Welbeck's the scapegoat, Wenger's the sinner

"Even though there is time for it, the summer is already showing signs of turning into anarchy. Late deals, panic buys, injury crises, unprepared squads... this will turn into a repeat of summer 2011 under Wenger. I guarantee it. And I'll quote this on September 2nd (that is, if Wenger stays, of course)."


I wrote that on 4th May, four months from today, confident, but not exactly thrilled, that I'd be proved right. Arsene Wenger, stubbornly predictable as he is, has once again left Arsenal unprepared number-wise to compete for the league, panic purchasing Danny Welbeck when fans and the media were closing in on him.

Before I start, let me clarify that I have nothing against Welbeck. He's young, he ticks a lot of boxes and he'll score goals. As I mentioned earlier, he can be a target man and he's quick. He's like a mash-up of the good traits of Sanogo and Giroud, with scope to improve. He's obviously a short-term solution, but may also offer us something in the long-term.

My anger towards the manager is in no way connected to Welbeck. In fact, it was a bit lessened by it. However, what Wenger has done has been criminal and inescapable - in a transfer window which was supposed to help us compete - he's led the club towards a completely unnecessary risk, assembling only six defenders for four positions. To compound it, he's made a mess of the William Carvalho saga again; offering £21.3m when just a couple more would have done the trick.

Our defensive position is a joke. Sure, we have a very good first-team pairing in Debuchy-Mertesacker-Koscielny-Gibbs, but you can't say that's enough. Mertesacker and Koscielny played far too many games last season and got away with it, but it's a huge gamble to assume that they'd stay fit the second season around. Gibbs has already proven himself to be unavailable at the worst of times - witness his latest injury. Debuchy is still new to the team and while he offers a lot going forward, he deserves a bedding in time.

Who's beside them? Monreal and Chambers? Both good bench options, but not nearly enough quantity-wise for a 60 game season. What happened to the times when Wenger had 4 to 5 centre backs? How can a manager, who has 18 years of experience in the top flight, be possibly comfortable with employing only six defenders, three of whom are bordering on injuries?

And make no mistake, he is comfortable. All throughout summer the only concrete links we had to a defender was a swap deal for Smalling or Jones for Vermaelen, and that didn't materialize.

On a day when we needed at least one centre back to make do (and even in my book that wasn't enough), Wenger went to Rome to officiate a charity match. He actually dithered on deadline day. He didn't bother to look at his team and do what others had implored him to do a year ago, buy a defensive midfielder. He has knowingly, consciously, refused to strengthen where it was most ideal.

In most other areas we're well stocked, but it's so irritating that Wenger has failed number-wise that it seems the frustration has numbed into my veins. Expecting Wenger to fall two or three players short, regardless of the circumstance, has actually become part and parcel of being an Arsenal fan. We hope for better but see more of the same. We hope for ambition and we get nothing. We hope for Arsene to take us over the line, but yet again he only seems to take us to fourth.

In the end, we suffer and he doesn't. We angrily watch the team falter against big sides and Wenger watches on. He knows in the end he'll get Champions League. He knows that he'll suck the money out of every Gooner. He knows he'll be paid £8m per annum. He knows that he is accountable to no one. He knows that the board and half of the fans are scared of change. Why disturb the cycle of inaction, when he can keep his money safe and (most of) the fans happy?

Ivan Gazidis said that we could compete with Bayern Munich by 2014. Tell me right now if you think that Arsenal are capable of winning the Champions League. Even if we adopt to wing play and be lucky with injuries we'd struggle to make the semi finals. And that's not an insult to the players Arsenal have, it's a direct complaint towards the manager.

Perhaps the nature of how deadline day underwent caused some people to forget how good a squad we have. I won't lie - I still think this is the best Arsenal squad for a decade. We've got pace, power and goals scattered across our starting XI, and we have plenty of depth to call upon. Except perhaps a DM, we have quality in all positions. What we lacked was quantity in defence, which we didn't get.

However, I don't have high hopes of any competitive trophies this season. And that's sincerely no disrespect to the players - who I find a very good bunch to support - but it's completely down to the manager. Regardless of his deadline day ditherings Wenger has a very good team on his hands, but I can still bet top dollar that he will not bring out the best of them.

How could he? For one, Wenger has been one of the most amateur tacticians I have ever seen. He's been that way since I can remember, but it was only last year that deficiency was ruthlessly exposed and documented at the Etihad, Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Goodison. Wenger knows as much about footballing tactics as Harry Styles, no amount of financial resources or support from the board will change that.

He could have bought Pogba, Hummels and Thiago Silva and we'd still lose the title. Buying the top players requisite for sustaining a title challenge is all well and good, but managing them throughout the rigours of a season by playing them in their favoured positions and resting them at the right times requires just as much managerial skill. Does Wenger have it? This season so far, he's chosen to play Ozil out of position rather than choose fresh legs in Podolski or Joel Campbell!

The 4-1-4-1 has already been a failure, but Wenger won't change it back to the preferred 4-2-3-1 soon enough. He should, especially considering that our DMs are the weak links and they at least need to be supported, but he won't. For reasons known to only himself, he'd rather leave our defensively-suspect DMs isolated rather than stick to a formation that gave him relative success last season. For five out of five matches we've looked unconvincing, yet it's a nailed on certainty that he won't change a thing for a crucial Manchester City game.

What's the logic in playing Mesut Ozil out wide? What's the sense in claiming Sanchez can play centre forward all his life, and then playing him on the right? Why start Yaya Sanogo when a World Cup stalwart and a German international sit on the bench? Podolski may have his drawbacks as a centre forward, but he's still miles ahead of Sanogo.

The point of having a strong bench is so that they can be rotated to avoid fatigue. Did we do that? We played 5 games in 15 days, and didn't rotate Alexis Sanchez for Podolski, Campbell or Rosicky in all of them. Wenger would have doubtless done the same to Ramsey had he not been sent off; Ozil had he not been on international duty; or Arteta had he not been injured. What's the point of having strength in depth if Wenger isn't going to use it?

Knowing Wenger, there's a good chance the likes of Sanchez, Ramsey and Ozil are going to face injuries directly connected to fatigue. Knowing Wenger, he's not going to design specific tactics to nullify the opposition's strengths. Knowing Wenger, he's not going to buy a defender unless Calum Chambers breaks his ankle. Knowing Wenger, he's not going to push for first if his money isn't on the line.

Some ambition. Some era.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

One and a half hour to go...

