After starting the season well, things have got steadily tougher for Arsenal. Yes, they’re still top of the Premier League table, but recent defeats to both Napoli and Manchester City with have knocked the North London club’s swagger.
The draw against Everton won’t have helped either. Arsenal were ahead until the last five minutes of the game, when they sat back, allowed Roberto Martinez’s side to come at them and conceded a late equaliser. It was the kind of thing that I thought Arsenal had cut out of their game.
Since that moment, Arsenal have conceded 8 goals in 2 games. Their defence has earned a lot of plaudits this season, but has sorely disappointed this December. With Laurent Koscielny likely to be out for sometime, it wouldn’t surprise me if Arsene Wenger opted to sign another centre-back in the January transfer window, to play alongside Per Mertesacker.
Regardless, this is the first major wobble of Arsenal’s season. How they respond will likely dictate whether or not they end up as title-winners.
Whether or not Arsenal grab silverware this season, it’s important that they continue to look to the future. Arsene Wenger’s current Arsenal contract will expire this summer. The Gunners will have to try and persuade him to sign a new deal, or start weighing up other options. I can’t help but hope that the club focuses on the former and gives Arsene a couple more years at the Emirates.
According to The Mirror, Arsene Wenger will sign a new Arsenal contract next month that will keep him at the club until 2017. If this is true, it strikes me as a rather nice Christmas present for the fans.
He’s still one of the best tacticians in the Premier League, still has an eye for a great signing and has a reputation that’s big enough to attract world-class footballers. I’m not sure that any other available manager could offer this.
The Frenchman has spent the last half-decade being tight-fisted, counting the pennies and focusing on youth. The move to the Emirates has necessitated this. Now he’s got an opportunity to start spending some real money and building a competitive team.
He’s started by spending £42.4m on Mesut Ozil. It would be odd if he were to do this and then to decide to move on.
Once the busy Christmas period is over, we’ll know a lot more about this Arsenal side and whether it’s capable of competing this year. Let’s hope we also know where Arsene Wenger’s future lies.
What’s your take? Will Arsene Wenger agree new terms with the Gunners? Is it time for the Frenchman to move on?
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