With the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson and with the manager merry-go-round at Manchester City and Chelsea in full swing, could this season be Arsenal’s biggest chance to make a title challenge since 2007-2008 season- where they were top at Christmas- and end their prolonged trophy drought?
After yet another 4th place finish, which they secured with a win over Newcastle on the final day of the season, there is now the sense that the next campaign will be make or break for manager Arsene Wenger.
If Arsenal are to capitalise on the managerial changes at three of this season’s top four, then there are no doubts that money will have to be spent this summer, with many tipping Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic to be heading to the Emirates. However Wenger has also failed to rule out a surprise move for the want-away Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, and there are many reports suggesting that Arsenal have identified the England striker as a transfer target.
For several years now there has been a desire from the Arsenal fans to see some big name signings arriving at the North London Club, despite this the board and Wenger insisted they had not had the funds to do so- as a result of the move to the Emirates Stadium in 2006. However, the Arsenal manager has claimed that the club now has the funds to bring in some bigger names and give the club a lift, which has provided the fans with great excitement heading into the new season. Whether or not Wenger is willing to break Arsenal’s wage structure to lure the bigger names in European football to the Emirates, will have to be seen.
Providing Arsenal spend well this summer, and if they can build on their superb end of season form- or the “downward spiral” as Tottenham Manager Andre Villas Boas, who’s side finished fifth, behind Arsenal, had called it- then there is a real chance that Arsenal can mount a serious challenge for silverware next season. The ever-strengthening partnership between German international Per Mertesacker and Frenchman Laurent Koscielny will be a vital asset to Arsenal in their hunt for silverware, and the growth in development of British youngsters Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson, will also play a crucial part.
The combination of these two factors, combined with a few quality signings and removal of any ‘dead wood’ – the likes of Marouane Chamakh, Denilson, Â Andrey Arshavin and Sebastien Squillaci- could provide Arsenal with the opportunity to launch a title challenge, up alongside Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs.
Also the likes of Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud, and Santi Cazorla will be in their second season at the club and will by then be firmly used to the way of life at the Emirates, and perhaps Podolski and Giroud will be able to match Santi Cazorla’s outstanding first season at the club, in their second season’s. Despite this if Arsenal do not spend their money in the right areas and do not bring in some more quality players, on a similar level to that of Cazorla, then it is difficult to see Arsenal being able to capitalise on the managerial changes at Chelsea, City and United.
There is no doubt that with new managers arriving at the top three clubs, that there is an element of vulnerability, especially at Old Trafford. However, what is in no doubt is that, with the arrival of David Moyes at Old Trafford, the imminent return of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, and the widely reported appointment of Malaga manager Manuel Pelligrini at the Etihad, all three managers will be given funds to spend, to adapt their squad to suit their visions for their club.
Therefore, Arsenal will need to strengthen, and to attempt to keep up with big spending Manchester City and Chelsea, if they are to really mount a serious challenge this season.
In order to stand a chance of competing for the Barclays Premier League, Arsenal need to hit the ground running at the start of the season, and they need to build upon their defensive solidarity towards the end of season and continue to grind results out against the teams around them. If they can do this, and gain a substantial head start on City and Chelsea, and the notorious late starters United, then maybe, just maybe, Arsenal could be a force to be reckoned with in the 2013-2014 Barclays Premier League season.
With Wenger’s two-year contract expiring at the end of next season, there is great pressure on the manager to prove to some of the Arsenal fans that he still has what it takes to manage the club- and what better way to do so than to propel themselves back into contention for the Premier League title and really make next season a four horse race.
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No!
The question is can Arsenal spend the way they spend? When Chelsea and Man City change thier managers, arsenal could not still win any trophies, but they won the league and other trophies during their stay. If only Wenger can change his so call” POLICY”, the season will be different.
I am nigerian i want to arsene to sign big big players if he want the club to win a trophy this season.
Arsenal must look to their own strength.
If ever there was a chance to turn it around, surely it is now. By all accounts ,money is available for Wenger to spend( some 70 million they say). No key departures in the summer for the first time in too many years. Managerial changes at other top three clubs and undoubtedly some player rotation as well, have all created the perfect storm of opportunity for Wenger to bounce back and prove his critics wrong. But for this to happen Wenger must do two things; one- identify his transfer targets and aggressively go for them even if it means paying asking price, and two-specifying hard goals for his squad to achieve before the season begins. None of that ‘top four is our minimum requirement, but we are going to challenge for trophies’ nonsense . If you want to win a specific prize ,you must set your mind on it and single mindedly pursue it, anything less is a waste of time.