Season Preview with Martin!

By: Homey | August 7th, 2011

For those of you who only stumbled upon this blog in the last couple of months, you probably don’t really know who Martin is. But for everyone else, you probably started reading this blog due to his outstanding work for the last couple of years. This summer, he decided to start his own blog. You know, because there aren’t enough Arsenal blogs out there. Anyway, it was because of Martin that I started following this blog closely, and eventually volunteered to become one of the new bloggers.

Today we’re honored to welcome him back for a little preview Q&A, which I hope everyone enjoys. So here are his thoughts on all the things going on at the moment:

1) So what have you been up to since you left the Offside? How’s married life, and how is your blog going? Any truth to the rumor that you’re secretly blogging on a Spurs site under a pen name?

Well, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Mostly work, honestly — the new job has pretty brutal hours at times, which is one of the reasons I had to stop writing for the site in the first place. That hasn’t changed.

Married life is great so far, and MLSW is doing great.

As you mentioned, I have started my own blog, martinonmondays.com, where I blog once a week (about Arsenal, not Spurs). It’s drivel, but you should all read it anyway, out of loyalty or pity.

2) Where you see Arsenal finishing in the table this year, and who do you have winning the league? And who do you have winning the Champions League?

Sigh. Honestly, I have a tough time seeing us above 3rd place at the end of the season. I don’t really see anything we’ve done to dramatically improve on last year’s team, and it seems like all the teams around us have shown a lot more ambition than we have. I’d say 4th or 5th is more likely.

I think it will either be United or Chelsea again. If United get Sneijder, obviously that would be big for them. They’ll be good again, no doubt. I think they’re the safe pick, so I’ll go with them.

But don’t count out Chelsea. A settled Torres and a healthy Essien will be a massive boon for them. Benayoun will play. Luiz and Ramires will be settled in and ready to contribute. Sturridge and McEachran are going to be really, really good. And no coach in the world did a better job last year than Villas-Boas, who really may take the world by storm this year.

Barcelona will win the Champions League. Mainly because they’re way better than everyone else.

3) Is this the year that we end our trophy drought?

Sigh…probably not. I don’t think we’re good enough to win the league or Champions League. We could get a good draw and make a great run through one or both of the domestic cups, but it seems unlikely.

4) What do you expect to see during the remainder of the summer transfer window?

I think Nasri will go. We’ve talked about this before, but I just don’t believe that Wenger will keep him without a contract. I think Cesc will stay because Barca just haven’t come close to offering what he’s worth.

Elsewhere, there may be some players who we thought would leave who may stay. It’s going to be tough to find a team willing to take on Almunia’s salary, so the best we may be able to do there is a Denilson-style loan.

It’s dragging on, but I think Eboue will leave to Galatasaray pretty soon. I haven’t heard anything concrete on Bendtner in a while, so I’m starting to get my hopes up that he’ll stay.

In terms of players coming in, I just have no clue. I’d like to see another defender, but I’m not sure how likely that is at this point. We’ve seen Wenger go into the season with 4 CBs, 1 of whom is terrible, for many seasons now.

Mata would be nice, but I think it may be contingent upon Nasri or Cesc being sold. But largely, I think the team we have now is the team we’ll have for the season.

5) Is there a young player you expect to have a breakout season?

Gibbs. This is his year if he can stay healthy. Lost in all the complaining about Wenger’s failure to replace Clichy is that when Gibbs has been able to stay healthy enough to play a few matches in a row, he’s been much better than Clichy the last couple of seasons. There aren’t many better left backs in the League. Again, the caveat is if he can stay healthy, something he has obviously struggled with recently, he’s going to break out this season and Arsenal fans far and wide will be lining up to pretend they never doubted him.

6) On a scale of 1 to 10, what’s your level of satisfaction with the way things are going at Arsenal right now, from top to bottom? At what point, if any, will you agree with me that Wenger needs to go?

Hmmm…5? It’s been frustrating to see the team’s same shortcomings exposed in pretty much the exact same way over and over. And the lack of trophies is definitely frustrating. I’d certainly like another defender, and another attacker wouldn’t hurt.

But I guess it comes down to expectations. A lot of people seem to feel we have some sort of divine right to trophies every year, and I don’t agree with that. We’ve been phenomenally successful over the past decade, but looking back at Arsenal’s history shows that this is the exception, not the rule. Wenger has managed to keep us very competitive during a very difficult time, financially, with the stadium issues. Since Wenger has taken charge, he has transformed us from one of the bigger sides in England into one of the biggest clubs in the world (when he took charge, we really weren’t substantially bigger than Everton, Spurs, Villa, or Newcastle). And he doesn’t get nearly enough credit from Arsenal fans for that. I know things have been tougher recently, and I’m not saying he hasn’t made mistakes, but I think it would be pretty ungrateful not to stand behind him. Maybe if he finishes 5th, I’ll feel differently. But I also wonder who all these elite, available managers are that the “Wenger out” crowd will bring in to fix all our problems.

