Once again, Arsenal go into the new season which starts on Saturday
without the necessary signings that would strengthen the team. For a
number of years, Arsenal's goal output has significantly reduced
because of the dearth of quality strikers at the club. It was the
team's lack of scoring that has cost it valuable opportunities to win
the title, but this is not forgetting it defensive frailties that is
well documented.
And going into the new season, the team is more in need of a defensive
signing than the equally important centre forward that it needs. With
Per Mertesacker ruled out until at least the new year with a knee
injury and Gabriel's ankle injury that has ruled him out for up to two
months, Arsenal are left with the inexperienced trio of Calum
Chambers, new signing, Rob Holding and Kristian Bieliek as central
defensive options going into the match against Liverpool on Sunday.
Laurent Koscielny's extended break after his participation at the
Euros means this weekend's match would come too soon for him. The same
applies to Mesut Ozil and Oliver Giroud. All of whom only just resumed
training this Wednesday.
Arsene Wenger can still choose to feature either of Mathieu Debuchy or
Nacho Monreal in central defence, but it could largely be a risk
against a Liverpool side that would be keen to start the new season on
a high under Jurgen Klopp.
For all of Arsenal's dithering in the transfer market, they have
brought in a midfielder in Granit Xhaka way in May, who should add
much needed physicality in central midfield, and his technicality and
passing range means he would add further pose to a midfield that was
devoid of Santi Cazorla's calmness in possession last season.
From the pre-season games and his performance at the Euros, the 23
year old Swiss international has shown that he would be a quality
addition to the Arsenal squad. The presence of Mohammed Elneny, Aaron
Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere, if he can
stay fit makes the central midfield Arsenal's strongest position.
However, the same cannot be said of Arsenal's current defensive and
striking options which is in dire need of an upgrade. Before the
defensive injuries in pre season, the team was in need of a central
defender. And the attempt to sign a striker has not been successful
for a number of years with failed bids for the likes of Higuain, Luis
Suarez and the recent bid for Jamie Vardy.
Now, with 21 days to the end of the transfer window, Arsene Wenger
would have to deploy his best poker skills to sign the players his
team needs.
During the course of the summer, he has bemoaned the inflated prices
of the transfer market, but at other times, he has also been quick to
say it is something Arsenal have to accept as the prices are a
reflection of the huge sums avialable to English clubs because of the
new television deal.
In spite of the shortage of signings this season from Arsenal, they
have continually been linked to several players. Mustafi of Valencia,
the 24 year old German international defender has virtually been
linked every week for the last one month with reports claiming that
both clubs are still in talks to bring the former Everton defender to
the Emirates. He has valued at £25m. If Arsene Wenger intends to have
him in place against Liverpool, he must be signed and registered
before 12 GMT on Friday to be eligible to feature against Liverpool.
While the Frenchman has stated on several occasions that he is still
in the transfer market, he has also emphasised the importance of
concentrating on the players already at the club's disposal. A line of
assertion that means there is unlikely to be any new face ahead of the
match against Liverpool.
Arsenal under Arsene Wenger have always deployed an approach of being
reactive in the transfer market rather than being proactive. Little
wonder that Wenger remarked that they are waiting for an opportunity
to arise to sign certain players. Most times, such opportunity never
arises, instead it is left for the club to create such an opportunity
by putting in a bid the club would be unable to turn down. However,
Wenger always has his valuation of players so, it is not unusual that
certain deals over the years has fallen through as a result.
With the increased competition in the English Premier League, the
Frenchman cannot afford to do what he did last season when he made
Arsenal the only club not to sign an outfield player in Europe's top
five leagues. Although, he has already signed three players in Granit
Xhaka, Rob Holding and Takuma Asano this summer, the transfer window
will be considered a failure by Arsenl faithful if he agains fails to
bring in a striker and the defender his team desperately needs.
He has often compared the transfer market to playing a game of poker.
It is now left to him play it the way it would be favourable to his
team's needs.
No comments:
Post a Comment