We are less than a week away from the Community Shield clash between Arsenal and Chelsea, and less than two weeks from the kick-off to the Premier league campaign, but has our club strengthened enough?
The Gunners have moved to bring in club-record signing Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon this summer, who had a uber-consistent goalscoring record in Ligue 1, and is strongly believed to be the striker we have been longing for since the departure of Robin Van Persie.
We have also moved to bring in Sead Kolasinac, who appears to have been a great coup, especially considering we landed him on a free transfer. The exciting full-back come wing-back was considered the best left-back of the Bundesliga last term, and has impressed in pre-season thus far.
The biggest thing to take from the window thus far has been our ability to keep Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, who all have only a year remaining on their contract. The window remains open until August 31 of course, but so far they look to be staying put.
Our current best XI IMO:
Cech
Holding Koscielny Mustafi
Bellerin Xhaka Ramsey Kolasinac
Ozil Sanchez
Lacazette
This leaves our bench to consist of the following:
Ospina
Maitland-Niles
Monreal
Chambers
Mertesacker
Gibbs
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Cazorla (long-term injury)
Wilshere (seeking move)
Mo Elneny
Coquelin
Walcott
Iwobi
Giroud
Welbeck
Perez (seeking move)
The starting XI could easily switch in the Ox for Bellerin, or Monreal into the back three or out wide without losing much impetus, and Olivier Giroud will be eager to get his chance to fight Lacazette for his starting spot, which can only bring the best out of him.
The biggest question mark in the squad may be Petr Cech however, after a number of disastrous displays in goal last term, but he has come back strongly for Chelsea previously, and may well have a better season.
Is our squad good enough to challenge currently? Where is our weakest position?
Pat J