As I post this it's exactly 2:07 am in India, and remembering that the window closes at 3:30 am over here, there's only around one and a half hour for the transfer window to end. A striker, defensive midfielder and a centre back were the order of the day (of the month, really), but as of now, it seems we're getting only 1/3rd of the requisite.

Danny Welbeck...
...is not a signing many wanted. For all the sagas of Higuain, Suarez, Lewandowski, Falcao, Balotelli stretching back to 2013, to end up with a Manchester United reject seems embarrassing. He may get us through the Giroud injury and the Alexis transition, but plenty are saying he wasn't the answer.

I disagree. Look, I know that Welbeck's not exactly the greatest striker in the world, but he certainly has the attributes Arsenal were hunting for. He's quick, he's powerful, he certainly has Premier League experience, and can finish better than Sanogo. In addition, he's one of those rare target men cum speedsters, who'd be a shoe-in for Giroud and would also be a long-term option.

The word right now is that the deal is £16m permanent, which seems good to me. At 23 he'll get better, and build on his qualities. Upon imagining the scenario that Giroud gets fit and Sanchez becomes the centre forward we all need, we'll have three presentable options for the striker role. Not the best by any means, but certainly a good, versatile bunch.

On other signings...
Truth be told, I'm hugely surprised. I thought that Wenger would buy a defender rather than a striker, but perhaps the fans' outpourings and Giroud's injury forced his hand. Even so, as we look to head into the new season with six players to cover four positions, I don't have an effing clue why Arsene hasn't gone for a defender yet. It's not even about quality, for Koscielny and Mertesacker are very good defenders with Chambers proving to be astute backup.

However, as yesterday proved, one injury leaves us struggling for options in defence. It's an embarrassing situation to be in, one even more compounded by Arsenal sending Miquel to Norwich permanently. I can only hope that Wenger has a defender in mind to buy.

Onto the defensive midfielder, and it seems we're not getting any. Rabiot has decided to stay at PSG, we've refused to capitalize on a reasonable counter offer on Carvalho, and we haven't made any moves whatsoever on Khedira or Schneiderlin at all. Crazy, just crazy. Everton and Leicester proved that aside from formations and tactics, we needed to change the defensive midfielder.

Our only plausible signing - Welbeck - may excite a few and anger the rest, but there's no doubt that he'd be handy. However, as I said earlier today, it doesn't even matter who Wenger buys anymore, his tactics, formation and man management always ruins the system. Knowing him, he'll probably play Welbeck on the left flank and bench Mesut Ozil.

Anyway, one and a half hour to go. Let's wait and watch for any surprises.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz , I'll be giving transfer updates over there]

Leicester 1-1 Arsenal: Wenger is wasting an excellent team and an excellent opportunity

Match report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

For the fifth time this season we've looked unconvincing. Our main striker is injured for half a season. Our FA Cup legend Ramsey is looking lackluster and lethargic. Formation and tactics are ruining Mesut Ozil. We need three players, but it seems Wenger won't even buy one. It's definitely time to panic now.

I concede. On deadline day, I concede that the optimistic proclamation I made, on seeing a bright future. Somewhat foolishly, Sanchez, Forsythe and Jonker sold me an untrue gleam of hope. I believed that we were two inches away from the glory days, and that this season would cement our status as a top club. I was wrong. It was all a lie.

We really have everything in place. Forsythe has got Gibbs, Walcott, Arteta and Ospina fit for Manchester City. Akpom stole the show in the U-21s vs West Brom, maintaining our unbeaten start. Perhaps Jonker had a hand in that. We were (and are) only three players away from properly competing in the league and in Europe, and we had little over a month to buy them. Yet, unbelievably, we're crashing.

Perhaps the only silver lining is that this time, Arsene Wenger has been held properly accountable. He has no smidgen of excuse to hide behind like before. Lack of money, forcing reduced ambition, nine-year monkey, FFP, interference from the board; all of the excuses have vanished. The circumstances have changed, and Arsenal have been dealt a royal flush hand. However, yet again, the fallen legend has made a right mess of it.

All of the issues surrounding the club are of Arsene Wenger's making. Refereeing decisions or lack of funds do not influence squad management, tactics or formation. The manager has hid under the excuse of less funds for too long (while the Fabregas and Nasri transfer fees sit in the bank). Finally, he's caught guilty.

Wenger did the hard part well in bringing Alexis Sanchez, away from the jaws of Juventus and Liverpool. Backroom changes and proactive purchases meant that the club had a much solider foundation, ideally poised to strike. But once more, with increasing predictability, Wenger faltered at the last, easiest hurdle.

Let's focus on the on-field problems. Even with Sanogo up front we had enough quality to comfortably see of Leicester, but formation and tactics greatly held us back. I hope this match categorically shuts out Wenger's attempt to switch to a 4-1-4-1, for reasons I'll never know. Our defensive midfielders were suspect enough even with Ramsey and Wilshere supporting them on the side, but leaving them completely isolated is plain stupid. Flamini had a mare yesterday, Arteta would have too.

Ramsey looks unconvincing, to say the least, in holding one of those attacking midfield positions. Cazorla looks really good (as he should, that's his natural position), but I'd rather see Ozil play there. Speaking of whom, Mesut looked totally anonymous and out of place on the left. As I said around 9 months ago, he's in danger of becoming the next Arshavin.

But what undoubtedly takes the cake is Sanogo's inclusion. I've written so much about him that I'm running out of adjectives to describe him. Simply put, he's reckless, unreliable and not good enough for a Championship side, forget Arsenal. I reserved judgment last season, but there is no defence for him now. Yaya has to go.

But he won't, and perhaps that's the most frustrating aspect of this debacle. I, as many others, can accurately predict that Sanogo will never make it, but Wenger always sees it two to three years too late. As he did with Traore, Sunu, Almunia, Merida, Chamakh, Bendtner and oh-so many others.

We can analyse, we can debate and we can come to the obvious outdated conclusion that Wenger is shockingly schoolboy in tactics, but it won't make one iota of difference to Arsene's mindset. Like it or not (and let's face it, we don't), we will play 4-1-4-1 for the rest of the season. One of the best number 10s in the world will stay mispositioned for too long. Yaya Sanogo will be Giroud's replacement, as Podolski and Campbell watch on angrily.

Sanchez, Ozil and Ramsey will be overplayed to injury. The team will fall short of one or two players. The bank balances will remain bright. Arsenal will qualify for the Champions League. Supporters will say "Give Wenger another season". Nothing will change.

We're stuck in a cycle of stagnation for years to come, and unless we educate fellow Gooners and overthrow the Wenger rule, this will continue for years to come.

