Arsenal, Premier League
Season Preview - Arsenal: Lack of depth will prevent title challenge
Continuing our Premier League preview series, Tim Wigmore analyses Arsenal's chances of success and believes much depends upon Robin van Persie.
2007/8 In A Nutshell Following Thierry Henry’s departure, expectations were relatively low. However, inspired by Cesc Fabregas and with Emmanuel Adebayor attaining new heights, Arsenal played a wonderful brand of football, displaying incredible technical proficiency; with ten games left, they were on course for a remarkable league triumph. Fortunes turned in a tumultous game at Birmingham, and they never recovered from a combination of a long-term injury to Eduardo and William Gallas’s histrionics following the last-gasp equaliser. There was also an agonising quarter-final defeat in the Champions League - but, following all the pre-season doom-mongering, 83 points and third place constituted an impressive campaign.
Summer Activity Yet again, Arsene Wenger is in the position of having money but being loathe to spend it. Two key men from last campaign - Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini - have departed, with exciting Frenchman Samir Nasri effectively replacing Hleb. But there has yet to be a replacement for Flamini’s brilliant box-to-box endeavour of last season. Hopes are high for Aaron Ramsey, but at just 17 he is obviously unlikely to start many key matches - though he could provide game-changing dynamism from the bench.
Key Men Emphatically, this is Fabregas’s side: its make-up is designed to make the most of his exquisite passing ability and creativity, which was reaffirmed at Euro 2008. The Spaniard continues to progress, developing his consistency, fitness and tackling; now, he must look to double the five league goals he mustered last campaign. Adebayor will be crucial once again. But the man who could make the difference is Robin van Persie. Outrageously skilful, his development has been stunted through a combination of inconsistency and fitness concerns. But he possesses copious talent, and a rare combination of mesmerising close-ball control and lethal finishing.
Rising Star Theo Walcott, Ramsey and Nasri are amongst many possibilities, but now, finally, Carlos Vela will have a season at Arsenal after being parked in Spain for two years. It has been clear from when he won the Golden Boot in Mexico’s World U-17 triumph three years ago that Vela possesses a rare talent, a fusion of raw pace and immense skill. He provides an ‘x-factor’ and unknown quality of the sort that could take the Premier League by storm.
Coach Arsene Wenger’s faith in the power of youth remains undiminished. Seldom one for pragmatism, he wholeheartedly embraces a thrilling style of pass-and-move football in which all players are comfortable with the ball at their feet and there is a fierce desire to attack. But if the club endure a fourth consecutive trophyless season there will be renewed doubts over his adamant refusal to pay ‘over-the-odds’ for players. Sometimes, though, paying a few million extra can pay stunning dividends as Liverpool’s signing of Fernando Torres was testament to.
Prospects For 2008/9 The squad is a year older and a year wiser than this time last year; if they could come within four points of the title with an injury-stricken squad last season, then why not the Premier League this? The answer lies in an over-reliance on Fabregas - especially as there is uncertainty over who will partner him in central midfield - and, for all the prodigious talent in the squad, a chronic lack of depth. Add to this the perennial concerns over Manuel Almunia in goal and, whilst Arsenal have the attacking brilliance and first-choice eleven to defeat the best, the cups represent a better chance of ending that trophy droughts than the league.
Footballing World Prediction 4th
Tags: Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin Van Persie, Samir Nasri
Related Articles
Discussion
6 comments for “Season Preview - Arsenal: Lack of depth will prevent title challenge”
Post a comment
Welcome to Footballing World
Recent Posts
In Focus
Jonathon Craigie believes Rafa Benítez has finally found the key to securing Premier League glory for Liverpool.
Featured Posts
Fabio Capello's reign began slowly but England have since shone in World Cup qualifying, a return to the days of Sven-Goran Eriksson when progressing into major tournaments was always a facile task.
Jonathan O'Shea looks at the English quartet's chances of progressing into the knockout stages of the Uefa Cup.
How important is Javier Mascherano for Liverpool? Chakrit Narula believes the all-action Argentine could be a future captain following his terrific impact since arriving at Anfield.
Arsenal will be battling Spurs for 3rd place. Everton or Villa will be battling Liverpool for fifth place
dreadful article. New season same old dirge. Arsenal finished one win short of top with Spurs 30 points behind. Regardless of what Wenger does, and it is usually something special, Spurs have sold their top striker and brought in some untested players. This season, Arsenal will finish top or second. Spurs will finish around 10th. Both will improve a notch or so on last season. Which ever way you cut it, Spurs are not good enough to challenge the top four.
GET IN LINE ARSENAL YOU ARE COMING A LOUSEY FITH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Initially worrying, now exciting times at Spurs.Yet another fantastic buy in Corluka.With all this spending who can say now that Spurs are not a giant in the EPL? And all this before we get some dough for the Sulker.Ramos is making his intentions crystal clear and if all the new additions perform should ensure a Top 6 placing this term.I don’t think anyone will be looking forward to facing Spurs this term, and I mean anyone.And by the look of things the shopping is not over…..Maybe, just maybe with the new stadium plans off the drawing board Spurs could well gatecrash the comfort zone of the big hitters, smugly established as the Top 4.On paper and pre-season they are looking fantastic.There’s quality in every area.The notion of surpassing Arsenal and giving Liverpool a run, just may not be as remove as there supporters would have us all believe.The Impossible just could have become do- able. If not this year,then sometime in the not to distant future.We bang on about this possibility every year about this time. Realistically now we should be a dawn sight more optimistic, immaterial of what blinkered Arsenal Fans may or not believe.
Bwhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Van Persie is not the key for us to win the title. He’s too inconsistent…even when he plays.
The key will be if Rosicky can return fit.
Also…I think Bendtner will make this season his…his breakthrough. Glassman will be out injured anyways very soon.
[...] of his goals demonstrated Vela’s terrific pace and precision finishing, something Arsenal have desperately lacked since Henry’s elongated departure. Theo Walcott showed much the same with his own hat-trick [...]