Potential Incoming Players
Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis has been boasting the Gunners’ new financial position, as new deals from Emirates and PUMA appear to have significantly enhanced Arsenal’s spending ability. While he has previously made similar statements, this time it looks as if the club are showing their ambition with actions rather than words. As usual, Arsenal has been linked with countless numbers of players. However, recent rumours show a sizable increase in the class of those players. The two main targets at the moment appear to be Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid) and Marouane Fellaini (Everton). Word on the streets says that the former has already agreed a record deal with Arsenal; it looks as if the Gunners will be very active in this transfer window. These two, along with the less senior acquisitions of players such as Yaya Sanogo, should provide the squad with a lot more quality and depth as the club approaches a season which looks to be the most competitive Premier League campaign to date. The current Arsenal line-up can certainly be improved, and it seems that Arsene Wenger and his men are on the job.
Stability
Out of last season’s top four, Arsenal is the only team that are going into this new season with the same manager they had last year. Manchester United’s legendary Sir Alex Ferguson has retired and been replaced by David Moyes. Roberto Mancini was fired by Manchester City, and the Chilean Manager Manuel Pellegrini has been brought in to fill in as manager. Chelsea fans will be delighted that interim manager Rafa Benitez has left the club, and even more jubilant at the arrival of Jose Mourinho, the special one. So why should this be an advantage to Arsenal? Along with new managers come new changes to style of play, training routines, and football philosophy. While Arsenal players have known the way that Arsene wants them to play, those playing for the other three clubs will need to adapt quickly to a new way of life in their respective teams. This small advantage is not the single catalyst that will pave the way for Arsenal’s success, but the Gunners will need all the help they can get after last season’s disappointing performance.
Arsene Wenger
He may have his critics, but the man is showing that he’s still got it. After poor performances from key players last year, Arsene Wenger was uncharacteristically ruthless, and benched some of his underperforming starters, such as Jack Wilshere, Thomas Vermaelen and Wojcech Szczesny. This tactical move seems to be a sign of things to come, as I’m sure Le Professeur is as eager as ever to bring his side back to the top. He seems to have accepted that big name signings have to be made, and is ready to smash his transfer record by signing Higuaín for a reported 22 million pounds. Furthermore, the manager is starting the final year of his current contract, and if he does leave, he would surely want to go out with a bang. The players must all feel a need to please the man whom so many call their footballing father, and with potentially his last year at the club coming up, expect to see all the players stepping up.