You May Say I'm a Dreamer
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by Tyduffy
Arsenal have been the bete noire of the big four the past two seasons. The once invincibles are coming off consecutive fourth place finishes, punctuated by the loss of world beaters like Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry. Fans, accustomed to competing for titles, have seen them struggle to stay in the Champions League. The club has been conservative fiscally, while Liverpool and Manchester United have dropped 50mGBP+ respectively (much of it on unproven players). This coupled with calamitous rumors of a hostile takeover and the impending departure of manager and club fixture Arsene Wenger, have caused the surface outlook to appear bleak. Many pundits predict dark times ahead and the passing of their big four torch to Tottenham Hotspur.
There are, however, many flaws in that narrative. All hope is not lost for the Gunners. Here are Five Reasons why they can mount a title challenge this season.
1. They weren't that bad last year.
Arsenal did finish fourth, but this can be attributed to a number of factors. There was a great turnover in the squad after the Champions League Final loss. The club lost fixtures like Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp, as well as drama queens like Sol Campbell and Cashley Cole. They also had nearly every key player out for an extended period of time due to injury, particularly devastating was the loss of strike partners Henry and Robin Van Persie. With players being shuffled in and out of the squad, Arsenal never developed a rhythm and played inconsistent football. They were absolute rubbish at times, and even when successful were ruthlessly inefficient at front of goal. At times, the season looked like an absolute disaster for the club. But even with all of these lows, the club still tied Liverpool on points (probably would not have if they hadn't stopped playing once they clinched 4th), and cleared 5th place Tottenham by 8pts. They got key results against Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool. The youth squad almost won the League Cup. It wasn't a terrible year.
2. The loss of Thierry Henry is more symbolic than tangible.
Yes, Arsenal lost their captain, their icon, and their talisman. He was perhaps the greatest player in England during the Premier League era, and one of the greatest talents in World Football. That said, he really failed to contribute a whole lot last season. He never really recovered from the World Cup hangover and was addled by sciatica and assorted injuries through much of the season. He contributed only 12 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions (1o in the league). He had a few flashes of brilliance, though he never managed to take over a match. The team played without him through large stretches of the season and didn't seem to suffer terribly because of it. Arsenal will lose the cache of having one of the biggest stars in the world on their squad, but it does not appear that his physical absence will have a disastrous effect.
3. Contrary to popular belief, they do have enough up front.
Arsenal do not have a Thierry Henry who is going to dump in 35 goals in the season. But what they lack in elite quality, they make up for in depth, versatility, and potential. Robin Van Persie showed flashes of brilliance and was well on his way to a 20 goal season before being derailed by injury. If Adebayor can even slightly improve his atrocious conversion rate, he could be good for 10-13 goals in the league. Eduardo Da Silva (if he can get a work permit) should be the finisher that they have so often lacked. He scored goals against Arsenal and England, and no matter what league one plays in 34 goals in 32 appearances is a massive tally. Theo Walcott is not quite polished yet, but he still has Henry-esque pace and skill and should create some havoc. They also have Nicklas Bendtner who can give them an aerial threat and who looked impressive both at Birmingham and in pre-season friendlies.
They have a collection of talented players. None of Liverpool's striker, even 27mGBP Torres, would be an automatic first choice. None of the player's have Henry's creative ability, but their system will create chances for them to shine. They just need to put the ball in the back of the net, and they have the talent to do that.
4. The Midfield cannot be worse than last season.
Arsenal's major weakness last year was scoring from the midfield. Rosicky, who was brought in to replace Pires, was injured much of the season and never really got going. Fabregas and Hleb squandered numerous chances with poor shooting. The trio combined for 7 goals in the league last year. All three are classier players than that, and should be far more productive in the coming year. Gilberto and Flamini can both get forward when they need to do so. They also have some fresh blood with Diaby and Denilson. The only question will be on the wings. Eboue is adept going forward and putting crosses into the box, so his transition to the right wing should be fairly painless. Clichy's runs left back should give them width on the left. There is still the possibility that a replacement for Ljungberg is coming (perhaps one who won't go MIA). They also create enough chances with their style that width is not as crucial as it would be for another club. If the midfield had been decent last year, they would have cleared Liverpool by a fair margin.
5. The Defense should be better as well.
The back four never really got a chance to gel last season, with players being shuffled in and out due to injury. They should be solid at left and right back with Clichy, Sagna, Hoyte, Flamini, and potentially Gallas on the left. Kolo is a solid center half (the occasional brain far aside). If they can get anything out of Gallas besides senseless bleating this should be a decent back four. They also have Senderos and Djourou in reserve. If they can do a better job marking on set pieces, the defense should be fine.
Arsenal are young and a bit inexperienced. They didn't go out and make the sexy signings of the Liverpools or the Manchester Utd's. The last two veterans from the "Invincibles" squad have left the club. However, they have a prodigious amount of young talent. Will they win the Premier League this season? Probably Not. But, the discrediting doomsday scenarios are a bit premature. Have faith Arsenal supporters. There is much to be excited about.