We're three players short - a central defender, a holding midfielder and a striker - but I don't think that matters anymore. Even if Wenger signs Hummels, Pogba and Cavani we won't win the league. Buying players only does half the job. You also need a manager who can bring the best out of them. Wenger has messed over Arshavin, Ozil and (whisper it quietly) could do the same to Sanchez.

However good our bench may be and however depth our team may have, Wenger won't use it. He has Joel Campbell, Podolski and Chamberlain to call upon - but he'd rather play an out of form tired Ozil out of position. He won't rotate unless it's a Capital One Cup game.

Deadline day predictions? Despite Ornstein saying what he did, I think Wenger will buy one player, most likely a CB. He'll perhaps make late derisory attempts on a DM and a striker, but I don't think he'd be serious for them. He did the same on past deadline days with Draxler, Kalou and Demba Ba. Financial escalation or not, he'll always chuck in two embarrassing pennies for players much more worth it.

And we, as fans, will have to endure.

I don't know how much more of this sameness I can bear. Something's got to give.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz , I'll be giving transfer updates over there]

Everton 2-2 Arsenal: Late drama masks team's disorganization

Match Report | Match highlights | Wenger's thoughts

The lineup...
Was well, a mirage. I was excited that Chamberlain and Alexis were chosen to start - especially Sanchez up front. My joy of seeing both of them was fuelled by Ozil in the starting XI as well. Perhaps foolishly, I assumed Wenger would play Chamberlain on the left, Wilshere on the right and Ozil in the hole. I would never understand Ozil's gross mispositioning. I believe it was a huge factor in us going 2-0 down.

Martinez must love facing Wenger...
It was well-documented that when Arsenal lost 3-0 to Everton in April, Martinez pulled off some tactical wizardry in playing Lukaku against Monreal and Podolski. The effects were highly fruitful. Two of Everton's three goals came from our left hand side, with the third being an own goal.

Wenger made it even easier this time around. By playing Ozil instead of Podolski he made a worse mistake, if not the same. Martinez promptly repeated the same procedure by playing Lukaku on the right again, and the effects were predictably effective. Both of Everton's goals came from that channel, with Monreal and Ozil culpable. I doubt Wenger has still realized the flaw on the left side of his defence. Maybe we'll see Monreal and Ozil on the left on 28th Feb again.

Insanity is trying the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Albert Einstein said that.

It wasn't Mesut Ozil's fault...
From what I saw, Ozil did what he could. His passes were somewhat accurate after a shaky start, and he didn't play too shabbily for a person so badly mispositioned it's criminal. It's not his fault Wenger played him on the left - Mesut was always caught in a losing battle.

Substituting Alexis for Giroud was a change as bad as they come. Instead, Wenger should have taken Wilshere off for Olivier, played Sanchez on the wings and played Ozil in Jack's place. It's called playing the right players in their right positions, something Wenger is oblivious to.

Wilshere and co need a wake-up call...
It's amazing how quick the decline of Jack has been. There were some opinions scattered here and there that Wilshere was losing it, back in February. However, now practically all of Arsenal's fanbase has come to realize it. In a make-or-break season, one where he is also going to get limited opportunities, Jack made a right mess of his rare chance. I'd want him at the club, but only as a squad player.

Ramsey was suspect, again. His three-goals-in-four-games has shielded him till now, but unless he's more focused it'll be only a matter of time until he's found out. We need his goals, but we also need his tackling and passing. Yesterday was not the answer.

Chamberlain was a bit scrappy skewing shots wide, but I'd be lying if I wasn't encouraging him to have a crack. He's still rough around the edges. but I'd definitely start him against Besiktas. Aside from Sanchez, right now he's our only player who's capable of sprinting and having a go from distance. God knows we need that now.

Flamini, well. The only thing I can say is that after Saturday if Wenger isn't convinced that we need a new defensive midfielder, it'd take as far as an 8-2 trashing against Besiktas for him to change his mind.

The silver lining...
... was amazingly, Giroud. To me, his performance merely confirmed what I've been saying for this whole year - Olivier is a good plan B. I firmly believe that Alexis would be a good plan A, he had a better game than people give him credit for. Giroud was impressive and crucial to our draw, but let's not pretend that's proof he's good enough to be our first choice talisman. We deserve better.

I hope we hold on to Podolski...
If Saturday was a day of lessons, let it be learned that Joel Campbell is not ready yet. He was enthusiastic and lively when he came on, but he's still too raw to be even second choice winger. Podolski may have his drawbacks, but he guarantees goals and assists. Joel needs a year to adapt to the demands of the league. Podolski should be available to oversee that transition.

Is this a repeat of summer 2012?
We're entering into the last week of the transfer window, and we're still 2-3 players short. In my opinion we need at least one defender and a defensive midfielder, but it doesn't look like Wenger's serious to go for them. Yet again, Arsene is in danger of falling short and cover up the £63m spend on four players by selling Podolski. I don't think a fourth choice centre back would need assurances of Champions League football to hop on board.

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Looking at this performance, I strongly doubt our ability to get past Besiktas on Wednesday. The draw we managed to snatch is papering over huge cracks in our performance levels, so don't expect much to change in terms of our playing style. If Bilic has the tactical nous to navigate past an unpredictably sluggish Wenger's Arsenal, chances are we might be staring at Europa this season. I don't like it, but I'm on the verge of acceptance.

Wednesday could either catalyst or sink our season. I pray we're up to it.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Everton preview + EPL triple swoop thoughts

Preview | Pre-match conference | Team news

Right, I'm a bit lax on time, so I'll keep this short.

Three points are perfectly reasonable to expect from a team that have objectives of winning the league. No way should we be going to Goodison and playing out for a draw. Our competitors Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool sure won't.

Everton is a very good team, one we've historically found hard to break down. But put simply, Arsenal are the better team. We match them in every aspect - even striker, if Alexis plays down the middle apart from Giroud. We have depth, we have quality; there's no reason why we shouldn't be confident about our chances. We shouldn't let past experiences hamstring us.

Big clubs aren't be fazed by such occasions. Yes, Everton are much more of a threat than the Besiktas we drew against, but we still should be walking out of Goodison with maximum points. Having the players to sustain a title challenge is job half done, but making use of the right talents at the right time are quite another, and the last piece of the puzzle.

Ozil and Mertesacker's return just makes us stronger, with Podolski suspiciously left behind. To me, a bold, pacey lineup of Szczesny - Debuchy - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Monreal - Flamini - Ramsey - Ozil - Chamberlain - Rosicky - Sanchez should win it. Even if we panic and screw up, there are options on the bench in Wilshere, Giroud and Campbell to help make amends.

