Was this summer Wengers biggest mistake? by JH
The start of the summer was great, we finally had ourselves a world class keeper, for the first time in many, many years. Petr Cech signing for £10 million seemed like the transfer of the summer at the time. Arsenals weakest link had become one of our strongest, a true star to go along with Ozil and Sanchez.
Things were looking up, some pundits (though they have since changed their mind) even tipped us for the title. In fact a lot of Arsenal fans had the same feeling, we had almost the full transfer window to sign a top striker. This time, we thought, we will finally replace the Dutch traitor. Well, that’s what we hoped. And I think most times, It’s the hope that kills you.
Martinez, Bacca, Dybala, Mandzukic all left for elsewhere. Cavani, Benzema, Zlatan, Lacazette even Charlie Austin all linked, all stayed. As striker after striker was linked, striker after striker either left for elsewhere or committed to their club.
Arsenal will be stuck with Giroud and Walcott up front, Welbeck will be the new “like a new signing” when he returns, and part of me sees him as our only hope, he has electric pace, power and strength. If, IF, he could finally get everything to click, he could be the answer. But that is a big if! He is 24 years old now, and it’s pretty much a case of ‘Now or Never’ for the former United player.
Olivier Giroud is not good enough to win the title, he is incapable of getting a goal out of nothing, and he shows to much mercy in front of goal. Theo Walcott blows hot and cold much too often, sometimes he will bury whatever chance he gets, but sometimes he can mess up the easiest of opportunities. And right now Danny Welbeck has neither the close control nor the composure in front of goal to be our number 9.
The simple fact that Arsenal apparently offered Giroud the number 9 suggests to me that we were never willing to go all out for a world class CF. Wenger likes Giroud, he likes him a lot. I am sure the majority of our fans want Giroud replaced, immediately. To such an extent that most fans (including myself) were begging for Wenger to sign Charlie Austin by the end. He isn’t a big name, but he is clinical in front of goal.
As I am sure most of you know, I am a defender of Arsene Wenger, I have backed him for the last 10 years whilst others have called for his head. Through the debt, through the sale of our best players, through the trophy drought, through the highs and the lows. But the fact is, Wenger not signing a new striker this year is indefensible.
I am an AKB, always have been, but today I think Arsene has swayed a lot of fans towards the WOB. Now I am not for one second implying that Wenger needs to be sacked. If however, as a direct result of him not buying a striker, we do not improve on last season, serious questions need to be asked.
Our inability to sign a striker this season is alarming, whilst I will agree with what Wenger will say “There where no world class forwards available” But we dont have a world class striker. We have an average striker, therefore all we needed to improve was to sign a good striker. Now Wenger cannot claim there where no good strikers available.
Martinez, Bacca, Dybala, Mandzukic, Benteke, Dzeko. All good strikers, arguably all improvements on what we have. Dzeko may have been difficult, maybe City wouldn’t have sold to us. Dybala seemed set to stay in Italy with Juve all along. But can anyone honestly say that the others would not have joined us over the teams they went to?
Arsenal are the only club in the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A that have not signed an outfield player. Despite the need for a striker, despite the need for a DM. Arsenal have spent just over 1% of the total spend by Premier League sides this year, £10million out of £860million. All this coming after Lord Harris came out to brag about our £200 million budget.
Right now Wenger is going to take the blame, But I do not think we would be in this situation if Arsenal had taken David Dein’s advice and dealt with Alisher Usmanov.
But it is plain and simple – there is only one man to blame for us not having a striker this year. And that is Arsene Wenger.
A disappointing summer for all Gunners.
Who do you think should be our striker? Giroud, Walcott, Welbeck or maybe even Sanchez??
By JonnHirons.