This must be the first end of season where I've actually been really excited about the coming season....even before current one has ended. I know scouse fans used to always get mocked with the "next year will be our year" dig...but I genuinely think if we can add some defensive depth and a world class goalie we're there. Chelsea/Mourinho will be worried about next Saturday....and its been a long time since I could make a statement like that with any sort of confidence.
You've definitely cause for anticipation next season. Sanchez, what a buy! Giroud really came good too. Ozil has put last season behind him. Since when is it a bad thing to look forward in a positive manner to the coming season, isn't that what it's all about. Well the mancs think not, but wtf do they know, they've been ruined by so many titles to the point that they call cup wins "nothing" Unless that;'s all they win in a season
We've had a few seasons where we've had a decent run towards the end but ended up with nowt so I understand any trepidation people might have but I have to say I agree with Sanj. We have some cracking individual players but we also seem to be building a team (finally) and are taking some really positive steps in the right direction. Potentially we'll be finishing second and have a pretty hefty chance to win the FA cup. If any Arsenal fans view that as poor then, frankly, they can get to f*ck.
The fact is from January onwards we have shown title winning form. The team is strongest it has been for years.. BUT City and United will no doubt strengthen heavily this Summer. I still think we are a couple of World Class individuals away from a title winning side.
This is the strongest side we've had in years. I think we are strong enough to challenge for the title but it depends on our start and us maintaining consistency. I also think Wenger is being more adaptive with his formations now and we dont seem to mind playing in a more efficient way to get a result. I can see a Wenger v Maureen battle next season, so don't be suprised when Maureen starts the Wenger insults flying. Arsenal are back.
I'd still like to see us buy a Defensive midfielder before we can say that we have a potentially title winning squad. Coq has done really well this season, but we can't rely on him all season and there will be times where we will need two defensive minded midfielders in there (in a similar way to Schniederlin and Wanyama). We've addressed the CB issue and we also have good fullbacks. Whilst I'd love to see a world class striker come in, I don't think Wenger will now that we have Walcott, Giroud, Welbeck and Sanchez. If we can get a good combative DM in the summer and keep our squad relatively injury free, then I think we have a decent shot at the title next season
I hope that is the case. Maureen's meltdowns are as funny as ****. The **** literally talks out of his arse when he's rattled.
This "squad" is almost perfect. Arsenal have had so much deadwood in the last 5 years. Now I can look at the players we have and see there are players that have to fight for their place. Just look at Chelsea. Their squad was pretty thin. One great striker, an injury prone average striker and an aged striker. Yet they still finished head and shoulders above everyone else due to their strong defence. If they had a better squad, they would've progressed further in the FA Cup and the CL. Man Utd could still have a catastrophic season if they don't finish in the top 4. After all that money spent, it's pretty unacceptable. LVG is a good manager, no doubt but they have a lot of deadwood in their squad and it will take a few seasons before they go back to being the Man Utd teams used to fear. Man City is another odd one. Manuel is very good manager with a wealth of world class players. They just seem to always get unlucky in the CL. They'll definitely be in the race for the PL next season. Yaya never got over the birthday cake and Kompany is a shadow of his former self. If Augero had stayed fit they would've won the title. We are definitely going to be legit challengers next season. As long as we get another DMF and a good/great striker, I don't see why not. Giroud had really impressed me. His improvement this season has been astounding. He's on his way to becoming world class. You can see how hungry he is. With him, Özil, Sanchez, Carzola and Ramsey in attack, we definitely will have a lot to offer. I just hope our new additions next season will be an upgrade.
Yeah he does talk a load of balls but he does get to some managers. But I think Wenger will be better equipped to handle Maureen as he no longer has the responsibility of balancing the books. All he has to focus on is the footy side of things and hopefully we'll see vintage Wenger back.
I want another world class striker. Sanchez as we have seen this season, is excellent as a winger and attacking midfielder, he is not a striker.....Welbeck has shown he is just average, he is not the answer we have all been wanting as competition to Giroud....Walcott is too lightweight to play as a striker, he easily gets locked out of games as a winger, so how will he fare any better when he's a striker and has to have more movement against more defenders. I don't like Walcott's chances against the likes of Kompany, Terry, etc....Sometimes as we have seen, we need the long route option, Walcott will never offer that to us, he is weak, and not strong enough to hold onto the ball. So another world class striker is very much in need. Another back up DMF will also be needed, I think with Diaby-Rosicky-Flamini all likely to leave, it's a no brainer we need another CM, so a back DMF will do just fine there. Also another back up CB will be good as well, we have 3 out and out CB's with Chambers who can play there, but I'd prefer a 4th proper experienced CB. Oh yes, a world class GK would be very nice, Ospina has been very good, but if we can get Cech, then let's go for it, we should put in a bid and see where it goes.
Totally agree on the DM issue, we need more cover in that position and there may be times when Coqs gets injured, off form or we need two DMs. But on paper we have shown that when playing at decent form, we can compete with any Prem side, something we couldnt say a few years ago. As a few mentioned, it would be good to get another CF but the likelihood is slim as we have so many attacking options on the table. But you never quite know nowadays with us, no one guesses we could have got Ozil or Sanchez....
What about your defenders though, surely you need to improve your squad (rather than your first XI) there? You've had so little cover this year... And instead of buying a young backup centre back (which is the likely scenario obviously), imagine if Wenger bought a top class one so your other guys have to raise their game to be in the first XI. That's how you become title challengers... Naturally you need to strengthen DM and GK first, my comment is assuming that gets done and you still have money to spend.
Realistically though we have enough defenders. LB - Monreal, Gibbs RB - Debuchy, Bellerin, Chambers CB - Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gabriel, Chambers (potentially Debuchy) Early signs are encouraging with Gabriel, we've got a really promising young back up in Chambers and when Merts and Kos play together for a couple of games the team looks so much stronger. Nacho too has been one of my revelations of the season, he's just gone from strength to strength which is something I don't think he's got enough credit for. I reckon people are slightly put off him because he looks like he has the bad aids.
Fair enough, I guess if you have money left over you'd rather spend it on a top class striker. But I can't see Wenger splashing out too much, what do you predict, a first team DM and GK or just one of the two? (not counting any young players for the future he buys)
I think we'll find it really difficult to find a striker who'll perform better than Giroud has currently.
Throw money at a striker and 'difficulty' becomes irrelevant. Spending money isn't 'difficult'. It comes down to how much Wenger really wants to do it. It's all down to his desire.
That seems overly simplified - we threw £40m (+1) at Suarez and it didn't help - Manu U threw tonnes of money (for a loan signing) at Falcao and Chelsea even more at Torres and Schevchenko, yet it didn't help at all. We could bid £80m for Bale/Suarez/Messi/Lewandoski - doesn't mean that they'll be sold. Or we could chuck loads at a player like Higuain, Mandzukic, Griezman ect with no guarantee that they'll get anywhere close to Girouds performances this season. Don't forget some were screaming for us to sign Costa, Higuain, Mandzukic and the like last summer, but Giroud has out performed all of them...
There comes a point where you can't excuse the players. We're miles off the top. Something or someone needs needs to change. If it's not Giroud, then who?
You say we r miles off the top, not many others - personally i see us on a rising arc since weve become financially stable again. With a lot of players written off as championship players coming good.
