s only a matter of time before we get crucified by one of the top teams, just as last season, he can not change, supporters pay so much money yet what do we see, the team was just lucky to get a draw yesterday
how you can ever leave ozil on is beyond me maybe if somebody shot at goal once in a while instead of trying walk the ball in some how we might get some goals
As supportive to Wenger as I am, I am puzzled by the Ozil positioning.
He just come back so it’s better to play him in his natural position in center or not at all. May be Wenger thought Ozil was playing left all summer so he just let that be. Problem is ppl around him are different… He can’t support others and others can’t support him….
Cazorla should start even though he did not play well in the last two games. At least he picks up form. Isn’t he suppose to be number two creative midfielder after Ozil? Now Ozil isn’t fit… Use Cazorla…
Even if you play Cazorla on the wing, it’s better. Monreal works ok with Cazorla….
Wilshere should be dropped fir this game. Too many rusty and out of form players that simply can’t carry one more.
I do support giving him games… Remember how Ramsey turned things around?
Just not this game….