Too early to say, but this is kind of a must win if we want to assert our credentials in the Premier League. Matches like these our exactly why pundits tip Arsenal for fourth again. Let's prove them wrong.

Let's go Gunners!

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In other news, transfer news are hotting up. Well, not hotting up as much as forming into molten lava and evaporating ice buckets across London.

Truly, this is insanity. Balotelli to Liverpool, Di Maria to United, and Khedira to Arsenal?!

I have no doubt that if Di Maria somehow makes it to United, and Balotelli finalizes his imminent deal to Liverpool, the Premier League would be a genuine five-horse race for at least 25 Gameweeks. Under normal circumstances I'd be worried sick, but this time I'm not. I'm excited.

I've made pretty vocal that the reason I'm salivating every second of this league season is because it's so unpredictable. Every top team - even Arsenal - is a team I don't know where will finish. The predictable nature of Arsenal has been changed by proactive deals and backroom changes. For once, I have absolutely no clue what's going to happen. Di Maria and Balotelli would simply compound the uncertainty.

One thing's for sure, though. Khedira or not, we need to get a really good DM and a centre back for depth. Should the likes of Liverpool and United strengthen (as seems increasingly likely) forget first - even our beloved fourth would look in danger.

I don't concur with everyone's cries of wanting a striker. I'm pretty sure Alexis is going to be our striker this season. Why would Wenger buy Sanchez as a winger, when he already had Walcott, Chamberlain, Santi, Podolski, Gnabry and Campbell at his disposal? That being said, I do think we need a defensive midfielder and a centre back.

Khedira might not be the perfect solution to our DM woes, but his sheer pedigree and big-name signing would imply another Ozil-esque psychological boost. If Wenger goes for him and say, Manolas, I could proclaim with confidence that second would be guaranteed.

Hopefully that won't come back to bite me!

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Besiktas preview + Is Wenger done for the summer?

Preview | Pre-match conference | Team news

We need to do well in the Champions League this season, but for that we need to get through the most basic requirement – which is rather simple, really.

Besiktas away is a potentially tricky test, but I feel that it’s been rather overrated. It’s almost like people are saying "don’t underestimate them" simply for the heck of it. In truth, it’d be quite the achievement if we manage to (what is the word for...?) fuck this up. I agree that it’s a very important clash that would go oceans into judging our season, but going as far as saying that Besiktas at Turkey should be treated with extreme caution is, frankly, an insult to our talented squad.

Is our team so incapable that we find it difficult to beat a team that finished third in the Turkish League? Given our eight year record in the playoff area, and particularly our 3-0 win against Fenerbache roughly a year ago with a mismatch team, I daresay this match should be one of the easiest we face this season.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand the sentiment of not underestimating the opposition, better safe than sorry stuff. My concerns lie, however, when not underestimating the opposition quickly turns to overrating them. Sometimes it’s healthy, but sometimes it’s just counterproductive and useless. If we trash them 3-0 or 4-1 in Turkey, the perception created prior to the match about Besiktas being roughly equivalent to Turkey’s Bayern Munich would result in Gooners incorrectly singing undue plaudits upon the team, hailing them as title favourites and heaping more pressure than necessary on the lads.

The significance of the match is undoubtedly vast, but let’s face it – the quality of the opponent isn’t. With that respect, I find the practice of playing men like Ramsey and Sanchez a bit extreme. I know I wouldn’t risk Aaron and Alexis missing Everton away because they played ninety minutes and comfortably saw through Besiktas. Then again, I'm not paid £8m a year.

Using fresher, like-for-like replacements like Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Giroud would be really wise from Arsene. There’s little virtue in overplaying the likes of Ramsey, Cazorla and even Sanchez for this match, unless Wenger opines that Besiktas would be tougher than Everton away, which is really unlikely. Hopefully, we’ll see a more rotated lineup of Szczesny – Debuchy – Chambers – Koscielny – Monreal – Arteta – Wilshere – Cazorla – Rosicky – Chamberlain – Giroud, or something of that sort. Maybe even throw in a bit of Campbell and Flamini in there?

I wouldn’t be too concerned about this match. I’m confident we’ll pull a decent result, providing we defend well on set-pieces. Let’s face it – if we give away free headers [as we have in the past matches (including pre-season)] to a guy like Demba Ba, we’re inviting trouble.

Aside from set-pieces, however, I see no reason why we shouldn’t see this game through with much trouble. A 2-0 or 3-0 win for me.

I’ve jinxed it, haven’t I?

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As if that wasn't enough, the injury gods have set a 2-3 week timeline to Kieran Gibbs’ injury. Aside from the back four that are starting today - out of which Koscielny is a bit of a question mark – we have zero match fit defenders to go on with. I heard Bellerin is making the trip to Turkey. Now, I like Bellerin, he impressed me in pre-season and all that, but I have a strong suspicion (as do many) that Hector is used more as a stop-gap than a well thought-of choice here. I wouldn’t particularly mind if Wenger decides to promote Bellerin as Debuchy’s deputy and make Calum Chambers a backup to our centre-halves, but Bellerin’s exclusion from Arsenal’s category of first team players suggests that that may not be the case.

We’re desperately short on full-backs. We’re one injury away from bringing on a player who Arsene Wenger perceives as a reserve. Even if we have all of our defenders fit, we have merely six of them to work with. Number-wise, we’ve gone backwards from last season. And plenty would argue that we weren’t well-stocked on centre backs the last time around.

If Wenger looks to promote Bellerin and make Chambers a centre back, we’ll still need at least one more centre half. What happened to the days when Wenger employed five centre backs in the club, of Koscielny, Squillaci, Djourou, Vermaelen, and Ignasi Miquel? Why has that number fallen down to merely three? In addition, at a time when we should be in the market for (at most) two defenders, why are we not seeing any concrete links to any centre backs?

Now, I know I got it all wrong about this transfer window, by confidently saying that by this time we wouldn’t have bought more than two players. However, my concerns lie that Wenger has chosen to close his book for the summer. Possibly, he’s seeing the buzz and atmosphere around the club and mooting, "Well, the pressure’s off me, I could just save the money for next year". He’s done it before, lest we forget. Remember 2012, when he bought Santi, Podolski and Giroud, and when the hard part was over and he just needed to get a DM, he shut his transfer chequebook?

We need two, if not three players in the club. An ideal, not impossible scenario would be if Wenger buys a pure centre back and then buys a versatile defensive midfielder, who can also fill in defence. However, since my trust in pretty much everything has extinguished after Cesc left for Chelsea, I’m going to go out on a limb once again and say that Wenger is done for the summer. He may get the odd promising centre back, but not enough number-wise to sustain a title challenge throughout the year.

