Transfer update

Another solid win on Tuesday and we're in the Champions League group stage for a sixteenth consecutive year. Quite an achievement however you look at it and we should be pleased with the teams performance. But we're far from looking rosy. The team is stretched to it's limits and we look as active in the transfer market as a corpse.

The word from ex and current players is that the signings will come with Lee Dixon saying there will be 2 big names, Liam Brady saying there could some surprises and Arteta again re-iterating that the signings will happen. But the longer this goes on the more and more Arsenal fans are feeling that the wool has been pulled over their eyes and that nothing will happen. Realistically who would be surprised?

There has been much talk in recent weeks about a potential raid on Real Madrid following the supposedly imminent transfer of monkey man from the Spuds. By my count we have been linked with 4 players: Benzema, Di Maria, Casillas and Ozil. Now Benzema and Ozil have both said they are staying put, no surprise really. Di Maria has remained quiet and is a player I rate highly as a playmaker and a winger. Casillas is obviously a top drawer keeper. But really can you see us even bothering with either of them?

I don't buy any of this it takes time or its hard rubbish, look at what Tottenham have done without CL football, if they can do it why can't we? Are we really that scared to pay big money? The frustration amongst fans is understandable and if we don't buy which is looking more and more likely by the minute I personally can see a poisonous atmosphere at the Emirates all season. I can't understand the manager, he knows how the fans feel and he knows who'll get it in the neck should we not sign. If it's his ignorance and stubbornness then he needs to go. But I still can't help but feel the powers higher up are the ones using him as their scapegoat. Look at when we spent £14.5m on Bergkamp back in the day when that was an astronomical figure, what has happened that manager?

A lot of questions in this post I know and questions that should we fail to sign anyone will need to be answered otherwise it could be a long and painful season for Arsenal fans.

Fenerbahce (H)

Apologies for not having anything up before the Fulham game it's been another manic week. Talking of the Fulham game it was just the sort of response we needed after our shocker of an opening weekend with Villa. Our first win and our first 3 points on the board, in comfortable fashion too. 

Now I know there has been a lot of transfer talk as we have less than a week before the close of the window and after tonight I will do a round up post just to get through the pile of players we've been linked with.

So we go into a game tonight where we already have a comfortable lead after our fantastic 3-0 win in Turkey last week. That said we can't relax, all it takes is a couple of first half goals from Fener and the nerves will start all over again. Or we can go out and get an early goal and that would probably put the game to bed. It's a game that we can make as easy or as hard as we want for ourselves.

There is an interesting piece on Arsenal.com today from Wenger about the use of Wilshere and how he is being cautious because he doesn't want a repeat of previous incidents. That might suggest that Wenger is planning to play a similar team to that he fielded on Saturday. The only difference could be Koscielny slotting back into centre-back if his cut has healed up sufficiently.

The manager may have half an eye on the North London derby this Sunday and if all goes well early on he may ring the changes if he feels comfortable. We may see the likes of Cazorla make way. I expect Podolski to keep his place after his double against Fulham and to also possibly make way later on.

As I posted earlier: tonight can be as easy or as difficult as we want to make it. If we go out and look dangerous early we could have the game well and truly killed off within the first half. It all depends on how fired up the players get.

Personally I don't think that much of Fenerbahce and I can see us finishing this tie off early on but it wouldn't be at all surprising if we conceded early and the wobbles started. COYG

Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Fenerbahce
  

What a mess...Fenerbahce (A)

Where to start following Saturdays utter disaster of an opening day. We took on a Villa side with a thin squad and after 90 minutes we'd lost 3-1 and have picked up a handful of injuries and now we're in real trouble. 

To start with the referee was appalling from start to finish but that's not why we lost we just weren't good enough. Some truly baffling decisions from our players which cost us dearly, the need for a keeper is evident after that performance from the young Pole. The moment where he came tearing out and attempt to clear the ball is still giving me nightmares.

Exactly what we feared has happened though, a thing squad made thinner due to injuries in the first game. News tonight is the OX could be out for 6 months and some reports suggesting the whole season. Sagna's fall was nasty and Ramsey is a big doubt. The game tomorrow is a qualifier for the Champions League and if we don't beat Fenerbahce then all the work last season will be irrelevant and again Wenger's decision not to spend has cost us.

