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by Stuart Flatt from Average Joes Blog
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Theo Walcott celebrates his goal against Udinese (Credit: Arsenal.com)
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What a few weeks it’s been for Arsenal fans! Although a long time coming, midfield general Cesc Fabregas eventually completed one of the most drawn out transfer sagas ever by finally completing his move to boyhood team Barcelona. He was swiftly followed through the door by the gunners best player last season (in my opinion) Samri Nasri, who headed off to big spending Manchester City.
Things then got even worse, when Arsenal followed this up with a humiliating defeat to last year’s Premier League champions and beaten Champions League finalists Manchester United, with a whopping 8 – 2 score, which even now hard to comprehend.
Both the team and manager Arsene Wenger have come in for criticism — and rightly so in my opinion. The once champions of the EPL and most talented sides in the world just a few years ago have since become somewhat of a laughing stock after last weekend. The fans I know are worried about a potential nightmare season in which they will be just happy to finish in the top half, not the usual top four we have expected in the past.
Saying all that, Wenger still has around six hours to get his season back on track! There is no doubt he needs to buy before the transfer window shuts, and I am afraid he needs to buy big. There is always money available should they wish to spend it — did you know Arsenal is actual one of the few football teams to actually make a profit each season? — and they really do need too.
However, real news seems to be coming in. Within the last few hours, they have also confirmed the purchase of Brazilian left-back Andre Santos, who has joined the Gunners for $10.1 million. A good, solid signing who will fit straight in and replace Gael Clichy in the back four. We then believe that a deal is now going through for Werder Bremen defender Per Mertesacker, which will be a very good signing with bags of quality and proven track record.
This gives Arsenal two pretty good quality defenders, an area where they need to strengthen. But we don’t think it will stop there (Helmii Furniture). Nicklas Bendtner is bound to leave before the end of today – well, at least Arsenal fans are hoping he does. This should make room for a starting striker. And, after losing arguably their two best midfielders in Fabregas and Nasri (Jack Wilshire is still at the club) surely at least one known name will come in to fill that hole?
It could be anyone, Fellaini and Mikel Arteta have been touted from Everton, Edin Hazard of Lille, Japan international Keisuke Honda and even Yann M’Vila at Rennes.
Who they will get is anyone’s guess, but I am pretty sure that Wenger knows this could be his last throw of the dice this season. Don’t get me wrong, he is a great manager, but after 15 years at the club, I am afraid his time could well be up.
Stuart Flatt is a writer from Average Joes Blog, one of the leading opinions in men’s lifestyle around the world, and a weekly columnist for What’s Trending.