I’d love it if I’m wrong, like back in July.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Arsenal vs Manchester City: Match Preview + Vermaelen thoughts

The FA Community Shield tends to be overrated. It doesn't equal to the glories of lifting the Premier League, or even the Capital One Cup. But for a club like Arsenal, one on the verge of becoming an English elite, this trophy remains important.

In all honesty, we presently aren't a big club. Sure, we have a proud history, a fantastic stadium, global reach and Champions League (let's face it, Besiktas is ideal); but we aren't there yet. We're severely lacking in trophies and still have issues to sort before having a crack at the Premier League. We're still backed with terrible odds despite having a better squad on paper and critics still back us for a third place finish.

It's not all doom and gloom, though. Since winning the FA Cup we've made really good progress. Wenger has bought replacements nice and early and added the peeling pace and the fine finishing of Alexis. From what I hear, Shad Forsythe is given space on the training ground, which would mean lesser rigorous training sessions, and lesser injuries. We have a quality team that only lacks quantity in defence and one decent, if not excellent DM. We're knocking on the door.

Currently, we're not in the bracket of 'best', but we're on the way. Winning the FA Community Shield would only further that cause.

We've had a rather good few months. There's the obvious beginning at Wembley, when we came over Hull. Then there was the good proactive business. Adding to that were some backroom changes which could only help the club, since the likes of Colbert were doing a bang-up job. There have been improvements on and off the pitch, and the word is understandably increasing that winning the Cup was the sort of 'beginning of an era' moments everyone longed for. Capping that with a trophy will lift spirits really high.

We have a good chance of doing that as well. Arsenal may be missing their German contingent, but Manchester City are missing seven first teamers. Like Arsenal, they too will be facing a defensive shape-up. Crucially, they won't be taking this match seriously.

We need to take this match seriously. Not because it is our only realistic chance of winning a trophy this season, but because it would be the end of the beginning of a new era. This Shield under our belts won't be one to brag about, but it might give us a psychological edge since signing Ozil.

Come on Arsenal.

--

I always thought Vermaelen was remarkably professional throughout his dry spell at Arsenal. However, even though the Mertesacker-Koscielny axis were undoubtedly better than him, I still feel that Vermaelen was treated rather harshly by the club. Instead of rotating Vermaelen with Mertesacker and Koscielny from time to time, Wenger made the wrong decision of overplaying both of them until one of them (Koscielny) got injured, and then just slotted Vermie in his place. It's this kind of man managing that makes people feel unwanted at the club. Him being the skipper just added insult to injury.

I don't think many realize how close Podolski was to leaving Arsenal. In Wenger's mind Podolski was a second choice left winger, so he always played Santi Cazorla above Lukas. He chose to overplay Santi and make Podolski unhappy than to rotate both of them and leave both relatively content. Podolski ultimately decided to stay because Walcott and Chamberlain got injured and the German was given a slot on the left wing, and Cazorla shifted to the right.

The game goes with Fabianski, and may apply to Ospina in the future. My point is, that all of us want quality in depth, and Wenger finally has that. But what's the virtue in having depth if the manager doesn't use it? The reason for depth isn't only so that we'd have good backup if a player gets injured. It's so that players are rested, the team gets new dimensions and the squad as a whole can survive the rigours of a 50+ game campaign.

Wenger has always praised his egalitarian squad. However, he needs to use his players more often, so that they don't leave out of unhappiness. Lack of playing time is why Vermaelen and Fabianski left, and why Podolski, Ospina or Monreal may leave in the future.

Play your best players for the best matches, but use your depth for less important matches. Everybody wins.

P.S. Apologies for the sparse blogging, but I fear it will continue over the course of a few months. Instead, you could check out my upcoming articles on Crazy About EPL, Arse Talks, Brangled Minds, Soccer Fanbase and Arsenal Banter.

For all my English readers, have a great day at Wembley!

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Thoughts on transfers, Arsenal's defence, Gerrard, Sanogo, Joel, Sanchez and Khedira exclusive

Wenger is looking serious. He's having an excellent transfer window so far. Two more signings - Ospina and Calum Chambers - have been announced. And while they're only replacements, they're rather good ones. There's talk of a centre back, now that Arsene has fuelled the fire on Vermaelen, and signs of Khedira and Schneiderlin re-emerging.

On the pitch, we just trashed what I consider a decent team 5-1, playing some really supple football. My thoughts on Sanogo and Campbell are down below.

Alright, here we go.

--

Ospina...

We've got quite a goalkeeper and quite a situation on our hands. Ospina is young, reputed, enthusiastic and better at diving than Szczesny. His knee problem might give Wenger a reason rather than an excuse to put him out of contention, but after that the situation might turn ugly. I'm not sure that Ospina would come out on top in this circumstance, where both Szczesny and Ospina are forced to fight to stay in the sun. Mostly because I'm not sure Wenger will give him enough chances for him to prove his worth.

I can see Ospina leaving in two years. Wenger may have changed, but his habits of lesser rotation and poor tactical approach will still remain, and Ospina may be a victim of that. I'm more than happy that Wenger has bought a keeper of Ospina's caliber, but what's the point of buying good keepers and not using them much? Playing time was a major factor in Fabianski leaving, and unless Wenger plays Ospina more (apart from 3-4 Cup games), we may have to replace him in two-three years again. It's a waste of funds.

I enjoyed Stillman's analogy of the signing, calling it a 'Darwinist' approach by Wenger, handing one pistol to the two of them and seeing who makes it. Essentially, that's what he's doing, because either Szczesny or Ospina aren't going to enjoy being understudies to one another. I think Szczesny is earmarked to be Arsenal's long-term captain, so I'd personally hope the Polish comes out on top. We'll see.

Calum Chambers...
Look, I don't pretend on knowing much about defenders. I'm actually rather bad at it, because I thought Chambers did merely okay yesterday, and Twitter said excellent.

I'll tell you what I do know, though. Almost every person I know has highly valued his ability, and Southampton have a darn good academy. I know I shouldn't take everything at face value, as people might have overstated due to happiness out of our transfer activity. All I'm saying is that the signs seems good, albeit 16m was a touch too much. Some say that may look like a bargain three years down the line, but I'm not one of them.

Arsene Wenger has spent £25m on two right-backs, and I'm not certain that they fill Sagna's void or not. Debuchy isn't a like-for-like Sagna player, as I mentioned last blog, and Chambers will need his time.

