Did Arsenal go too far with the January cost-cutting?

In Debt, or in Depth? by John Picco

As the current season has progressed I’ve found myself pleasantly surprised with the results and the push for the top 4 position that I’ve seen, especially in spite of the real lack of true quality being purchased and brought into the fold!

The latest transfer window passed and we really did see the paving of the way to bringing in sensational talent.  We shed many salaries that were never going to see playing time, and lightened the load on the books, to the point where even a Kroenke may offer the slightest of nods to or perhaps even a wink of approval for.

For a while it even became exciting with the potential incoming names floating around.  Isak ,Vlahovic, and more!  Are they worth the dollar figures being discussed?  Likely not.  Were they exciting possible additions?  It certainly fired me up with the trajectory we were on!!

Yet despite all of that a glaring hole has formed in the depth chart.  In clearing debt we’ve cleared depth, and boy was that on display in the 3 outings prior to the Chelsea victory.  Truthfully, I find myself flip flopping between what is the right approach.  Top 4 and beyond is the goal!  And we are right there to take it!  Yet a little of that sold off depth would have surely added some solidity to our chances.  We could then have a nervous game from Nuno, see a wing back injury through, or deal with a bout of COVID.

Yet that may very well be the blockade that we look back on and bemoan as the cause of our inability to cross the line we sorely want to cross.  It is a fine line between appeasing the business side and the squad depth, and we may have been a little too business-minded and a little less game-prepared in this case.

Time will tell if the heart and soul of this young squad finds another gear to get us through, yet my nervous energy grows in each and every match that has a missing first team member on the sidelines.  I’d take a little depth over reducing our debt right about now..