From David Rakison : By now, we all know the definition of insanity
Dear Myles,
I have written to you during each of the last two summers to voice my dismay about how we are so close to creating a title-winning squad but keep failing to make that final push in the transfer market that will get us there. This year seems like deja-vu all over again (again).
I actually started this letter last week but predicted what you, other Gooners, and the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy might say to my opening sentences: DON’T PANIC! I’m definitely not at that point yet, and we are all aware that there are three weeks left in the transfer window.
But Sunday’s abysmal performance against West Ham and our inactivity in the transfer market—bar the potentially excellent signing of Cech and a number of youth players who won’t come to fruition for many years—is worrisome at best.
Our needs are relatively few: A super top-top-top quality striker, a defensive midfielder as back-up or competition for Le Coq, and perhaps a left back (especially if Nacho heads back to Spain).
Having said that, the attacking options on the bench—without Welbeck and Wilshere—look limited, and it’s a statement of where we are when Wenger makes only two substitutions at home to West Ham when we’re chasing the game.
Regardless, I hope that most Arsenal fans would agree that two or maybe three quality signings are more or less all the additions that could turn us from perennial Champion’s League qualifiers into actual champions of something.
But this year—more than the last few—it seems as if we are so close to a title-winning squad but there is a dearth of quality players in the world that would help us make that transition.
They’re certainly out there but the list is short, at least as far as the press would have us think. Take the striker position, for example. We desperately need someone to come in. Giroud will continue to do his impression of the best looking donkey in the Premiership, and Walcott doesn’t have the brain, the strength, or the technique to play up top.
Of the players that we could feasibly buy—I’m leaving out Messi, Ronaldo, Aguero, and Neymar—I imagine most fans would be happy if we bought Benzema or Lewandowski. We need to break the bank for one of them. I don’t really care what they cost either: we have the cash so let’s spend it.
If we don’t get one of those two, who else is there? I don’t know but I’ve never managed a football team for even a day so why should I? But Wenger should, surely? The next Messi and Ronaldo are out there somewhere, and I find it amusing that he keeps saying “if we find exceptional quality” we will add to the squad.
What do his 36 or so scouts do all year?
What is the point of buying a multi-million dollar Harvard statistics company if they can’t find anyone who can improve on what we already have?
We all assume that someone will come in, but why always wait so long during the summer? Wouldn’t it be better to bed in these players before the season starts? After last season’s terrible start, you would think Wenger would do everything—including bringing in new talent to the first team—to hit the ground running. But without any new outfield additions, teams know what all of our players are capable of, how we’ll play, and there are no surprises and no unknown quantities (like Payet was to us today).
Bottom line, I was surprised that so many people consider us league contenders.
We have, essentially, the same team as last year that finished a distant third to Chelsea (and Ospina cost us few, if any points, between January and May).
Why should this year be any different?
Last year, Wenger declared at the end of September that we couldn’t and wouldn’t win the league. Without the right additions we’re heading that way again. I’ve no doubt that we will win the “top 4 trophy”, but frankly that’s not enough anymore.
Thanks Myles, as always, for the ANR site.
The explosion of so-so Arsenal blogs on the web—most of which are simply there to get you to visit the site for the advertising—has highlighted even more how we need intelligent, well-informed, people like yourself to keep the dialogue going. Cheers.
Myles says:
Don’t exaggerate, David.
I’m only well-informed when scoops come my way, occasionally and randomly, from various sources.
On Danny Welbeck, I’m not sure he’s injured.
My guess is he might be sold in the next 20 days.
Gazidis bought him, not Wenger.
When Welbeck wasn’t even on the bench at Hull City, he walked out of the squad, I was told. Have we seen him since then?
Danny Welbeck isn’t super-skilful but he’s a gutsy competitor and the team needed more of that against West Ham.