Archive for September 1st, 2012

Transfer round-up: Three steps forward, two steps back

706 comments September 1st, 2012

And so transfer deadline came and went, and my prediction was disappointingly accurate.  Nicklas Bendtner and Park Chu-Young made loan moves to Juventus and Celta Vigo respectively, but that was it.  There was talk of a possible transfer for Marouane Chamakh, but a lack of attacking options forced him to stay.  On the inbound front, there was persistent persistent chatter about a loan move for Chelsea’s Michael Essien, but Roberto Di Matteo put the kibosh on that by refusing to allow the Ghanaian to move to a rival.  Essien ended up at Real Madrid; Arsenal ended up empty-handed.

By the time deadline day arrived, I wasn’t surprised by our lack of activity.  There were no whispers, no rumours; the vine was bereft of grapes.  As soon as Arsene started talking about only wanting to bring in a “top top top top top” player, you knew the window was essentially closed.

My overriding sensation is one of frustration.  We started the summer very well, with a trio of undoubtedly good additions.  Lukas Podolski was signed up before the 2011/12 season was even over, and Olivier Giroud was added not long after, at the back end of Euro 2012.  The addition of Santi Cazorla left us with our strongest squad in years.  We had depth, freshness, experience and quality.

Since then, however, we’ve lost Robin van Persie and Alex Song.  Those two departures put a very different spin on things.  The three signings that originally looked like enhancements to the squad now look like replacements for outgoing players.  Giroud and Podolski are intended to replace the attacking contribution of Van Persie.  Cazorla has actually arrived twelve months late as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas.  And, much to the chagrin of many fans, the club has not replaced Song in the transfer market.  Instead, Arsene is planning to rely upon the renewed availability of Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere after injury.

It’s a case of three steps forward, two steps back.  This summer initially looked like one of bold investment.  Now we find ourselves back in profit, and with a squad that’s arguably no better than last season’s.  I still think we have more than enough quality to finish in the top four, but what’s frustrating is that with one or two additions we had the potential to do so much more than that.

September will be a very tricky month, with games against Liverpool, Montpellier, City and Chelsea.  Come through those unscathed, and the mood will shift.  It’s time to get behind the players we have bothered to sign.  The question marks over the men in charge will be saved for another day.


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