Meanwhile, Jenkinson has been given an ultimatum, on loan to West Ham. For all his love for Arsenal and his special connection with the fans, I must say that he had never really convinced me. I mean, I like him as a guy, and think that he's an honest, hardworking Gooner. But then, so are we, you know? Being a Gooner doesn't mean shouldn't confirm a berth for you. That's not how it works. The same goes to Jack Wilshere, although I'm fairly confident he'll make it at Arsenal.

Anyway, this could all be a case of "Let's develop Jenkinson and Chambers until Debuchy is too old, and then let's prioritize with them". A good plan, assuming that's it.

You could read more of my thoughts here.

Vermaelen a definite departure...
In Arsene Wenger language, that's what one must assume when he says "It is a possibility that he goes."

Unlike an unproven Jenkinson, it'd be a huge blow for Arsenal if Vermaelen leaves. I'd understand it, as his man management has been really bad. He's been heaped pressure and spotlight upon when made captain (he wasn't ready), and he hasn't been rotated much into the foray, even when Mertesacker and Koscielny were fit.

I think he's a good defender, and would do a really good job for any Champions League team. The quality of centre backs in Europe is falling, and we were fortunate to have three excellent ones for two years. Unfortunately, it can't last, and I hope that he leaves for a team not in England. A guy like him could hurt us in the future.

That makes it two centre backs needed...
 It's quite a task. Chambers' role as right-back is pretty much confirmed, now that Jenkinson has made way. That would mean that apart from Mertesacker and Koscielny (50% of whom won't be available for the start), we have no one to rely on. 

Again, I'm emphasizing that I'm particularly bad at judging defenders, but I really feel we should give Semi Ajayi a shot. I've vouched for him for a good seven months, and that's because I've really studied the guy. I've watched him on Arsenal Player, and his highlights. Trust me, this guy is actually better than your Haydens or Miquels. I hope Wenger gives him a shot, at least for fourth-choice.

I'm a big believer in units for defences. Meaning, I'd prefer it if Arsenal actually choose two sets of defences and play them together in different matches. I wouldn't want players like Monreal or Chambers simply replacing one or two defenders, but keeping the other defensive structure same (unless suspensions or injuries force otherwise). If, for Premier League and Champions League matches, the set of Szczesny - Debuchy - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Gibbs start, then for  FA Cup and Capital One Cup matches, the substitute set of defence should play. The whole unit of defence must be rotated, rather than individuals.

We've already known that the back five of Szczesny - Sagna Debuchy (?) - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Gibbs have been a rock at the back, orchestrated by Steve Bould. What I'd want is a centre back who would be compatible with the defence line of Ospina, Chambers, Ajayi and Nacho. Which is why Wenger should consider asking Steve Bould about this, since he's the guy who trains the defence.

It's unorthodox, but hey, that's what Wenger has been this summer.

Khedira or Schneiderlin?
Both of them are possibilities. Check it out.

Schneiderlin doesn't look particularly pleased at the moment.

6 years of an amazing journey #saintsfc DESTROYED in 1 hour !!!
— Morgan Schneiderlin (@SchneiderlinMo4) July 29, 2014

Meanwhile...

I have double confirmation that talks with Khedira are progressing gradually well. #AFC #Arsenal
— Freddy Dennis (@ArsenalBlogz) August 2, 2014

Now, this source was the same one that said Sanchez was an Arsenal target back in early June, so you'd believe me when I say "reliable". I'd be amazed if the Khedira links don't hot up in the coming week. Let's see what happens on this.

Both of Khedira and Schneiderlin would be an immeasurable upgrade over Arteta. While Schneiderlin offers Premier League experience and a more shoe-in replacement for Mikel, Khedira is big-name pedigree and would be more comfortable around Ozil and the German co. Choosing between Khedira and Schneiderlin is like choosing between a bite of Giroud's sandwich and a strand of Santi Cazorla's hair. Yeah, I'd have that.

Gerrard, uh...
I know that Gerrard is having a tough time. I know that he probably took a frustrated piss at Arsenal because he wasn't thinking straight. But I still laughed, because this was small club mentality from him.

“I would have been really sad and disappointed to see Luis go to Arsenal. With all due respect to them, I said to him that he was too good for Arsenal. I said if you score 30 goals for us and win the PFA player of the year, the press player of the year – I knew he was going to win them – I told him Real or Barcelona will come for you.”

Jokes aside, I don't know why we're pointing out the flaws in Gerrard's interview. As far as I'm concerned, Arsenal are above the Liverpools and Tottenhams. We're on the threshold of being in the English elite. Let's not allow low-lives like Liverpool drag us down. We're way better than that.

No disrespect to Gerrard, but I sincerely don't care what his opinion on Arsenal is. Frankly, we have bigger fish to fry. Right now, we're the joint second best team in England. Liverpool are far below. Why get bothered by them? It's like listening to Tottenham.

Anyway, Wenger responded with a hint of insult, but it was great banter nonetheless.

"You're never too good for Arsenal and Steven Gerrard knows that. But it didn't happen, and anyway, Suarez left."

Ouch.

Hopefully Gerrard has the sense to not push it. He's losing respect from neutral fans from stuff like this.

Sanogo and Campbell thoughts...

My thoughts on Sanogo hasn't changed yet. Sure, he scored 4 goals and I'm happy for him and all, but his performance was still bad. He didn't seem to be in control of what he did. His passing was poor, his lay-offs were poor, his finishing was poor as well. All the four goals were tap-ins. Sanogo only tops a guy like Giroud in movement. His positioning and movement is really good, I'll give him that.

But, for me, he's not a promising aspect. Players like Nasri, Henry, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain were promising because you could see it in their play, and big clubs also moved for these players. Sanogo is just an enthusiastic player who's way out of depth and shape, whose mind doesn't work with his legs. Yesterday was his day, but I'll be surprised if he'll have more of that.

Joel Campbell is a different story. That guy is one for the future. Quick, powerful, athletic, finisher, passer, he's what we want. Wenger has gone on record saying he's not going to be sold or loaned, which is absolutely the right call. His presence in the team makes me very comfortable about our forward options.

Campbell could be a massive Arsenal player two years down the line.

Finally, Alexis!It's obvious why we need him as a striker. He played in the middle as a substitute and looked understandably unfocused, but one highlight in this video showed exactly why we bought him (skip to 2:30). Giroud wouldn't have made the runs the way Alexis did. Sanchez gives us that pace and trickery only Walcott has.

He's playing today against Monaco on the right flank, which is where he'll be playing during the initial part of the season, until Theo gains fitness.

Right, that's me done. Time to catch the match!

