After a somewhat disappointing domestic campaign last term, one which can only be described as ‘typical Arsenal’, Arsene Wenger has been hard at work preparing for August and the start of the new Premier League season as the gunners go in search of lifting the trophy they last captured in 2004.
Arsene will be desperate to win English football’s biggest prize – well, he and the 100 million fans across the globe- and the Frenchman has been busy over the summer; not only has he been on the beach in Rio as part of a French TV’s World Cup coverage, but he’s kept his eyes closely on the tournament, bringing in the likes of Chile’s star man Alexis Sanchez, compatriot Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina and English prospect Calum Chambers.
The Gunners begin their campaign at home to Crystal Palace before a tricky tie away at Everton a week later, which could provide a good benchmark as to how the new faces in the squad are settling in. Just after the last transfer window, the MesutOzil factor gave the club a huge boost but that proved to be short lived failed as Arsenal’s season tailed off and their rivals hit new heights.
The 64-year-old will need to win the big games if the title is to return to North London, and with more money being spent on top of the £40 million spent on Ozil, including around £30 million on Sanchez and £8 million on Mathieu Debuchy, the gunners definitely have more depth and quality in attack.
They’ve addressed the RVP shaped hole left by the Dutchman two years ago, and with Sanchez, Ozil, Ramsey, Walcott and Olivier Giroud; the Emirates can look forward to witnessing a potentially formidable forward line that will test even the very best in the business.
That’s without mentioning the likes of the technically gifted Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tomas Rosicky and the rest.
The club are certainly in the winds of change. An FA Cup win – the club’s first trophy in nine years – has seen them get a return on the money spent in the preseason, can this season be the one? A quick look at the latest 2014/15 Premier League title odds suggests the bookmakers think it can.
Key games like Manchester United at the Emirates on November 22 and a final run in which will see them take on Liverpool, Chelsea, and United all within the final eight games could be key, especially with United looking like they’ll be back on the rampage under Louis Van Gaal.
If there is anything the World Cup has proved, it’s that Sanchez – and even Joel Campbell who will be hoping to make his name in the first team after numerous loans around Europe – will certainly add the much needed quality in front of goal for the Gunners.
Whether that can catapult them beyond Chelsea, who’ve added Diego Costa to their arsenal, and champions Manchester City, we’ll have to wait and see; but there’s certainly scope to be optimistic as we build up to the Premiership opener at the Emirates on August 16.
