In the latest of our series of interviews with professional journalists, THC caught up with Grantland.com’s Jason Concepcion, whom you might know as Netw3rk.
1. What are realistic expectations for Arsenal this season? Can they realistically mount a title challenge?
I think a title challenge is a long shot without some additional squad depth at both ends. Sagna is already playing out of position and the sight of Giroud tweaking his knee at the end of the Sunderland game was enough to drive me to strong drink.
2. Where does Jack Wilshere fit going forward? Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey were the first choice central-midfield partnership when everyone was fit, and the No. 10 role looks log jammed with the arrival of Mesut Özil?
Jack is better suited to a deeper lying role right now. It suits his pugnacious physicality and he doesn’t quite have the eye for goal that you’d like to see from a No. 10. I think Jack and Flamini will be the default partnership in central midfield, and certainly getting to watch Özil up close these next few years should benefit Jack’s creativity. I’m not in a rush with Jack; his form is still suffering the effects of his injury saga, and the glut of quality midfielders at the club allows for the luxury of patience with the player. I mean, just look at how long it’s taken Ramsey to bounce back from Shawcross crumpling his leg.
3. Mesut Özil signed for a club-record £42.5m on transfer deadline day. Just what does this mean for Arsenal moving forward? Is he the first in a string of world-class signings?
Acquiring one of the best players in the world, Europe’s top playmaker statistically, and a player who I already owned in FIFA is nothing short of fantastic. What else could it be? More world-class signings? Ummm, I really, really hope so.
4. As a fan of the club, it must be disheartening to know that Arsenal haven’t won a trophy for 8 years. Do you see it as unfortunate or just a passage of not prioritising the right things?
A combination of the two. The club were one point behind United in February of the 2010-11 and looked up to the challenge before the 4-4 debacle at Newcastle seemed to drain all the spirit out of the club. I’m still recovering from the 2011 League Cup Final. Losing 4-3 on aggregate to Barca in the Champions League…gah…just a nightmare season. It’s not absurd to think that if the ball had bounced a different way on a handful of key sequences that season, Arsenal could’ve come away with a trophy, maybe two.
At the same time, the club’s declarations of ambition hasn’t matched their actions in the seasons since the construction of the Emirates. Every year we’ve heard that the club can spend if they need to, every year they’ve sold their best players without replacing them with equal quality. Or at all. Has that changed now? Let’s hope so. It’s tough to criticize the team when they’ve just shattered the English transfer record and reduced their own transfer record to its individual molecules, but they should’ve done more.
5. As an American writer covering the Premier League, I must ask: Just how much is the EPL talked about in the States? Can it ever compete with the NBA/MLB/NFL?
It’s getting more and more popular all the time, but I think we’re talking about a timescale of decades before it could challenge the top three sports.
6. Arsenal’s defence was stellar towards the end of last season. Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker developed a great understanding and look to be the first choice partnership going forward. How can Thomas Vermaelen work his way back into the fold? Does he have a better chance at left-back?
Kos’s early season from has not engendered iron-clad confidence from me. I think both Koscielny and Vermaelen would benefit from scrapping with each other for the spot next to the Giant German. Considering the way Wenger has the team playing–with Gibbs playing far up the pitch and whoever the left-winger is drifting inside to make a midfield four–I don’t really want to see Vermaelen at left-back unless Gibbs and Nacho are abducted by aliens. Which, hey, this is Arsenal, it might happen.
7. The pressure on Arsene Wenger has been relentless in the last few years. Does this continued pressure make the blooding through of youth – something usually synonymous with Arsenal – less likely?
I doubt it. I think Wenger lives for developing and blooding youth.
8. Theo Walcott’s fine form last term was rewarded with a large contract. Just how good can he be and where does his best position lie?
Unless Theo develops more consistency of touch and some semblance of a hold-up game, I can’t see him playing anywhere but on the wing unless an injury to Giroud requires him to play centrally, which again, this is Arsenal, so….
9. As a journalist for Grantland, do you find it hard to remain neutral when working on copy about Arsenal?
Not really, f*cktottenham, no.
10. Finally, if there was one ex-Arsenal player you could bring back to Arsenal, as they are today (coach / manager / player), who would it be and why?
Bergkamp, if I could magically make him unafraid of air travel. Otherwise, Henry.
You can find more of Jason’s work on Grantland.com and he can be contacted on twitter, here.
