Arsenal in crisis

[Whitechapel]

With the Manchester clubs in need of some major work doing to them, Chelsea will possibly suffer a hangover from winning this season so it's our best shot.

 

[Avatar]

They need a prick up front, a Suarez/Costa type and they will be more than able to challenge.

Question to Arsenal fans; obviously you're more satisfied than you were a couple of years ago, but do you see yourself challenging/winning the league next term? Are a few FA Cup wins enough?

Im definitely satisfied. Nobody is entitled to win the league and it feels great to be winning trophies. The FA cup is one of my favorite anywhere, its pure romamnce...but obviously the league and the champions league would be even better.

I do see us challenging next year, we will sign at least one or two very big players, we are not far off. It was the start of the season that hurt us because we had ozil and mertesaker just back from the world cup and they were not 100%. We signed two CBs (Chambers and the excellent Gabriel) and Coquelin and Bellerin are the revelations of the season.

I really think we are pretty close. This was a very different trophy than last year. We hadn't won in 10 years, this feels different.

 

[Red]

I'd really like to see Arsenal win it next season.

 

[Bilo]

update thread start pls

 

[Stevencc]

ARSENAL IN CRISIS

ARSENAL IN CRISIS

ARSENAL IN CRISIS

 

[smat]

It's good to be back.

 

[Super_horns]

Typical Arsenal really!

 

[Avatar]

Ah. Great to see you lads again. Do love an arsenal crisis! We're back baby!! :giphy:

 

[mente captus]

what are the bets now Wenger will be the first sack of the season?

 

[Mustard]

Status: Full blown possible beginning of potential crisis.

 

[Blitzballer]

 

[The Iron]

 

[GodsGift]

How very 'Paddy Power' of Betfair.

 

[Whitechapel]

 

[thespus]

Arsenal web will soon be on suicide watch, the mongers. If we couldn't sign a Benzema/Reus/etc., I think avoiding middling signings is the correct choice. It's difficult to move undesired players on big salaries - see Borini, Flamini, etc. - and this wage commitment and squad spot can prevent needed signings in the future. This transfer market seemed sparse - we tried and failed for Benzema and then Anthony Martial moved for more money than Hazard or Alexis. We have scope for internal improvement in the form of Gabriel, Wilshere, Bellerin, Welbeck, and Oxlade-Chamberlain. Coquelin and Bellerin were afterthoughts last August and starting XI stalwarts by February - coinciding with being the form side in England for months. I'm still chuffed to see Cech behind our defense.

Too much hysteria (positive and negative) is placed on the shoulders of the transfer market. Look at Liverpool two seasons ago - Sturridge had an injury free season and Suarez went from very good to world class in a summer. The squad behind them were buoyed by their presence and the tempo of their game increased, which nearly led Liverpool to a title in a season where no one thought they'd finish 4th.

Oh, and last time we only signed a GK and some youngsters in a summer, we went unbeaten the ensuing league campaign.

 

[Whitechapel]

I'm not too fussed about not signing anyone (if we don't). The players we have can do the job, the mentality however can't.

 

[thespus]

I'm not too fussed about not signing anyone (if we don't). The players we have can do the job, the mentality however can't.

I think these are three key ways Wenger/current squad can improve us:

1) We need a quicker tempo. We have superior technical quality, but play at a snail's pace - technical quality and directness don't need to be mutually exclusive. The Invincibles averaged fewer passes per game, but had several players unafraid of accountability even if it meant turning the ball over more often - this is an underlying reason Arsenal fans appreciate Alexis so much.

2) Oxlade-Chamberlain has to start, particularly at the Emirates. Arsenal are greeted by a bus more often than any side in the league - and for a good reason, it often works. We are too narrow and only have Alexis and Özil who can create space on the dribble. Hence the need for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Bellerin has these qualities, but we shouldn't be relying on our RB to break down the opposition. One of Cazorla/Ramsey would be dropped - preferably Cazorla against weaker opposition and Ramsey in matches where Coquelin will need the more conservative Cazorla.

3) Get a statement victory earlier in the season. We were the form side after beating City at the Ethiad - conceded the fewest goals and won the most points. External solutions like Cech and Alexis help, but confidence is bred by habit.

