betting
Arsenal – Ticking time bomb
By David, BettingExpert.com | Edited
Time is running out for Wenger. He has to find quick replacements for want-away duo Fabregas and Nasri before he gets stuck with players unwilling to keep playing a game which returns no rewards. His few signings this summer have proven he is adamant in sticking to his youngsters policy. He made his choice and so have the two top Arsenal players.
Manager: Wenger
Tactics: 4-3-3
Players In: Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, Jenkinson, Joel Campbell
Players Out: Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas
Current Probable Formation: Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Gibbs, Wilshere, Fabregas, Song, Nasri, Chamakh, van Persie
It’s the same story all over again for Arsenal as Wenger battles his own players’ requests for being transferred out of a club which ambitions get dented year after year. Wenger may not realize this but as long as he keeps chasing the young star player and splashing the money on the relatively unknown and unproven starlets he will not be able to challenge established powers like Chelsea and Manchester United.
The Frenchman’s intentions may be good in wanting to groom young lads for a future top squad. Unfortunately, a team like Arsenal has to live in the present and not the future. It has been six years without a single trophy. Gone are the days when they used to be a top dog in the neighbourhood. The construction of the new stadium had been the number one excuse for them having to hold out on getting the A-list players. This then transformed into transfer requests by the players who had made the club big. Henry and Vieira were the most notable names to walk out on Wenger’s rejuvenation plans.
Perhaps the initial strategy was to produce the right mix of experience and young blood, with the balance shifting markedly towards the latter. However, big players wanted to get big wins under their belt. Players used to challenge at top level football could not babysit a team until it was someday mature enough to be a winning squad. Years are rolling by for them after all and if Wenger can afford years of activity in his job the players have to dose their energies until the time comes to hang up their boots.
If a player like Henry, who had acquired the status of legend at the then Highbury Stadium reasoned that way then it was clear Wenger’s plans were doomed to fail. Back then the fans still had blind faith in the man who had returned glory to the club.
The game was good and still is nowadays. Few clubs play the kind of football Arsenal do. Wenger gets full credit for that. They were ‘the beautiful team’ before Barcelona sprang up and have definitely entertained the crowds with their style for far longer than the Catalan giants.
It is time to change if they want to make that close encounter with a trophy from last season an actual victory. Although we are still talking about a second class trophy like the League Cup, definitely just a starter for the fine palate of the Arsenal supporters. Wenger refuses to make any changes so the solution is to let the Nasri and Fabregas go. Without the two even hopes of a top-four finish will be dented. The Arsenal squad is already quite thin and if quality is depleted suddenly like that they may even compromise their chances of going through the Champions League qualifier against Italian side Udinese.
Wilshere should rise as team leader this season. He is willing to keep fighting for the club, although even he asked Wenger to reconsider and bring in new players rather than sell the most prestigious pieces of the collection. Everybody seems to know the way apart from the manager here.
Wilshere and Song should be strong points of the Gunners’ midfield. Both can contribute some goals too but not as much as Fabregas or Nasri are capable of. In that case it would be recommended that Wenger place more faith in Chamakh. The Moroccan striker had been an answer to that problem for Arsenal but apparently Wenger rethought his ideas after signing up the player. He was relegated to the bench too often to make a real impact on the team. The few times he played, however, he was always the danger man. Playing van Persie alongside him rather than instead of him would help Arsenal get the goals they need.
Gervinho is still a mystery box and we will have to wait and see to check what he can do for the club. He will be competing with Chamakh for a place among the starters in attack. Eboue, Diaby and Arshavin are not as consistent as one would like them to be but can play their part when in the right mood.
At the back it will probably be the young Szczesny to get the number one spot. He is the best alternative for Wenger although some experience would have been welcome in a position that had been a weak spot for the team even in their glory days.
The backline was in need of reinforcement, especially in terms of central defenders but Wenger brought in only Jenkison from Charlton. Vermaelen is a quality player but he is injury prone. Koscielny, Djourou and Squillaci are less effective and not material for a top club like Arsenal. Full-backs are not glamorous either. Clichy has been sold to Manchester City and in his place we will be seeing more of Gibbs. Neither himself nor right full-back Sagna are exactly the type of player who can produce the goods for the club.
Promising Costa Rica starlet Joel Campbell is the latest addition, once again another choice in line with Wenger’s young blood policy. He has no experience in top football leagues and at 19 years of age will need time to become strong enough to face the Premier League challenge.
Predicted finishing position: 4th
Nasri and Fabregas want to leave, and that’s final. Whether a deal will be finalized is yet to be determined but Wenger is yet to find replacements. Whichever way this ends – unmotivated stars forced to play at Arsenal or quick-fix replacements for the departed duo – the Gunners will be left weaker than before. Wilshere should rise in the ranks as true leader of the team but despite the pretty game they play Arsenal’s quality is much inferior to that of teams challenging for the title. Only an early exit from the Champions League can give them hopes for a top-four finish.
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