7) Who do you project as this year’s team MVP?

Well, if van Persie could stay healthy for a whole season, it would be him, but he can’t. If Cesc stays, and I think he will, it will be him. So that’s my pick. Sagna, Song, Vermaelen, and Theo could all be in the mix as well.

8 ) Who do you expect to be our biggest disappointment this season?

I hate to say this, but I’ll go with Jack. Don’t get me wrong — I love Jack, and he was a revelation last season. But because of his age and devotion to the club, fans seem to have developed a mythology around him that may not be entirely accurate. He was named in the PFA team of the year last year, which is kind of insane if you think about it.

His finishing was atrocious last season, and in general he wasn’t that effective in the final third. He’s still prone to disappearing for long stretches, and bad tackles.

I’m not bashing him. He’s a good young player with a brilliant attitude, and he’ll continue to improve. But fans seem to have lionized him at the expense of recognizing his flaws, and I think a lot of people will be disappointed by Jack’s growing pains this season.

9) What will we be talking about next summer?

Well, given my other predictions, I have to say it will be the usual suspects: another year without a trophy, is it time to fire Wenger, will Cesc leave, who should we sign to shore up our defense, etc. It makes me want to bang my head against my desk just thinking about it.

Some Related Stories:

Category: Arsenal News, Arsene Wenger, Chelsea, Manchester United, Pre-Season, Samir Nasri, Transfer News and Player Movement

« JG is crying, aka Benfica 2-1 Arsenal | Home | Welcome to Arsenal: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain! »

Augustus Jonah

Always wanted to say this, might be the wrong time but then again, don't really mind. How come for some time now, during the summer transfer window Arsene goes on about how we have a good squad, and only an exceptional player can come in and improve our team, then the transfer window shuts and we end up with a Silvetre, Chamakh, Koscielny, Squillaci and the like. Not saying Chamakh and Kos are bad players. But when our manager says he wants exceptional players to improve our team and we end up with these players then something got to be wrong. Anyway felt taking a hit at someone, not even sure who..............
SJGgumby

Out of Cahill, Samba, Per and Jagielka, is there a consensus on who would be preferable? I can't even pretend to have enough knowledge of any of them except to think that Samba's apparent lack of speed would be a disaster with how high of a line we play.
Darren_V

Jagielka all the way.Then Per or Cahill.
And as always, no to Samba.
brenton

Whoever is faster of Jagielka and Cahill. Mertesacker is more of a position player, great in the tackle. Not sure how fast he is. Samba only brings size and some decent tackling, which the other three also have.

That said, I'm a pretty big fan of Mertesacker. He's massive (6'6") and a starter for a very good German national team. Bremen had a tough year, which is why he may be available.
Martin

Oxlade-Chamberlain confirmed by the official site.

And who knows how much stock to put in this, but a lot of sources are now saying that Arsenal have made a renewed push for Gary Cahill. We'll see.
brenton

twitter types are trying to call him The OC. I think we can all agree that Oxtail-Chamberpot (Oxtail for short) is a far better moniker.
brenton

Apparently they are scouting Cahill. If they still need to scout him, they are negligent in their research.
SJGgumby

Unless they're just making sure he's healthy.
brenton

Sure, except that's what a medical is for. Hard to get medical details from watching a player in one pre-season game.

Also, I did read that the scouting was perhaps a twitter rumour, and likely overblown. Mostly having a moan.
brenton

With Vermaelen and Koscielny both hurt, it is entirely possible that we'll start Djourou and Squillaci against Newcastle. Really. Homey train starting to fill up, I sense.
JG

That is, unless Wenger goes out and signs ano- why is someone pinching me?
brenton

Should have included Traore in that, with Gibbs already hurt. If Martin's shirt curse strikes Sagna, we may start a reserve backline! Awesome!
Gigi_man

I hope for the player(s) not wanting to be gunners to go and have a JPP-type disappointement (AC Milan - O.M.) ....ah dreams, we'll get higher and higher.....
Gigi_man

Nice. Actually its real, and true, and sad, but nice to read it.
I think AW is worried, and I got to think that someone is holding him back to sign other defenders. But that wont be any excuse sadly.
I agree with Martin as I said in a sad comment last week, I dont see it coming this year, we are lacking depth and Jenkinson is not the answer, Vermaelen was out too long.
I d say that with one, only one signing of an established defender, we would change dramatically our potential for trophies this season. I am not sayinh that a single player will do it, a singled player ADDED to what already is here, will.
Homey_Mills