 

[smat]

Arsenal web will soon be on suicide watch, the mongers. If we couldn't sign a Benzema/Reus/etc., I think avoiding middling signings is the correct choice. It's difficult to move undesired players on big salaries - see Borini, Flamini, etc. - and this wage commitment and squad spot can prevent needed signings in the future. This transfer market seemed sparse - we tried and failed for Benzema and then Anthony Martial moved for more money than Hazard or Alexis. We have scope for internal improvement in the form of Gabriel, Wilshere, Bellerin, Welbeck, and Oxlade-Chamberlain. Coquelin and Bellerin were afterthoughts last August and starting XI stalwarts by February - coinciding with being the form side in England for months. I'm still chuffed to see Cech behind our defense.

Too much hysteria (positive and negative) is placed on the shoulders of the transfer market. Look at Liverpool two seasons ago - Sturridge had an injury free season and Suarez went from very good to world class in a summer. The squad behind them were buoyed by their presence and the tempo of their game increased, which nearly led Liverpool to a title in a season where no one thought they'd finish 4th.

Oh, and last time we only signed a GK and some youngsters in a summer, we went unbeaten the ensuing league campaign.

Agree w this. I said ages ago that I didn't expect any signings after Cech. If another worldie was available, then yes, of course, but it was pretty obv quite early on in the window that there wasn't anyone to fit the bill. I agree with Wenger's decision, really. If no signing can be made to actively improve on Giroud, then signing someone else would be daft. You'd end up no better off this season, and then finding it hard to shift an average player on big wages when someone like Benzema/Cavani/whoever becomes available.

We've started a little shakily, but still won two tricky away games. We'll click into gear at home and put up a fight for the title. Anything less, with this very good squad, would be a failure, and it won't be because of our transfer business.

The Kokorin rumour was weird. Kallstrom-esque.

 

[thespus]

Agree w this. I said ages ago that I didn't expect any signings after Cech. If another worldie was available, then yes, of course, but it was pretty obv quite early on in the window that there wasn't anyone to fit the bill. I agree with Wenger's decision, really. If no signing can be made to actively improve on Giroud, then signing someone else would be daft. You'd end up no better off this season, and then finding it hard to shift an average player on big wages when someone like Benzema/Cavani/whoever becomes available.

We've started a little shakily, but still won two tricky away games. We'll click into gear at home and put up a fight for the title. Anything less, with this very good squad, would be a failure.

The Kokorin rumour was weird. Kallstrom-esque.

We have more points at this stage than last season, are creating more chances, and have Petr Cech in net; yet the same fans who were calling for a title in June now think we'll struggle to finish 4th. The fickleness of our supporters amazes me - we are one Alexis chance (that he scores 90% of the time) and/or an incorrectly disallowed goal from likely sitting in second and Sky labeling us City's biggest obstacle. Of course other clubs can play "what if", that's my point - these things tend to balance out over a bigger sample size.

"We've signed fewer players than every side in the league, it's embarassing" - no, it's not. Newcastle has the 2nd highest net spend and look to be in for a relegation battle, yet Wenger would be getting 1/2 the flack he is now had we signed Mitrovic. After all, he's a striker that cost money.

 

[mnb089mnb]

Current Status: TURMOIL

 

[Jonny]

Let's be honest. The transfer window is a time when fans want signings, not necessarily because we need them but for the sake of getting excited about new players. The reason United and Liverpool bought so many players was because they needed to strengthen. Before the transfer window we were the only side that didn't really need to strengthen in any area( bar the goalkeeper). Yes we could have gone and bought a striker or a defensive midfielder but would that have really improved our team. Wenger was right, if the opportunity arose to sign a world class player we would swoop. But the problem is there aren't many world class strikers available in the world, and the strikers that are world class play for clubs that are bigger than Arsenal and have more money meaning they have no reason to sell. There is also no point in signing a Charlie Austin type striker because just for the sake of it signing a striker. Wenger is clever, he is patient and he knew that if a player was available then Arsenal might swoop but if nothing came up Arsenal had a good enough squad anyway. Cech was a great signing, he brings experience and he's played on the big stage. Sometimes bringing so many players in a team can make it worse. Having the same squad as last year bar Cech means the team can gel together even more and provide us with a stable squad that can thrive this season. We haven't made a bad start this season. After the West Ham game we have adapted to the new season and we just need to take it one game at a time. We have three strikers who can are more than capable of scoring goals when there in their best form and fully fit.