It's all well and good getting rid of deadwood but replacing them is just as important although now even if we sign 3 players tomorrow none will be eligible for tomorrow night's game. We've left it very, very late to make signings and if we don't I wouldn't back us to make top 7 let alone challenge for anything. I said before the season this was Arsene's make or break season, everybody trapped off about our money and if he didn't spend the blame would lie squarely with him and at the moment this is looking like a break season. I sat and read the letter from the BSM to Gazidis and struggled to disagree with any of it and many supporters are the same.

Well on to Fenerbahce who will be no pushover, especially in Turkey. Anybody who knows anything about Turkish football will know just how hostile the atmosphere will be especially in a big tie like this. If we can escape tonight with the scoreline in tact then hopefully we can do the business at the Emirates in a weeks time. Now there is an investigation into match fixing allegations against Fenerbahce but the decision is not due until next Wednesday and even then when don't know what will happen, if we do our job it won't matter what happens.

Now I don't know much about our Turkish opponents other than they're a hard hitting team and they will pull no punches. If we play sloppily or give them too many chances they will punish us. Quite what sort of team we'll send out will be any body's guess following the loss of nearly 5 players against Villa.

As I'm writing this Sky Sports News have confirmed that Wilshere, Rosicky, Sagna, Gibbs and Ramsey have all taken part in our training before we fly out to Istanbul tonight. That is at least some good news. Based on that my guess would be: SZCZ, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Sagna, Gibbs, Wilshere, Ramsey, Rosicky, Walcott, Cazorla/Podolski, Giroud. This match might come too early for Cazorla who was clearly shattered after his trip to Ecuador the other week and should never have been on the pitch at the weekend.

I honestly am worried about tomorrow night, we need to keep it tight, shipping 2 or 3 goals will render all of last seasons hard work for fourth irrelevant. We just have to hope the players are up for it but I'm not so sure.

Prediction: Fenerbahce 2-1 Arsenal

Start of the season. Aston Villa (H)

Well in my last post which was over a month ago, I said if we signed any new players I'd keep you updated and surprise surprise the season is about to kick off and we haven't signed anyone. We haven't even spent a penny. Whilst we have cleared the deadwood getting shot of Gervinho, Chamakh and others we have left our squad threadbare and there was a lot of talk of how we'd cope with injuries...

But of course this wouldn't be the start of the season without us having a mountain of injuries. The main one that has been reported today is that Mikel Arteta looks to be out for up to 6 weeks with a thigh problem. Add him to Nacho Monreal and Thomas Vermaelen along with long term Abou Diaby and we're looking pretty thin as it is.

It just doesn't make any sense to get rid of 25+ players and not to bring in replacements. For a man of Wenger's intelligence and whatever you think of him there's no doubt he's not dumb, I don't understand what he was thinking. I don't buy the whole "we tried but they didn't happen" story, if every other club can manage it then so can we with our ever growing "war chest". Watching the managers press-conference he has said that "we will be active in the transfer market...we are looking more for quality than for numbers, we would like 2/3 players, if possible more".

Anyway on the plus side football is finally returning tomorrow and we kick off at home against Aston Villa, a side that I would say have had a good summer. They've tied Benteke down and held on to Wiemann whilst adding to their side. we have a fit side apart from the injuries highlighted above. Sagna and Ramsey are fit to play after reports suggesting that they had picked up knocks. The boss confirmed that Per Mertesacker will captain the team this weekend which is an interesting choice, the quiet German and a player who upon closer analysis appears to have had a bit of a ropey pre-season being pulled out of position a few times.

I think we'll go for something like: SZCZ, Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Wilshere, Ramsey, Rosicky, Walcott, Cazorla, Giroud. I think Rosicky will step into the gap and lead the midfield attack with Jack and Aaron behind. Or Cazorla may lead the attack with someone shifting over to the left. I think a focal point of our attack will be Walcott running diagonally behind the defence and if we link up its a very effective point of attack.

Obviously threats from Villa will be Wiemann and Benteke. Our defence will need to be strong in the air to keep the big Belgian out of the frame. Of course Agbonlahor is a player that we shouldn't overlook either. I think this could be a big a game for Mertesacker who I'm certain will be marking Benteke. Villa are sharp on the counter too so our pacey players will need to track back.

It's difficult to predict a the first game of the season, but based on our promising pre-season I'm quietly optimistic. Until next time COYG!

Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Aston Villa