Four games into the new season and the optimism that Arsenal could win the league this season has already faded in the most part.
Immediately familiar faults have been cited: “Another defensive midfielder is needed, a better striker than Giroud.” It is the third season in a row that these problems have been identified, so why haven’t they been resolved?
Suggestions of arrogance or nativity from Wenger are sensationalist. The real problem is the comfort zone that Arsenal have created for themselves, and the lack of push to change.
The atmosphere in the Gunners’ dressing room is void of any strong judgment or leadership. One look at the club’s official YouTube channel seems to show a squad where everyone is best mates with each other, which can become unhealthy. Moments of leadership such as Per Mertesacker demanding Mesut Ozil applauds the fans are rare. Results such as 6-0,6-3 and 5-1 are less so.
The second element of comfort for Arsenal is the lack of need to change.
For a team like Liverpool, this summer, the needs were obvious – a new striker was critical, and in came Christian Benteke. For Arsenal it’s more difficult, they already have a complete squad of accomplished players in every position.
Olivier Giroud is a top striker, the striker that Arsenal need. He is brilliant with his feet, a presence in the air and capable of high difficulty, clinical finishing; as his volley against Crystal palace showed.
But his pace is not quite there, he is not a top competitor in the air and his finishing is so rarely ruthless. Similar evaluations can also be made of Arsenal’s other options up top.
The north London side can easily get by with Giroud, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck, finishing in the top four and even taking home some silverware. That’s why it’s so hard to change.
Handing Walcott a new £140,000 per week contract optimises the comfort zone within many Arsenal players live. The 26-year-old has breached 10 premier league goals only once in his whole career (2012/13), but a few good performances and fan loyalty now makes him one of the club’s highest earners.
A player that is a disgruntled winger and a striker who lacks the presence to start games regularly, but also a player who could command a large transfer fee. Walcott should be someone Arsenal should be looking to shift to make way for a new signing.
The same issue occurs in midfield. All three of Santo Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil are world-class attacking midfielders. But, they also all fill the same role. Given the quality they all have moments of delightful play is inevitable, but starting all three in the same team is rarely ruthless.
However, none will be moved on for equally valid reasons. Ramsey is the player who ended Arsenal’s nine-year trophy drought, Cazorla a top performing 2nd vice-captain and Ozil is the big signing and darling of the fans.
But, the fact is they can’t all play in the same team – and here lies the problem. None of them would be happy on the bench, and none would be possible to move on at this moment without receiving outrage from the fans.
Perhaps when Barcelona’s transfer embargo ends at the beginning of 2016 they will make concrete their interest in Ramsey and a move of around £50m could be agreed.
The sale of the Welshman along with Walcott could provide up to £80 million, along with transfer funds that Arsenal already have that would be more than enough to fund a new striker, defensive midfielder and wide forward and would give the Gunners a much stronger and more rounded team.
Hypothetically, Jackson Martinez, Morgan Schneiderlin and Pedro would have cost just a little over £70m combined.
But, until tough decisions are made, major changes won’t occur and a glass ceiling of 3rd place is likely to remain.
