Big Huge Giant Season Preview, Part III

By: Martin | August 12th, 2009

Preview week continues, and today we get to what the season will bring for our beloved Arsenal. Today we deal with questions about Arsenal’s summer activities. As always, we’re interested to hear what you think, so drop us a line in the comments.

Question 7: If You Had to Give Arsenal’s Offseason a Grade, What Would it Be?

Martin: Well, I’d like to be able to say incomplete on the grounds that we hopefully will bring in a few more players, but as it is, I’ll say C-. We got decent money for both Adebayor and Toure, so it’s hard to be too upset about those sales. Amaury Bischoff didn’t offer us anything anyway. All those moves, in isolation, are fine. But we haven’t put the money back into the squad, which we badly need to do. As of now, Vermaelen is the only addition to the senior squad, and we badly need another center back and a holding midfielder. I’m in the minority in that I think Alex Song will be very good in the holding midfielder role if allowed to play, but at the very least we need cover for him in case of injury. And if Senderos goes to Everton, Silvestre is 4th on the center back depth chart, which would be absolutely, completely unacceptable. In short, the squad still has the exact same problems we had at the end of last season, because Wenger didn’t make a move to fill any of the squad’s needs. It’s doubly frustrating because we have tens of millions of pounds in the bank from sales, the league is there for the taking, and the club just sits on its hands. I don’t see how anyone but an accountant could possibly spin this as a successful offseason for Arsenal.

Travis: It’s hard to say before the season. But that’s why the offseason and the Internet exists, so people like Martin, myself, and all of you can be critical and voice our opinions about our club. To be honest I like the sales of both Adebayor and Toure—we certainly won’t have a problem scoring goals (provided that everyone stays intact), with Bendtner, Arshavin, Van Persie, and Eduardo. At the same time, it’s hard to imagine a club making just one addition improving, especially after conceding so many goals last year. So I’m going with a C. Right about average.

Question 8: Which Newcomer Will Make the Biggest Impact for Arsenal This Season?

Martin: Hmmm. When we wrote this question, I think it was assumed that there would be more than one option. But there isn’t. Thomas Vermaelen.

Travis: I’m going to make Jack Wilshere a “newcomer” just so I can cheat at this answer—only because he’s awesome and because of a technicality (he’s a newcomer to the first team) that’s my final answer.

Question 9: Who Should Arsene Buy Before September 2?

Martin: Well, another striker for cover would be nice (but not necessary), and another holding midfielder is pretty important. But after seeing what injuries did to our backline last season, I think more than anything we’ve just got to get another center back. Right now we’ve got Gallas, Vermaelen, and Djourou as viable options. Senderos is rumored to be on his way to Everton, Song is really a holding midfielder, and Silvestre is terrible. So if I could pick anyone, I think Brede Hangeland would be the perfect fundamentally sound, physical/aerial presence we could so desperately use on our backline. He’d also be a perfect complement to Gallas, as he could mark the larger strikers and stay back, allowing Gallas to use his speed to keep up with pacier attackers and get forward in the attack when the opportunity presents itself.

Travis: This team needs some steel in the middle. I don’t know who exactly that could be—when I played Football Manager, Miguel Veloso was a great pick up (I won the treble in my first year with Arsenal). Realistically speaking, someone like Gokhan Inler would be a step in the right direction. That or a central defender like Hangeland, someone to provide some more depth in the middle. Unless Alex Song becomes a dominant force in midfield, I can’t see this team going beyond fourth place.

Arsenal preview week continues continues with Part IV tomorrow…