No is the easy answer, not with the current squad. Many Arsenal fans, myself included, were drawn into a false sense of security following the impressive form of the last 3 months but the hard facts are that Arsene Wenger has been overachieving with this group of players for far too long and the squad needs investment. Overachieving you say? Yes, overachieving because this group of players are just not good enough to be in the top four never mind challenge for major honours.
When Arsenal played Tottenham Hotspur in October, a comparison in many of the major newspapers compared the two starting XI’s, only Robin Van Persie made it into the Spurs side, six months later and the players have not changed, yet Arsenal sit just above them in the table. Fantastic management from Wenger, although nothing is confirmed just yet, but another season of Champions League football looks all but certain. The season started dreadfully, humiliated at Old Trafford and embarrassed at Ewood Park, the season looked to be Wenger’s last after only 5 games. In a way, the bad start destroyed all of the early season expectations and so finishing fourth became the priority; the season only promised disaster, anything else was a bonus. However, although Wenger has overachieved with this set of players, the problems are created are all of his own making.
His refusal to spend has hindered any progress achieved over previous seasons, each time he sells a major player; it is as if the Wenger Project starts all over again. The high profile sales of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas coinciding with the 8-2 loss, seemed to send Wenger on a mad dash reminiscent of Supermarket Sweep, picking random players in random positions at will, all that was missing was Dale Winton. Arteta was brought in as Fabregas’ replacement, Park in as Bendtner was sent out on loan, Benayoun from Chelsea and Per Mertesacker signed from Werder Bremen while Andre Santos was brought in as Armand Traore was shipped off to QPR.
There were many questions over these, but Arteta has become a very solid signing; his style is semi-similar enough to Fabregas, neat passing and accurate and before he moved to Arsenal, his assist per game ratio was only bettered by Ryan Giggs and Nani. But Andre Santos lacks the defensive discipline to be an effective Premier League defender and Per Mertesacker constantly looks like he is running in tar no matter the opponent. Park has not been given a chance but he never was when Van Persie was in red hot form and while Benayoun has been in fairly good form over the last two months we cannot be seriously contemplating singing him permanently when there is much better, younger talent out there.
So let’s look forward to next season, we have to assume that after every English teams failure in Europe, bar Chelsea, all will try and strengthen and go again next season. What’s more the competition for the top four will be fiercer than ever, and if we take for granted that the two Manchester clubs will grapple for first and second, then only two places become available for 6 or more sides. In the summer, City will buy at least one world class player for each position if they have to, especially if Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli leave; United will no doubt try to buy a replacement for Paul Scholes even if he stays on for an extra year while Newcastle United will sell one or two players to sign four or five more.
Unless Ramilson play lesser games.