Although there were some good positives to take out of this season, the fact remains, we are now eight years without silverware and this needs to be addressed!
At times, the mighty Gunners have shown they can match the best. Dominating for large parts against Manchester United in a 1-1 draw and beating Munich in their own backyard were magnificent achievements.
But we have simply been far too inconsistent to mount a serious challenge for silverware this season. Losing key striker Robin Van Persie didn’t exactly help matters and left us Arsenal fans wondering if it was going to be another frustrating campaign.
Two consecutive goalless draws, thrashing Southampton 6-1 and a credible 1-1 with Manchester City gave Arsenal hope of ending the trophy drought. But again too many draws and some silly defeats cost us dear and the league title soon looked far away.
Defeat to Spurs back in March saw Arsenal fall seven points behind their bitter rivals, so to see them turn things around in the final 10 games was good to see. It was a great recovery to see Arsenal salvage fourth spot and ensure at least we’ll have Champions League football at the Emirates again next season.
We simply need to win any trophy to get the monkey off our backs and I believe, once we do that, more trophies will soon follow.
At one stage, I thought we were on course to do just that. After recovering from 4-0 down to stage an incredible comeback with a 7-5 win at Reading, I thought at very least it might be our year in the League Cup. But we lost to lower league Bradford on penalties! Although Bradford deserve huge credit, there is no way we should have lost a game like that!
Struggling Blackburn knocked us out of the FA Cup and, after a 3-1 home defeat to Bayern Munich, the season looked doomed. We refused to give up and a superb 2-0 victory in Munich saw us come so close to an upset against a side who rarely lose at home...but it wasn’t to be.
With only a top-four finish left to play for, it didn’t look good as we were also losing that race too! But thankfully we caught up with Spurs and secured fourth with a nervy 1-0 win at Newcastle on the final day of the season.
But enough talk of the frustration we seem to be suffering every year at the moment, let’s look at the positives. Santi Cazorla has been a superb addition to our midfield, more proof that Arsene Wenger is brilliant at finding talent.....we just have to make sure we keep this one! Olivier Giroud frustrated fans at the start of the season and looked like he couldn’t hit a barn door. As he began scoring and his confidence grew he looked like a totally different player and we need him to go up another level next season. Lukas Podolski showed glimpses of brilliance but I am expecting more goals and consistency from the forward in 2013/14. Nacho Monreal is more reliable than Andres Santos that is for sure but it is too early to judge him.
Laurent Koscielny has put in another solid campaign on the whole and Theo Walcott banged in the goals. At times Walcott can destroy teams but he can also lack confidence in his game. If he takes his game up another gear and is more consistent he could help us to a better season. Jack Wilshere’s fitness will be key because if he can stay fit he can control the midfield.
Individually some of the players can be proud of their performances this season but collectively the team needs to improve. We have the talent and need to believe in ourselves more. More importantly, we need to start games from the off and not take an hour to get going...consistency will be key!
So what do we need to do to ensure the 2013/14 campaign is the one that sees us end our trophy drought?
I firmly believe we have the foundations of a great squad but we need to add one or two top class players, along with some depth. When we have had injuries we have been found out and we definitely need to add some better depth to the squad. While, Giroud, Podolski and Walcott are capable of banging in the goals, I think we need to splash the cash on a striker who can guarantee 20+ goals a season, but the other forwards can still play a key role.
Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla is an excellent starting midfield but if we can add some more quality depth in this area, it will help us compete better over all of the competitions. As for the defence, I am happy with Koscielny and Vermaelen, although I think the latter will get back to his best without the added pressure of the captaincy. No disrespect to the Belgian but I believe the captaincy needs re-assigned. If Wilshere is injury free, he has to be the main contender, if not Arteta can do the job. Or maybe we can sign a natural leader who can give us what Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira used to!
Full-back is the area that worries me. Bacary Sagna seems drained of confidence and looks a shadow of his former self. If he can return to his best, we may be okay, but it could be time to give Carl Jenkinson a regular starting slot or to bring in some fresh blood.
Between the sticks Wojciech Szczęsny can be a superb goalkeeper. Previously I had rated him as one of the best goalkeepers in the league. Although, I still believe he is a class talent, his confidence has taken a knock this season and it will be interesting to see how he responds next season. I have also been worried about the competition he has for the number one jersey. I was very worried when Łukasz Fabiański temporarily replaced him as number one, but he proved many of us wrong with some decent displays. Despite this, I think we need better back-up in this area.
The foundations of a great squad are there but we definitely need to add some fresh faces to the squad over the summer to put us firmly back on the map! It may also be time for some players to move on. Sagna I am undecided on but Santos and Gervinho need to go!
Whilst the players need to stand up and take responsibility for a trophy-less season, it is Wenger who will come under the most scrutiny. I firmly believe he is the right man for the job and his players need to stand up to be counted next season.
Yes, he has allowed big-name players to leave over the last few summers. It has been very frustrating and he should maybe sort contracts earlier, but you also can’t force a player to stay! I was bitterly disappointed that Van Persie turned his back on us but IF we make the right signings we CAN survive without him!
Players and managers come and go in football, but fans are there to stay. We must stop criticising every week and firmly get behind Wenger and the boys. 2013/14 is another season, let’s use it as a fresh start and show people just what Arsenal can do!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
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