Arsenal are by no means a bad team, but they are some way off being a top team. Having lost RvP in the summer, as well as Alex Song, it was always going to be difficult to mount anything close to a title challenge. Despite this, with the signing of Cazorla in particular, some Arsenal fans got overly optimistic, believing this could be their year. What followed were two successive draws at the start of the season. Many put this down to an influx of new players and a new style. Arsenal later drew at City, believing this to be their home coming as a top side. At this stage they’d in reality only won two league games, despite a huge surge of optimism from the fans.
When Chelsea came to Arsenal and won, it became clear, Arsenal were not title challengers. The defeat to Norwich re-affirmed this. This should not have been a surprise; with just two wins in the Premier League prior to that game the fans simply got far too carried away and thus set themselves up for a fall. Having lost to Norwich and now Shalke fans are again questioning what is wrong, the thing that is wrong is their own expectations. Arsenal fans must become more realistic or risk continual disappointment. It is absurd to expect Arsenal to challenge Chelsea, City or United who operate with huge budgets and have the ability to pay big wages to keep their best stars.
With Arsenal’s prudent business model they cannot expect better than a top four finish, which in itself should be viewed as a good achievement Wenger’s consistent ability to finish fourth is a hallmark of his quality and ability to work well on a tight budget. The wages reportedly offered to van Persie by United would be unthinkable at Arsenal, which is where the problem lies. Money talks in the modern game and Arsenal aren’t willing to splash the cash. Instead, as they were this summer, they must be prudent and look for shrewd signings, at time taking risks. Top, established stars or Europe’s hottest prospects such as Hazard are not realistic targets due to their profile and wage demands. Arsenal took a risk bringing in Giroud for example, it’s difficult to say whether he can turn his Ligue 1 form into Premier League form, but if he does £12 million will look a bargain signing.
There is cause for optimism. The race for 4th might be tight, but Arsenal are surely favourites with a host of exciting players in their side, including the impressive Santi Cazorla. Their midfield is one of the best around; few sides have as many options as Arteta, Wilshire, Ramsay, Rosicky, Diaby and Cazorla in centre midfield. Further to this youthful players like Wilshire and Oxlade-Chamberlain could really step up over the next few seasons. With this in mind, as well as if the club keep finishing fourth the future may be better than the present, especially if financial regulations are tightened. Knee-jerk reactions suggesting the club should let Wenger go are also deluded, he is arguably the man keeping them competitive.
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An intelligent, concise analysis that I and manhy have been saying for the last few seasons. Chaps, what else can we expect? Unless FFP has teeth, 4th is our goal with the possibility of a domestic cup. That comprises our best and realistic goal. For those who disagree, be careful what you wish for. Do you really want a controlling sugar daddy that knows FA about football let alone Arsenal who then saddles the club with debt? Do you really want to spend, spend sopend till we’re in ruin just for some glory years? Only FFP can bring back equilibrium, but only of those who police it look at the substance of the finances behind the clubs and not just the form, and then have the balls to enforce. Our business model is absolutely right and we must hold faith and get behind the team and manager. Wenger out? You must be mad!
The article is right that expectations need managing but perhaps someone should pass the message to the Board and Manager who have consistently misled the fans as to expectations.
Each year for the last five, the Board and Manager have stated that there is a significant budget (around £30million) available for new players (accepting that its wages/trasfer fee). But each year, the club has a net surplus from player trading.
Therefore logically does this mean that the club has £150 million available to it? No, so the club have lied about what the expectations are and what investment has gone into the side.
If the club came out and said that until the debt has been repaid (forget FFP – it won’t be enforced or a super-league will pop up), we can only purchase players from sales then it would be more accurate and would manage the expectations appropriately. However they won’t do that because then the ‘most expensive ticket price’ argument is rightly raised.
So in summary, the article is right about expectations but until the club is honest it deserves the kicking its going to get from the AGM.