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz ]

Debuchy, transfers, forwards and little bit pre-season

Right, while I've been away a lot has happened. There was the completely unexpected Debuchy deal, the 2-0 win against Boreham Wood, Wenger's firm quotes on not signing any more forwards, thoughts on Sanogo, Akpom and Campbell for 3rd choice and Vermaelen and Ospina links. Let's get on with it already.

Debuchy is a gamble, not a fail-safe...
Many people have credited Debuchy's signing as a solid, smart buy. In buying a 28 year old right-back (who will turn 29 in two days), Wenger seems to have bought an immediate fix, yet not completely shut the door on Jenkinson's and Bellerin's Arsenal future. On the face of it, Debuchy would simply slot into Sagna's void with ease.

I beg to differ. I've watched Debuchy extensively during France's World Cup campaign, and he is a long way from being a like-to-like Sagna replacement. A highlight of Sagna's playing style of Arsenal was his reluctance to make forward forays. Many had complained against this, but it was actually a blessing in disguise.

The forwards Sagna played behind - usually Theo Walcott, recently Ox and Cazorla - aren't exactly the ones who'd be a big help tracking back defensively. Yet Sagna managed his defensive work ably, which in turn had an adverse impact on his offensive play. He was a rock on the right defensive channel, providing the Walcotts and the Oxlades freedom to take care of the attack.

Debuchy would not do that. He's a full-back who tends to go forward every time he can. It's harmful to the team, because players like Walcott and Ox haven't got the workrate to help out their defensive compatriot, a trait that surfaced due to a certain reliability on Sagna's unwavering defensive duties on the right side. Debuchy changes that. Last season, Arsenal's left hand side was the weak link, because Monreal was average defensively and Podolski barely tracked back. This season, I expect the trend to continue on the right side.

Look, I'm not saying that Debuchy was an awful purchase. He really isn't. Buying a Premier League experienced right-back and an established international, who represents a short-term fix and doesn't kill the chances of Jenkinson and Bellerin makes all the sense in the world to me. However, assuming that there'd be a seamless handoff from Bac to Mathieu with little hassle is completely untrue. Debuchy will require a bedding in period. We need to give him that.

On transfer targets...
Ospina, Chambers and William Carvalho are mooted to be on Wenger's radar. They're somewhat surprising targets, considering that most of them would be used to merely strengthen depth. Ospina in particular interests me - I had expected Wenger to buy a more experienced Schwarzer-esque keeper who wouldn't mind playing second fiddle, and who would teach Szczesny a thing or two along the path to retirement.

Going for a keeper like Ospina, someone who's on a high from his World Cup and would push Chezzer all the way for first-choice, is highly unorthodox thinking from Arsene. As I had said before, the guy is changing his squads philosophy, from assembling a clear-cut first XI to a more egalitarian one. It's practical, healthy thinking, perhaps another sign that he is finally adapting to modern football.

UPDATE: Just before I hit Publish, Nice confirmed Ospina's deal. Welcome to Arsenal!

I'm less hopeful on Arsenal signing a really good DM. I don't think Wenger would be open to meeting Carvalho's release clause, or dishing out £27m for Schneiderlin. However, for all the angst over Khedira links stalling, I have to say I'd still be satisfied with a decent defensive midfielder. Signing a player of Khedira's ilk would be a bonus.

Regardless of whether Vermaelen departs (for United) or not, I feel a signing or two is key in the centre back area. Mertesacker and Koscielny played quite a lot last season (and also in the World Cup), so it isn't unreasonable to suggest that one of them would strain their hamstring soon. At such times, having a quality player to depend on would be vital. Which is why I strongly recommend promoting Semi Ajayi up the ranks, and buying Nastasic if Vermaelen leaves.

It looks like Wenger is signing Southampton's right-back Calum Chambers, though. He is an exciting signing, but that would mean either one of Jenkinson or Bellerin leaving on loan or permanently, which I never thought Wenger would do. Maybe it means converting Chambers or Jenkinson into a CB, or selling Bellerin, loaning Jenko and waiting until Debuchy crosses 30 and then bringing Carl into the fold. A curious case, this.

Is Wenger right in shifting his transfer priorities to defence?
It is noticeable that the positions Wenger is reportedly in the market for - a goalkeeper, defensive midfielder and right-back - are all potential defensive additions. In fact, the manager confirmed that there would be no more forward additions after the 2-0 win vs Boreham Wood, saying:

“Up front we don’t need any more. It’s not especially for numbers.”

It's a quote that would be greeted with acceptance or anger based on how the manager chooses to use his new boy Alexis Sanchez. I think the people who speculate on Wenger replacing Alexis on Santi Cazorla are the ones angry at this quote. On the other hand, those who believe Wenger would integrate Sanchez as a "modern striker" to replace Giroud would be satisfied. Personally, I don't know who's going to be replaced, but I hope it's Giroud. We'd anyways get a clearer idea of Wenger's plans for Sanchez once Walcott is fit, so I'm reserving judgement until then. You can read more of my thoughts here.

Assuming Wenger has the wisdom to make Sanchez a striker, his quotes would be justified. As for a third choice striker, my vote would readily be for Joel Campbell over Akpom and Sanogo. I can't understand Wenger's stubbornness on Sanogo, but I don't perceive him as a promising player. He's not raw, he's just bad. Period.

Akpom looks promising, but in the end he might just turn out to be another Eisfeld; a decent player who has no space at Arsenal. It's hard to see him being picked above Sanchez, Giroud and Campbell.

--

Okay, that seems quite it. There's also the matter of Arsenal in New York and Thierry Henry and all that, but I'm not feeling the atmosphere of all that shiznit, because I'm not in England or America. If I have the time and the midset I might review the match, if not... you guys already have a plethora of other references, don't you?

That's it for now, catch you guys later. Continue being obsessive on Sanchez.

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz]

Fabregas forgotten as PUMA unveil in Sanchez-tional style!

Wow. I cannot begin to fathom the magnitude of events that have occurred in the past 24 hours. It's too much to comprehend.

We've sealed a record-breaking deal with one of the most popular and likeable brands around. We've seen as many positive reviews to the new kits as we have to the kit number shuffle. Oh, and we've broke the bank again for potentially the next Thierry. The Sanchez transfer saga has ended, and for once it has ended in our favour.

Alexis Sanchez is a Gunner.

What an out-of-the-world marquee signing. What an astonishing statement of intent. While the Ozil deal reeked of a panic purchase, Alexis was one of the best thought-of moves I've ever seen Arsenal FC execute successfully. Never would I have imagined Wenger's capability to plan and snare his blockbuster target to be true, yet here we are. Arsene has officially pushed the boat out.

