Another pre-season of tumoil lets just hope this can be rectified in a much smother way that last year. My key concerns for the coming season are; 1. Who will replace RVP 2. Who will become the new captain 3. How quickly can the new signings settle 4. The development of the young talent (Szczesny, Wllshere, OX) 5. The need for Defensive reinforcements 1. Giroud looks good but it's too much to ask him to instantly replace RVP. The goals have to be shared more this season so we still need someone else to come in...there's too many players being linked right now to know where the truth lies but I think there's a lot to be said for reverting back to having a #10. That formation worked so well for us in the past and when Cesc left we never replaced the central creative role. 2. TV is vice captain but had a less than stellar season last year. Perhaps being Captain will raise his game? Another option is Arteta, despite only being here 1 season he has the necessary qualities to lead. Wilshere is too young and who knows when and how he'll return 3. Podolski is well seasoned so I have high hopes for his transition but Giroud only has 2 seasons of top flight football...hopefully they can both hit the ground running but we will have to have some patience 4. Wilshere out all year was a massive loss especially after Cesc left, he can hopefully picked up where he left...OX needs to start more and if Theo does leave he should be made 1st choice....Szczesny needs to recover from the niggling injury which affected his end of season form 5. Priority has to be a DM, Song isn't consistent enough so Wenger needs to solve that...TV needs to step up as Kos is outshining him but we need a quality back...Mertersaker is too slow and clumsy...Sagna is out for some time so I'd go for a versitalie CB who is capable of covering at RB...Hopefully Steve Bould can influence our defensive structure!!
1. At the moment it does look like it's going to be Giroud. 2. Probably Vermaelen. 3. We only have two at the moment and they are both forwards,if RVP does leave then they need to settle very quickly or we will be struggling. Even though he turned out to be a bit of flop, the way Chamakh first came into the PL should be an example for Giroud. 4. Wilshere's biggest problem is injuries, and this pre-season is so important. At the moment, we can't have him trying to find his feet when the season starts. Will also be interesting to see how Chensey plays after his Euro's **** up with Poland. 5. The M'Vila stories have gone cold and that worries me. With the RVP issue be a distraction, I worry that we are not going to reinforce a defence that leaked in 48 goals. Sagna started running again without pain, so he might not be out for as long as you think.
1. Don't think we'll sign another striker, and even if we were looking at one I'm not sure that there are any decent CF's that we can sign. 2. Vermaelen will naturally get bumped up, Arteta taking the VC role 3. I think both have the physique to suit the game in England, but like we've seen with most players from the French ligue, Giroud might need an adaptation period, which is worrying 4. I don't think Wilshere will be back in the first team playing good football until Decemberish, no idea what I'm basing this on, just got a gut feeling that the club would have announced something if he was doing well, and as we've seen with Ramsey, Rosicky, Eduardo etc. a long term injury often sidetracks your career for a long time (that said, I think Ramsey will be much better this season what with more rotation) Regarding Cheeseny, I think he'll come back a better player from the Euro's, maybe the errors will have knocked a bit of his dent in his confidence which might not be a bad thing 5. I still think our priority is an AM, but it does seem to have gone all quiet on the M'Vila front, I disagree you re Mertesacker, I think he'll be a very good player, Jenkinson was decent when he covered for Sagna, so I don't think we'll sign a replacement there either.
2. As our captain's arm band is seen as a 'for sale' sign by the likes of Citeh, I would share the captaincy between the following, starting today: Arshavin Denilson Bendtner Vela Fabianski Squid Diaby and hope the trend continues.
1. I think we are looking good. Giroud/Podolski together are better than RVP. I don't believe RVP would have done as well again for us again, even IF he could stay fit. You cant assume another year of RVP in the same form. 2. Don't care who is captain. Don't think it means much. 3. Giroud/Podolski are really seasoned Pros. They will settle fine. 4. I think we are going to see a few young players come through that we arent expecting. Like an Eisfeld, or a Gnabry, or Afobe etc. Or maybe it will be Ryo. 5. The problem with our defense was not ability, it was organization, probably caused by a disrupted preseason and a start riddled with injuries. At times they looked solid and proved that they could get the job done. Arsenal fans always need to stay strong in the pre-season. All the pundits will write us off again. We will be favourites to drop out of the top 4. We will be reportedly low on morale. etc etc etc.
I also believe these 2 will surprise the fans who are doubting them. The RVP news appears worse than it really is due to us never seeing Pod and Giroud play for us, we do need a proven striker though to take the pressure of them. Unlike last season, Wenger has already taken precautions by signing these 2 whether they are additions or replacements. Us finishing a point off 4th last season was due to Wenger being stubborn and gambling to see how the squad would manage without Fab and Nasri, we learned the hard way and our 8-2 trashing was the wake up call Wenger needed. As long as this RVP situation is sorted out before the start of this season, I do not believe we will drop points the way we did the beginning of last season. Rvp will be replaced or someone will step up, this has always been the case at Arsenal, we are just afraid of big changes.
