Amongst some Arsenal fans it seems to have become too fashionable to whinge and knock Arsenal’s supposed ambitions, particularly this summer because they have not gone out on a zany-spending spree just to keep the mouthy ones happy. The core of too many arguments seems to be that money is the wonder answer (cue the misguided calls for a Kroenke takeover) and others are touting that Arsene Wenger is running out of inspiration – an argument that is basically revolving around the fact that big names have left and he doesn’t seem prepared to fork out a fortune to find inadequate big name replacements.

Quite how this fits into the fact that Chelsea out spent Man.Utd last summer but still came second, or that 4 out 5 of Arsenal’s record buys (all under Arsene) have basically proved failures (Wiltord, Reyes, Jeffers, van Bronkhorst) - only Henry can actually claim to have really been a success – is illogical. Spend, spend, spend, just doesn’t fit snugly into the fact that since his arrival Arsene has won more silverware than most clubs will achieve in their entire history; and generally off the back of fairly cheap, unknown, underrated, purchases (before opening your mouth again Freddie remember you were one of them).

The crux of the complainants seems to hinge on the fact that Arsenal have gone a ‘whole’ 3 seasons without challenging for the Premiership and this appears to suggest to some that, coupled with the lack of spending, the club is falling woefully behind the other top tier clubs. It would seem that the younger generation in particular have become so used to success that they have lost sight that other clubs also demand it and therefore barren patches (however undesirable) are the norm - Chelsea went 50years, Liverpool 17years (and counting), Man.Utd 3 years, Scum – best part of a lifetime for most!

Ironically on the same day last week that I mounted a defence of Arsenal’s record last season (i.e. in proving they could get points off the ‘top teams’ it underlined that the problem of underperformance against the lower clubs almost certainly could be rectified internally) Arsene Wenger choose to illustrate that if the final league table last season were split into 3; 1) Arsenal were top amongst the Champions League qualifiers, 2) they were only 3 points adrift from Man.Utd against the mid-table teams, but 3) the real divide came when looking at results against the lower clubs and hence the massive points gap between Man.Utd and Arsenal by the end of the season.

Contrary to the doom and gloom whinging merchants, I like the prospect of a forward and midfield line-up mixing van Persie, Da Silva, Adebayor, Bendtner, Walcott, Rosicky, Fabregas, Gilberto, Diaby, Denilson, Hleb… there are a lot of goal scorers amongst them……… roll on the new season.

 

Be seeing you

 

 MysticBeg

In addition to Arsenal's record against the top 4 last season, Man Utd had the worst record against the top 4 (1 win, 3 losses and 2 draws). They're success mostly came from ruthlessly crushing the mid and bottom table teams. If Arsene can impart this killer-instinct before the season starts, we'll be unstoppable.

I'm approaching the season with a kind of guarded optimism. I'd say the smart money is on Chelsea to win the title, but I expect us to surprise everyone and give them a and Man Utd a run for their money. I think this is going to be the last 'transitional' year (albeit more successful than last), and all the parts will come together fully in 08/09.