As a little news update, I'm working on my massive "Wenger Must Go" blog. It's 1100 words and I haven't even really gotten started yet. It will probably end up at 6000 words or so. I hope nobody falls asleep. Anyway, it will take me another few days. We should have other stuff up between now and then. Especially if there is ever going to be an actual transfer.
brenton

I hope you've dedicated a large portion of it to the possible replacements. There are few.
Homey_Mills

Don't worry. That will be covered.
FredJacob

well i for one would not be reading that blog
Homey_Mills

Well hopefully one of the other 3 bloggers will write a counterpoint to it, and then we'll present something for all of our readers.
Still, having said that, I think my feelings are hurt. Crushed even.
spartastuff

I expect the opposite, Cesc will leave, he didn't play in preseason anyway, and Wenger replaces him with Mata or someone. In a hope that the success next season persuades Nasri to stay.

If I think about it, keeping captain, who wants to leave, who even sponsors his departure by giving up on wages and bonuses, who is frequently injured, who missed the entire preseason...
Martin

Actual reputable sources are reporting that Oxford-Chamberpot is in London for his medical after Arsenal and Southampton agreed to terms on a 12 million deal, although apparently not all of that is to be paid up front.

I know he's not the established player fans want, but Wenger's track record shows that if he's spending that kind of money on a player that age, he's probably a very good player. His injury track record is very good, and even if it was at the League One level, 10 goals and 9 assists for a 17 year old is a very good return. I'm excited about this deal.
Gigi_man

Hmm for all I agreed with above, I dont in this one. I believe I am tired of youngsters, I vote for a 25 year old defender. No other singning would make my day. I hoped for the Gervinho one, guess one cant have 2 wishes ofr signings in one summer... :(
Homey_Mills

I read some of that too, and I'm also excited about it. And not to split hairs, but he's still just 17 (birthday coming up next week). So for a player that young, it's a very good return. Still doesn't replace Nasri for this season, but at least we're building a team for the future and all that.
brenton

Who are you splitting hairs with? Did Martin edit his comment to say 17 after your reply? That is some low, low shit.
Martin

I did originally write 19, then realized I was wrong and went back and corrected it to 17. Homey must have been responding at the same time I was fixing it. Regular readers know that I have always been willing to respond to my mistakes and call myself an idiot, and I'm certainly not stopping now.
brenton

Martin, you can't squirm out of this one. Clearly trying to sabotage Homey's credibility. Which he will also do shortly with his "Wenger must go!" piece, likely suggesting McLaren as the replacement.
Martin

Also, I would note that I gave these answers on Friday morning, before the news had broken that Cesc did not travel with the team to Portugal for the Benfica friendly. That probably would have tempered my opinion that Cesc would stay.
Bumblefock

agree on 5th place, if not 6th. manu, chelsea, liverpool, man city, possibly tottenham. arsenal is a weak wreck.
brenton

Liverpool aren't looking great. Carroll will score some goals, but their midfield is a bit of a wreck. Not that they have poor players, but that they have too many and none seem to play together well. I really think Aquilani is an excellent player that most in England have oddly written off.
brenton

Homey, LeGrove sort of beat you to it with the latest "It's time for someone at Arsenal to stand up to Wenger" piece.

Martin, would you take a concerted effort in the two domestic cups over a sure-defeat in the Champions League?
Darren_V

Meh. Geoff at LeGrove is a horrendous writer and has been bashing Wenger for 5 seasons. Take it with a grain of salt from him, he is eratic and illogical.
Pedro on the other hand is a good guy, and much more measured.
brenton

It is pretty poor rambling.
JG

Plus, he always nicknames the players with a -zza/-zzer suffix at the end. Kozzer, Jazzer, Nazzers.. it's annoying.
brenton

Or like Oxtail... or Oxxers?
Homey_Mills

I just read it. I agree with pretty much all of it, of course. I don't find the guy to be the best writer in the world, and yet they have only seem to have about 50 times more readers than we do. But still, it won't stop me from writing the "mother of all rants" this week.
Martin

As promised . . . the unfortunate victim of this year's "Curse of Martin's shirt" will be Bacary Sagna.

Thanks for letting me do this, Homey, it's nice of you guys to let the old guy hang around every now and then.
Darren_V

By the way, Essien is injured Martin.
SJGgumby

I was really hoping you went with Terry.
Orion

Let's hope Jenkinson turns out really well then.
brenton

Sagna? You cursed Sagna? Old guy privileges revoked.
satan

Martin Heisenberg - Understand the reference.
brenton

Martin Heisenberg is married to Apollonia, Countess of Eulenburg
Homey_Mills

Excellent choice of shirt, I must say. Hard to go wrong with Sagna.

And we'd love to have you again sometime... maybe in the January transfer window/mid-season review.
FredJacob

Wengers reaction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
brenton

Wenger reacted to Homey's Q&A with Martin? We're HUGE!