Now that the dust has settled on a haphazard, inconsistent and frustrating season, thoughts are turning to the 2012-2013 season.
We are currently being linked with the fantasy (Llorente), the absurd (Hazard), the has-beens (Kaka) and the ‘please god, no’ (Craig Gordon, N’Zonzi). I thought I’d take the opportunity to step away from rumours and provide my list of hopes for the next season (avoiding the obvious such as RVP staying).
Removal of the deadwood
Arsenal’s first team currently consists of the promising (Oxlade-Chamberlain), the experienced (Arteta, Rosicky) and the world class (RVP). However, we have all noticed that a large chunk of the squad consists of players that shouldn’t be part of the squad and are draining funds and preventing the squad from being strengthened.
I give you the following list of players I want sold this summer:
Almunia (already leaving on a free); Diaby; Park-Chu Young; Squillaci; Fabianski; Chamakh; Bendtner; Arshavin; Mannone; Denilson; Vela.
11 players that need to leave the club this summer – not only for the benefit for their own careers (a few of them are decent players who will prosper at other clubs) but to free up wages and spaces in the 25 man squad for new /youth players.
A conservative estimate of their wages has us paying these players (none of whom will get in the match day 16) £552’000 per week – or £28,704,000 per year. An astronomical sum for such average players, and I trust/hope we are working behind the scenes to move these players on.
(Consider that half of that money could be used to give RVP £200’000 per week which would have a much greater impact on the quality of our team than those 11 players combined).
This list excludes those players that could move on if suitable bids are made for them from other clubs – players that may not necessarily play each week but are good cover – Mertesacker, Djourou, Andre Santos.
New players – Signed on time!
The flipside to the above ‘wish’ is the need for Wenger to strengthen the team this summer. It is futile trying to predict who we will sign, but I hope that we have learnt our lesson from last summer when 5 players were signed in 3 days, with no time at all to blend with the squad. I hope therefore that the majority of our transfer business is concluded by the start of August.
Just as a thought – I would think our team needs strengthening in the following: Goalkeeping cover, a quality CB (which would mean Djourou would be available for transfer), a quality LB (which would mean Andre Santos would be available for transfer), a defensive midfielder (Yann M’Vila has been heavily linked), a young attacking midfielder, and more options up front. This is not taking into consideration the possibility that RVP may leave – if which case he would obviously need replacing.
Injuries
One of my biggest gripes against the club is our awful record with injuries – or, to be more precise, our dreadful analysis of the seriousness of injuries!
When Rosicky first got injured a few seasons ago, the initial prognosis was he would miss a few games. Then a few weeks. Then a month. Then a few months. Etc etc. The same thing happened last season with Wilshere, and RVP the season before. It’s frustrating to say the least – if not solely for the fact that it gives the Spurs fans in my office a stick to beat me with!
Let’s Challenge For a Trophy This Season
Note – I did not say lets win a trophy this season.
It is a sad, yet inevitable fact, that for clubs like Arsenal, Man Utd, Man City etc, there are only two trophies worth winning now – the Premier League and the Champions League. The Carling Cup is only useful for blooding young players (and clubs only want to win it when they wake up in January and realise they’ve not been knocked out yet), and the FA have screwed around with the FA Cup for so long that it’s lost its lustre (what the f**k was the 5.15pm kick off about?)
However, Chelsea won the Champions League this season with their worst team for a few years, playing anti-football and winning due to huge amounts of luck. Chelsea’s record in the Champions League – 4 semi-finals in 6 seasons – is miles better than ours – 2 quarter finals and 1 semi-final in the same period.
Whilst some fans will no doubt point to the fact that we have been beaten by Barcelona a lot during the past few years, Chelsea and Real have proven that even the best team in recent memory is not unbeatable, providing the tactics are right on the day.
Challenging for the league is another matter – but Arsenal were never in the race last season. Again, let’s go to Old Trafford and the Etihad and win. Let’s have a proper challenge this season.
Defensive Organisation
A label commonly made against Arsenal is that we are fantastic going forward, but not so good at defending. This isn’t quite accurate as our first choice back 5 is, in my opinion, quality – though is let down on numerous occasions by lapses in concentration and just plain bad organisation.
This could be most seen, I felt (and posted on the blog before) during the home defeat against Wigan, where Vermaelen was bombing forward without regard to defending in the first ten minutes, when we suddenly found ourselves 2-0 and facing an uphill battle to win the game.
Song suffers from similar moments of kamikaze attacking. I am all for the defensive players’ joining the attack, but it needs to be done with care and discipline.
Other clubs do not defend like this. I am sure that Bould and Banfield will improve our defensive organisation.
Finally, let’s finish the season on a high!
No more dragging our weary bodies over the line, scraping into 3rd/4th place. Let’s end the 2012/13 season on form!
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