Hello all.
It has been a while since I've done this. A mix of moving house, changing work and probably most damning, the lack of enthusiasm to write about the red and white half of North London.
We started last season poorly, recovered quite well in the middle part before slowly dragging ourselves over the finishing line. We finished third. Tottenham finished fourth. A very important outcome giving eventual Champions League winners Chelsea effectively wiped out the fourth place spot. Job done. A huge result that we may look back on in years to come as defining.
I think people over look the importance of finishing in the Champions League. Finishing outside of the top 4 represents many things: a reduction of income, a hit in prestige and the loss of key players. Now, you could argue we lose key players despite finishing in the Champions League places, and that is fairly evident. We've lost Ashley Cole, Thierry Henry, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas over the years. This year, we've lost Robin van Persie and Alex Song. But it is this year, that something feels different. Different in the fact we've brought in quality, in quantity. We've signed Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and most impressively, Santi Cazorla. We got these guys in before letting Alex Song and Robin van Persie leave. Would this have been achievable had we failed to beat West Brom at the end of last season? Highly, highly unlikely.
My last point about achieving a top 4 finish is that it represents a tough cycle. Ask Liverpool fans. They are finding it harder than ever to get back into the top 4, after so many years of playing in the Champions League. Is players like Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Andy Carroll worth the exclusion of Champions League football at the expense of a Carling Cup? Whilst winning the league is the dream, hell even an FA Cup here or there would be nice, Champions League football in the requirement.
So Arsenal are in the Champions League. Again. Because of that, we've negated the loss of Robin van Persie in my opinion. Yes, he scored a lot of goals last season. He scored the majority of our goals. But, a club like Arsenal are always going to create chances. Not once did I agree we were a one man team. It wasn't as if Robin van Persie beat 10 men on his own and slotted past the keeper 30 odd times last season. He scored the odd wonder goal, and we all appreciated that. Robin van Persie was brilliant, because we made him brilliant. From the fans chanting his name week in week out, to the boss who put so much faith into him and to the players who created for him. How many assists did Theo Walcott rack up, to allow the Dutchman to finish off the simplest of moves? Robin van Persie is now no longer an Arsenal player. I don't wish him the best, but I also don't wish him an injury or anything of the like. He's nothing to me now.
Between Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, we've replaced our former captain. I'm particularly excited to see how the towering Frenchman gets on. He looks a classy, yet powerful hitman. I expect him to hit the net 10+ times this season. He had a chance to score the winner versus Sunderland at the weekend, but missed. Scores, and he's a hero. Football really is a fine line. Who is to say van Persie would of scored that? Because he scored every single chance presented to him last season? I'm sure the AC Milan game at home confirmed that. Lukas Podolski is an explosive player we just cannot write off. It will take him a while to get to grips with our game, but he is very reminiscent of van Persie. Once Arsene Wenger has trained him, Podolski will be an absolute success. Of that I am sure.
First day of the season is a funny time of year. We judge so quickly. Swansea are en route to win the league, and QPR are doomed to relegation already. The midfielder from Swansea, Michu, is already been talked about as a bargain. He may very well be an excellent signing, but those two goals might be the only goals he scores this season. Time will tell.
Arsenal drew with Sunderland. A rugged Sunderland hell bent on not attacking. Huge crisis? Well, we didn't lose. We didn't concede. Two positives right there. And positives from individual players. Gervinho sparkled in parts, Abou Diaby showed glimpses and Santi Cazorla looks like an outrageously gifted player.
This team isn't ready yet. A lack of pre season is the reason for that I guess. Combinations and understandings are still to be formed. But the potential is there. With news of the impending arrival of Nuri Sahin on loan from Real Madrid, hopefully with an option to buy, we have the hallmarks of a quality squad. A squad of technically amazing footballers. The one thing I was downhearted about last season, was that our wow factor was missing. Our passing and movement, one touch interplay seemed lacking at times. Now, we hopefully return to that with freshness and purpose.
I am once again optimistic of the season ahead. I don't think we will win the league, but I don't think we will be far away. As for the Champions League, who knows? It could be our year.
With lots of transfer activity to happen between now and September, the feel good factor should reappear for the Arsenal.
Bring on the season ahead.
Thanks for reading.
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