 

[Mustard]

I was far more disappointed at the end of last summers transfer window because I felt we'd left gaping holes in our squad (CB and DM) that would come back to hurt us, despite signing something like 5 players. One of those came back to bite us in a big way once Koscielny got injured and was a big part of the reason for us dropping so many points in the first half of the season, whilst not having a decent DM certainly didn't help either. We're already a much stronger squad than that which started last season with the 'additions' of Coquelin, Gabriel, Bellerin and Cech and so I don't think we needed a major overhaul. I think our need for players has been blown out of proportion due to the results against Liverpool and especially West Ham but I expect these to be anomalies come the end of season, we'll get going soon enough. This is the same squad that ended last season very strongly, and with plenty of young players who will only get better.

It's all well and good begging Wenger to sign a striker, but there really wasn't any ideal signing available. I wouldn't have wanted to see us buy Berahino/Austin for the sake of it, Giroud gets too much flak for somebody who has a very good all around game and scores at about the same rate as the other top strikers in the league bar Aguero. His only big fault is that his lack of pace can make it hard to break teams down, which is why I think it's important that Walcott/Ox are used to get in behind defences, as well as Welbeck once he's back. Giroud needs people playing off him rather than getting in behind himself. We've had that balance in the past and I expect we'll find it again. Hopefully then next summer an upgrade will be available, better to wait until then. The only other position I think we are short in is DM but once again, so long as Coquelin can stay fit I don't see it being a huge problem.

 

[Jonny]

Fans need to stop labeling Giroud as our scapegoat as well. You cannot always blame the striker for not getting the goals. The midfield has to contribute as well. It's not as if Giroud doesn't have the quality. Yes he's not world class but we've seen shades of his quality already this season for example his goal against Crystal Palace was an incredible finish. So the ability is their for Giroud, i just think the midfield need to supply him better and put more crosses in. Maybe crossing isn't the Arsenal style of play but if it gets goals, why not. Giroud is an aerial threat and we need to utilize that strength.

 

[thespus]

I think our need for players has been blown out of proportion due to the results against Liverpool and especially West Ham but I expect these to be anomalies come the end of season

This plus football culture's pissing battles over perceived reputations. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Radamel Falcao are massive names making more than our highest paid player. Schweinsteiger is a rich man's Arteta without the decade of UK experience. Marginal squad upgrade? Sure, but not worth it when we will be looking for a younger midfielder next summer with Flamini and (likely) Arteta gone. He wouldn't be displacing Cazorla or Coquelin. Falcao scored fewer goals than Danny Welbeck last season and is older, incapable of playing wide, and makes an annual salary near the latter's transfer fee. These are the same Arsenal fans who were furious when Liverpool signed Mario Balotelli last season - how could Wenger pass on this opportunity to fix the striker position?

 

[Gallen10]

The problem is exactly that Giroud is the scapegoat. He's not the priority to replace. My Girlfriend is a season ticket holder at the Arsenal, so I watch them quite a bit. Coquelin has been impressive, but that's the key area Arsenal should have spent on. If he gets injured, Arteta and Flamini are just not at the level you need them to be and dare I say it, the lack of any decency in that position over the last few seasons has clouded the judgement of people and over hyped how good Coquelin is. I rate him, but he's not there yet.

There have been a number of good DMs that have gone this summer alone. All would have improved the middle of the park for Arsenal.

Some tactical decisions baffle me. To play Ramsay against an inexperienced left back rather than Theo or the Ox was strange.

Write Arsenal off at your peril though. Ozil is class and on his day Sanchez is one of the most effective players in the division. I think they will challenge.

 

[JimJams]

On that note:

What say you?

 

[Avatar]

On that note:

What say you?

He's right. Why didn't Wenger go to the Vieira factory and buy replacement world cup and euro trophy winning captain who was a world class midfielder and the greatest midfield general in Arsenal history????

Surely could've found something online or on football manager.

 

[SALTIRE]

This settling for mediocrity is shameful by the Arsenal fans. No wonder they don't compete for the big trophies now.

 

[Stevencc]

So it turns out Arsenal are the only side in the top 5 European leagues not to sign an outfield player during this window.

This is the photo that the Independent decided to use when reporting this fact...

 

[Jonny]

Wenger is stubborn. If he thinks the current squad can win the league and challenge in the champions league and this happens again, his ass is getting sacked.