betting
Arsenal
By David, BettingExpert.com | Edited
Life without Cesc?
Despite the massive debts which new Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has declared finding after gaining control of the club this summer he seems intent on keeping his promise of luring Spanish star midfielder Fabregas to the Nou Camp. Wenger, however, looks as adamant on keeping hold of his talisman, at least for another season. How will this imposition affect the Spanish midfielder in what will likely be his last season at the Gunners?
Coach: Wenger
Tactics: 4-3-3
Players In: Chamakh, Koscielny, Squillaci
Players Out: Eduardo, Senderos, Traore, Campbell, Coquelin
Current Probable Formation: Almunia, Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Clichy, Nasri, Fabregas, Diaby, Arshavin, Chamakh, van Persie
No other Arsenal player in the current squad has worn the Gunners’ jersey for more years than him. He is without a doubt the brains behind Wenger’s quasi-perfect machine and it comes as no surprise that he is the object of so much attention by the big clubs, especially his personal favourite - Barcelona. So will he be staying and become a true legend for the London club? Yes is the answer for this season, but…
If players like Henry and Vieira, who perhaps went closer to
gaining that legendary status at the then Highbury stadium, at one point felt
the Arsenal jersey and Wenger’s all-youngsters policy tighten around their
necks as they could not resist going empty handed for yet another season whilst
less skilled players drank booze from large silver trophies, then so will
happen to young and ambitious Fabregas. Deep down all Gunners know that they
will have to salute their current idol and then it will be a question of ‘who
next?’ as usual. Wenger has so far always managed to find an answer. The club
have been great at discovering the young talents and keeping the levels high
enough. 
The trophies are missing though and the barren desert that has become
their trophy case is becoming an uncomfortable subject for Arsenal fans. The
last time the cabinet was opened was in 2005 to proudly place in an FA Cup,
thinking at the time that it would be a more prestigious cup which would cast
its imposing shadow over that now held-dear FA trophy.
It is becoming embarrassing for Arsenal but that is the collateral damage brought about by their high-profile 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium. Debts are huge and spending has had to be curbed down. It will be more frustration for them as they once again succumb to the power of the usual duo – Manchester United and Chelsea. Last year they lost all four Premier League fixtures against the two clubs. However, judging by how things are working out for other teams in the league it would seem that they ought to keep an eye open for others as well this season. Manchester City will only be troubled by a bothersome, and relatively worthless Europa League, which they will be eager to push aside in favour of a top-four finish. Liverpool would also be glad to make the trade-off. That is if they can settle the takeover dispute quickly enough.
Arsenal’s Champions League presence this year may in fact endanger their participation in the competition next season. Unlike the Europa League it is a competition which brings into the club’s coffers much needed millions and cannot be snubbed just like that. It holds prestige and after all may be the answer to a discontinuous performance in the league.
Arsenal have always looked overly dependent on the services of Fabregas. The team is already a very well managed side, especially in tactical terms. Wenger does know how to make his side play well. He is a lover of the art of football and nothing would hurt him more than practicing the sort of football which Mourinho and Capello profess. All of the players know how to play the ball well and that it is possession that can push them to victory. However, Arsenal still is a very young side. When the Spaniard is on the pitch he proves himself a true leader and inspires the lads both on the pitch with his excellent passing skills and goal scoring abilities, and on a purely psychological dimension. The team is stronger knowing that he is with them on the pitch. Sure the likes of Arshavin, Rosicky and Nasri are all there to give their contribution but although they excel in technique they are still not quite the same thing as Fabregas in terms of inspiration for the entire squad.
Wenger’s other major problem is of course that of finishing
the highly orchestrated Arsenal game with goals, because after all that is what
brings in the points. Arsenal have suffered from this complex of wanting to
keep playing the ball even when already through the opponents’ defence and into
the box. They want the special good-looking goals to finish off their passing
masterpiece. 
And even when they went all out for the raw goal they still could
not get it. Strikers Bendtner, van Persie and Walcott have over the years seen
more of the infirmary than the green grass of the Emirates.
Moroccan striker Chamakh does not seem to suffer any of those setbacks, unless he falls victim of the Arsenal tradition of having their strikers build a stronger rapport with club doctors rather than team mates. He does seem like the definite answer for Arsenal’s goal scoring problems and surely capable of improving his goal tally of 10 and 13 goals in the past two seasons in Ligue 1. Youngster Wilshere will be another striker to keep an eye on as he looks increasingly ready for the big jump.
The biggest doubts, however, have to be with regards to goalkeepers Almunia and Fabianski. Has any one of them ever done enough to deserve Wenger’s full trust? Definitely no. Yet he sticks with the pair for another season after having abandoned the tracks that lead to promising Italian goalkeeper Marchetti from Cagliari. At least the defence looks solid enough with Vermaelen, Koscielny and Squillaci good options for a central role. The full-backs – Sagna, Gibbs and Clichy have got speed and can manage crosses into the box but as for their defensive capabilities they leave much to be desired. There still looks like there is little cover for those positions when considering all the competitions Arsenal will be involved in. Eboue can be allowed to descend into a right full-back position from midfield when needed but the problem with defending still persists in his case as well.
The midfield is plentiful with talent, as already mentioned. Fabregas, Nasri, Arshavin, Rosicky, Diaby, Song, Denilson and Ramsey. But incredibly any one of them makes frequent visits to club doctors. This inconsistency will deprive Arsenal of a solid enough midfield to support the team throughout the long Premier League journey. And despite all the talent some inexperience is still there and that is essential in order to keep the boat afloat even when, as it happens, the team simply does not perform up to standard. United have Rooney and Chelsea have Drogba. When the team does play as expected they still can grab the points until better days come around. Arsenal still lack that clinical aspect.
Therefore, when all is said and done this is not a team that can resist the test of time throughout the season. They will be performing in patches, mostly because of who is injured. Cup games will be better suited for them and those can guarantee more chances of silverware then chasing a chimera like the Premier League when better equipped sides have set their eyes on that same target.
Predicted finishing position: 5th
So far only Manchester United and Chelsea have been the big obstacles standing between them and success. Fabregas’ mood and availability, knowing that he is destined to help the club refinance itself through a multi-million transfer to Barcelona next summer, will affect Arsenal’s potential this season. This means that new powers (Manchester City) and old ones resurfacing (Liverpool) should figure in the Gunners’ ‘most feared opponents’ list as well this time. Their Champions League presence next season is at risk as they chase some trophy …any trophy, which can extinguish their six-year drought.
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