A few days have passed, but I have yet to catch my breath after the final 48 hours of the transfer window that saw a flurry of no less than five players arrive at Arsenal. Surely, the English FA needs to change the rules and allow a whole summer for conducting transfers—not just two days! Alright, the “why didn’t Arsenal buy earlier” horse has been beaten and beaten. But in all seriousness, a summer of the Arsenal board dragging their feet through every major transfer decision meant I saddled up for another transfer deadline day that was sure to fall short of expectations.
Yet, credit must be given where credit is due. With a swift slap in the face to the critics who would happily book a one-way ticket to a halfway house on his behalf, Wenger brought in signings ready and able to plug holes in the first team (particularly a left-back, center-back, forward and attacking midfielders). Just like Wenger’s calculated moves to recruit young talent with pace earlier in the window (Gervinho, Miyaichi, and Oxlade-Chamberlain), Wenger’s transfer business in the last 48 hours seems like a deliberate attempt to depart from his modus operandi (the recruit-young-and-develop policy) and address two qualities Arsenal has lacked ever since the Toure-Gallas central defensive partnership broke up: leadership and experience.
While the midfield signings of Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun went some way to bandage the fresh wounds left by the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, Arsenal fans are sure to feel somewhat aggrieved at missing out on a young superstar midfielder that seemed imminent. Don’t get me wrong, I rate the signings of Benayoun and especially Arteta very highly. Both players will bring a considerable amount of Premier League experience to the Emirates in addition to creativity that has been lost with the aforementioned departures. However, Arteta’s form and health in the past two months must be questioned and at 29 may represent a transitional signing along with Benayoun who is on loan.
The perception of Arsenal
Throughout the window, the most uncertainty surrounded the midfield, and that is the area I would like to focus on with the question, “How does a young barely-20-something-year-old perceive Arsenal?” Eden Hazard (20), Mario Gotze (19), Marvin Martin (23) and Yann M’Vila (21) have all been strongly linked throughout the summer window with reports confirming bids in excess of 30 million pounds for Hazard and Gotze. Sources within Arsenal say that the club will be back in the market in January.
But why would a rising wonderkid choose to ply his trade at the Emirates and just as importantly, why would Arsenal players choose to renew their contracts? In just two summers, the contracts of Vermaelen, Walcott, Arshavin, and van Persie will expire. So while the dust has only settled on the summer transfer window, a certain amount of introspection and foresight is healthy to ensure Arsenal can keep pace with the upper echelon of Premier League clubs by attracting top young talent in January and also retaining its first-team players (next summer the club may essentially face Nasri times four).
It would be easy to label both Cesc’s and Nasri’s departures as anomalies. Cesc’s return “home” was well-documented and more or less inevitable, and Nasri left the Emirates in much the same way he arrived—holding his club hostage and forcing through a big-money move. While both statements represent the prevailing motives of the players, I also feel that Arsenal must shoulder some of the blame. With special talents such as Nasri and especially Cesc, I believe that the manager is responsible for doing everything in his power to engineer the strongest team around them.
Major accommodations were enacted, most notably a switch from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1/4-3-3 to allow Cesc a free playmaking role behind the forward line. Where I think Arsenal and Wenger did not capitalize on these special talents was with the activity in the transfer market. Two moves in particular in 2008 exemplify lost opportunities. First, after the emergence of Flamini as a player with a mule-like work-rate that complemented Cesc very well, he was allowed to walk to Milan (following Gilberto Silva and Lass Diarra through the exit doors). That same transfer window, Cesc openly wanted Xabi Alonso at the Emirates—a player who would seemingly slot into the Arsenal midfield seamlessly, however Wenger did not pursue the opportunity over a two million pound discrepancy in the valuation.
While Arsenal really should have brought home the 2008-09 Premier League trophy (injuries plagued the latter half of the campaign), the club has been perennial underachievers since the 2005 FA Cup victory. Since losing the Carling Cup to relegated Birmingham last season, the club has faced some of the darkest times in the recent club’s history. Arsenal’s follies during the opening fixtures this season has been well-documented. A discussion of the details are not necessary, but it is safe to say that the delay in bringing in transfers effectively tanked potentially eight points in what is sure to be a very competitive and tight Premier League race. When the senior players agreed to suit up in red and white, there is a certain standard of quality to be expected from the manager and club and quite frankly the squad that we fielded was an embarrassment.
And let me be straight, Nasri’s mercenary attitude and desire to chase a pot of blood money preceded any indication that the Emirates ship was sinking this summer. His assertion to switch to Manchester City in a more realistic pursuit of trophies bears some validity, however I have never and will never question Wenger’s desire to win.
Forever Forward
So, in light of Nasri and Cesc leaving in their primes and Arsenal seemingly in a state of disarray, what does the club have to offer incoming recruits, and why would a current player re-sign? Through all the triumphs, defeats, glory and setback in Wenger’s tenure at Arsenal, the one common denominator has been Champions League football. 15 consecutive seasons of playing football on the world’s biggest stage is a record only Manchester United can match in England.
As aforementioned, Wenger’s recent transfer activity has suggested that he is committed to recruiting players who have a pedigree of leadership at the highest levels—four of five signings in the last two days have are or have been captains of their club or international side. It can be argued that every transfer window for the past few years, Arsenal has only been one or two signings away from being a “complete” squad. Without regards to the timing of transfers and potential for injury (*cough* van persie *cough*), Arsenal have a competent player capable of competing at the highest level at every position.
Of course this being Arsenal, injuries are a mainstay; Wilshere’s aggravated ankle injury will keep him out another two to three months. In my opinion the biggest question that must be asked will be who steps into the role of true playmaker alongside Arteta. Internally, Aaron Ramsey (during Wilshere’s absence) is one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents, but his career must ride a progressive development curve and not be overplayed. Playing under Arteta’s tutelage who brings a wealth of experience as a playmaker is an invaluable commodity and a calculated move by Wenger.
Moving forward, the players who have not pulled their weight (Clichy and Eboue) and players whose heads have been turned (Cesc and Nasri) have been shed. In addition, Wenger is committed to forming a synergy within the squad between veteran leadership and young talent, so developing reserves will not be thrown into a dog kennel wrapped in bacon as they were against Manchester United.
Wenger will field a competitive squad very much capable of challenging for a Champions League berth (a realistic target given the transitional season) and will assess the need to recruit top talent in January. There are a core group of players who are committed to winning with Arsenal—we must get behind these players and any new recruits. Why not sign or re-sign for a visionary manager capable of developing players? It is a great time to be an Arsenal player and an Arsenal fan as the visionary Wenger carries us forward and ushers in a new era.
Follow Anand Saha @AySaha21
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