After a frustrating loss to Southampton in which Arsenal essentially gifted the opponents two goals, the squad recovered nicely with a comfortable win against Hull in the FA Cup. Although Alexis’s goal was the pick of the bunch, it’s gotten to the point where the extraordinary has become quite ordinary for the red hot Chilean. This is why I believe Per’s goal from a first half corner was the more satisfying of the two. Arsenal have become notoriously poor from corner situations, so to finally see the BFG head one in the back of the net is a joy to behold. Even with the comfortable victory in Cup play, I move forward with cautious optimism, and can’t help but flash back to the horror show at Southampton.
As I peer down at my Arsenal crest after a frustrating loss on the south coast, the word forward seems to mock me. The 125th anniversary kit is from the 2011-2012 season, and I can’t help but think little has changed since that time. A FA cup victory last season and the major singings of Özil and Sanchez were steps in the right direction, however one trophy in nine years is simply not good enough for a club of Arsenal’s pedigree.
Although Arsenal has been plagued by injuries this season, Arsene Wenger must be held responsible for not adding enough depth in the summer. Selling Vermaelen was a good piece of business, but not buying a replacement has left the club with only two true center backs. At times, even Debuchy, Monreal, and Chambers have all been forced to provide cover. While it could be argued that Chambers is a young center back in the making, he’s played in three different positions since his debut, and has at times looked quite exposed. The most notable example of such was against Swansea, when Jefferson Montero ran him ragged. He’s had quite a few strong performances to be fair, but I feel it’s important for his development to be played consistently in one position.
Last season, Mertesacker and Koscielny were one of the best center back pairings in the Premier League. However since returning from a triumphant World Cup victory in Brazil, Mertesacker has looked slightly burned out, while Koscielny has been dealing with a tedious Achilles injury. When Koscielny is healthy, I believe there are few defenders in the league who are better. His pace and tenacity give him the ability to chase down speedy strikers, and when matched up against a more physical striker, he seldom gets outmuscled. While Mertesacker is an excellent tackler and gives you a towering presence in the back, his lack of pace and agility is a real concern. Any striker with even moderate pace must relish the opportunity of taking him on, as they know they can simply kick the ball into space and blow right past him.
Another problem for this Arsenal team, and one that hasn’t been addressed since Song was sold to Barcelona, is the defensive midfield position. Although Coquelin has shown progress as of late, Arteta and Flamini are well past their prime, and are simply not athletic enough for the holding role. This is painfully obvious when up against the bigger teams, as Arsenal commonly get bullied in the midfield and caught out on the counter attack. The Gunners are known for their beautiful football, but every team needs a midfielder who is schooled in the less glamorous aspects of the game. If this position continues to be neglected, I can’t see Arsenal challenging for the Premier League this season or in years to come.
Looking at the current midfield and wide areas, Wenger has plenty of options and a real wealth of talent. that being said, injuries have kept Wilshere, Ramsey, Özil, Walcott, Arteta, Rosicky, and Diaby on the bench for long periods of time. In their absence, Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have provided the main push from the midfield. The diminutive Spaniard looks to have recaptured the form he showed in his debut season, when he scored 12 goals and provided 11 assists. The Ox, with his blistering pace and physicality, seems to improve with every game. Although he has the odd match where he looks quite average, I have no doubt that his dribbling and decision-making will improve over time.
As far as strikers and goal scoring, it’s been all about the brilliant Alexis Sanchez. His work rate, pace, and finishing have been absolutely world class. There are plenty of supremely gifted offensive players in the game, but it’s rare to compliment that ability with a ferocious work rate. Alexis has carried this team on his back and has arguably been the best player in Premier League, contributing 16 goals and 7 assists in all competitions. It’s also important to note that this is Alexis’ debut season, and Arsenal have been without Mesut Özil, their best playmaker, since October 5th. The prospect of these two linking up is truly exciting for Arsenal fans, even with Özil yet to display the peak of his powers since moving to the club in 2013. It will also be interesting to see how Wenger brings Walcott back into the team, as he was showing excellent form before he tore his ACL this time a year ago.
With the January transfer window open, I believe it’s vital Wenger signs a center back, a holding midfielder, and a striker. Signing a center back has to be the top priority, due there only being 2 in the squad when a club like Arsenal should have at least four. Also, I don’t believe Per is good enough to warrant a starting spot next to Koscielny based on current form.
In the center of the park, the team needs a tough tackling defensive midfielder who thrives on breaking up play and winning the ball back. This is a bitter topic amongst Arsenal fans as Wenger has stubbornly ignored this issue over the years, but I think the holding role is Chambers’ natural position. That being said, I believe he could be the long-term solution to the lack of size and physicality in the midfield. When played at right back this season, his lack of pace has been exposed by speedy wingers and wing-backs. He’s looked more comfortable at center back, but with a good passing range and sound technical ability, I believe we’d get more out of him by playing him in the midfield. Ultimately, the decision will be up to Mr. Wenger.
Lastly, I don’t believe our current crop of strikers is good enough to win the Premier League. Danny Welbeck got off to a good start, but he’s never going to get you 20-goals a season. I admire his work rate, but I don’t believe he’s clinical enough to lead the line. Then there’s Oliver Giroud, who seems to run hot and cold. While his link up play has improved, he lacks the pace and finishing required of a top striker. He displayed promising form after returning from injury in December, but consequently suffered a total mental lapse, getting sent off early in the second half against QPR. It could have easily cost Arsenal the game, and the subsequent three game suspension left the Gunners very short in the striker department during the busiest period of the season. That being said, I feel Arsenal have two good strikers when what they need is one great striker. These are hard to find and tend to be very expensive, but you need world-class players in order to win titles.
Arsenal at full strength are a scary matchup for any team, however injury has prevented them from consistently fielding their strongest team. With that in mind, it’s important to have squad depth in order to deal with the physically demanding grind a team goes through during a Premier League season. The current squad lacks this depth, leaving Wenger short of options and forcing him to field players out of position. A club with the financial resources of Arsenal should never find itself in this predicament, and must address this issue in the January transfer window. If Wenger is able to make some clever signings and get his squad healthy, I don’t see any reason why they can’t make a push for the top four. The FA Cup run is still alive, and I think the best-case scenario Arsenal fans can hope for is a defense of that title and a top four finish.