The Sanchez purchase is significantly different from that of Mesut's. You'd be wrong in thinking that Ozil was part of a long-term plan when hurriedly bought, but Wenger has now rightly sought to build the team around him. Sanchez goes a long way to doing that.

Make no mistake, we've bought the real deal. For some time I've been clamouring for Balotelli to be shipped in, yet I couldn't be more pleased by Wenger's choice. Sanchez is speedy, strong and has a devastating eye for goal. He's the perfect blend of Walcott and Podolski. He's a superb choice for a lone striker. He's a mile ahead of Mario.

It remains to be seen where Arsene chooses to deploy him. The starting berths of Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud should undoubtedly come under threat, owing to Alexis' versatility. My gut feeling is that Cazorla will be sacrificed to occupy Sanchez on the left, while Giroud would be fending off competition from Sanogo and Joel Campbell with relative ease.

I don't follow the La Liga as much as I follow the Premier League, so I wouldn't be the best person to judge where Alexis would be most prolific. However, his physique, pace attributes and goals (via YouTube :P) suggest that playing him instead of Giroud could be one of those risks that pays off massively.

In one fell swoop, our attack has become one of the best in Britain. Luis Suarez's departure from Liverpool also suggests that Arsenal are in pole position to reclaim the mantle of England's entertainers. It would take something truly remarkable to oust the excitement of knowing that the title contenders-cum-football artists of Arsenal FC are showing definite signs of resurfacing.

I firmly believe that our attack is on par with the Invincibles. Ozil could be compared to Bergkamp, Walcott is just as fast as Pires, and Sanchez could certainly be the next Henry over time. With a defence maned up by Steve Bould and one of the best (if not the weediest) midfield in the country, I can say with no hesitation that we're closer than ever to breaking our Premier League drought.

I have reason to believe that Arsenal are buying more quality; Mikel Arteta and Ivan Gazidis have already said so. Plug some holes, buy a decent defensive midfielder, get a quick decent striker (a bonus, really) and suddenly, you're the boss. Imagine a team like this powered with Debuchy, Remy, Schneiderlin, a backup goalkeeper and a fringe CB. City will tremble on the eve of the Community Shield.

We're buzzing enough to have a real crack at the Charity Shield. And even though calling it a legitimate trophy is somewhat extreme, there's no doubt that winning it will provide a huge fillip going into 2014/15.

The hard part is over. Signing Alexis has not only confirmed Arsenal as a title contender, but it has also banished the ghosts of Fabregas and van Persie for good. It's heartening and exciting to see the club learning from their mistakes and not see Sanchez become the next Higuain.

And for that, I owe Arsene Wenger my congratulations and an apology. My strong suspicions that the boss was planning to procrastinate until the last week of the window were completely unfounded. The timing of the transfer pleased me just as much as the quality of the player. Arsene has shown that he is willing to be proactive and combine it with uncharacteristic ruthlessness, for which he deserves kudos.

Ozil was deemed to be the start of something new, but there were numerous mitigating circumstances surrounding the deal. In contrast, Sanchez was dealt with efficiently, professionally and quite early. Maybe PUMA can learn from them!

The PUMA kits simply added to the feelgood factor around the club. I find plenty complaining on the design of the goalkeeper kit, but I couldn't really care less. It's a bit rich of us to criticize a decent enough kit that got us 30 million quid, hours after we bought potentially the next Henry!

But yeah, Giroud looks bonkers beautiful in it.

Times look good at the club. Aside from having a marquee signing done early in the window, we've affiliated with a superb kit for much-needed money. The backroom is facing a shape up, and Wenger is changing his character for the better. In fact, it's been a long time since I've struggled to find negatives about the club. I'm not even about to give it a try!

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz] 

Is Wenger holding out on deadline day... again?

More than a month of the transfer window has expired. Quite a lot has happened - Chelsea have prepped themselves for a convincing title bid, United are rebuilding under van Gaal, Liverpool are preparing for life after Suarez (albeit not too efficiently); heck, even Newcastle have hit the ground running. Arsenal, as expected, are falling back.

But fall back this far? It's unexpected even for me. Instead of gaining players we've actually lost some - Sagna, Fabianski, Viviano, Kallstrom and Bendtner have left. Granted; only Sagna's and Fabianski's departures particularly sting, but the point is that our strength in depth has been compromised; not that it was particularly awesome before.

We need a goalkeeper. A right back. A centre back. A holding midfielder. A striker. The only players I know Arsenal are trying hard for are Aurier and Sanchez. They'd be solid additions, but not nearly enough to sustain a title challenge. I know that, you know that, I'm assuming Wenger knows that. So, why the inaction?

UPDATE: Even though Arsenal seem set to sign Debuchy according to Sky, I'm told Aurier is still one of our options. Let's see what unfolds.

There is interest, sure. But as of today, we're not close to signing any of them.

Chelsea's squad is arguably complete, and they did it with around two months to spare. United need a lot more, but they've made a good start by nabbing Shaw and Herrera. Apparently they're going for Carvalho now. Why can't Wenger do the same?

This picture infuriates me. It's Wenger having a gala time in Brazil and commentating there, when his squad back at home is in need of investment and lagging behind before the season starts. I genuinely wouldn't mind if Wenger was taking a break from work or something.

What work, though? Good question.

It's pretty clear that Wenger is screwing around with our trust again. This summer is a repeat of the summer of 2011 and 2013. Deals for marquee signings will fall apart - not because of failed bids or non co-operative selling clubs or whatever balderdash excuse Wenger feeds us with - but because Wenger didn't have the pressure to goad his outdated negotiators into action.

I know for certain that Arsenal are sniffing around at the Sanchez situation, but I have a nasty feeling that he is going to be this season's Higuain. Arsenal top the pile in fucking up major deals, and that's largely down to outdated transfer negotiators and a miserly manager.

I catch disinterest in Wenger's actions. I hoped, perhaps out of naivety, that winning the FA Cup would rekindle the fire within him that built our long-gone glory days in the first place. It seems not, though. Even though we need around six players for the coming season, I seriously doubt we'll buy more than two before the opening match against Palace.


The only way we'll see change is when the fans start to put pressure on him. And that won't happen, because right now everyone thinks I am wrong and have faith in Wenger to be proactive. By the time they realize that Wenger took them for a ride again, he will panic buy his way out of trouble and continue the cycle of papering over the cracks.

Why is this man so predictable, and why has no one stopped him yet?

-Santi [Follow me on Twitter @ArsenalBlogz]