The final stage of preparation begins

Hello everyone.

A couple of hours later we face Benfica at the Emirates and this game, coupled with tomorrow's, will tell us basically in what shape Arsenal will start the season. It's as close as it gets to Community Shield and only two weeks away from the start of the new campaign, so I think we may be in for some interesting football over the weekend.

Because of the World Cup, however, we won't quite see our strongest side. The German trio definitely misses out on the Emirates Cup and looks likely to do so at Community Shield a week from now. They may even miss the opening game against Palace.

This places us in a hard spot. For today, Chambers will deputise at centre-back with Koscielny by his side, but the problem won't go away that easy. Vermaelen seems to have sustained an injury, Mertesacker is still on holiday, so we are skating on thin ice going into the new season. Right now we only have five fit defenders.

Though Arsene stated he's open to further arrivals (mercifully, he's also confirmed we're not in for Balotelli and Quintero), we need to address our defensive problems ASAP. Vermaelen is likely to leave, but what soothes my nerves on that front a bit, is Arsene saying he'll definitely buy a centre-back should Vermaelen go. All of this leads us to a simple question, which may partially be answered today: how will Arsenal line up for this campaign?

To start with, I don't expect many changes to the back five. Szczesny should start in goal, while Debuchy will be the only change in defense. Personally, I have no problem with this choice of defenders. It's basically last year's defense and we all know it worked like clockwork. It's what further up the pitch that interests me the most.

The DM position especially. The press continues to link us with William Carvalho and he can be a great addition for the right price. He's 22, which means he's got years in front of him and he's capable of performing consistently on a high level. A good fit, taken into account Schnederlin cried his eyes out that the Saints won't let him join Tottenham.

However, if we don't buy a DM, I'll be intrigued to see Wilshere perform in that role. I remember he played in that position for a short period of time in August and September last year (Arteta was injured) and didn't do badly. He swapped roles with Ramsey and became "the runner", while the Welsh Jesus was more of "the sitter". Can something like this work out for the upcoming campaign?

Of course, it'll be a bit sad to see Ramsey drop back and not score all that much, but who said Wilshere can't score 15 goals a season? He's as technically gifted as Ramsey and only needs to accomplish what the Welshman did last season: deliver on his early promise. I'm sure Wilshere can prove himself and show he can be a valuable member of this side, we just need to give him a chance.

If, for some reason, Jack isn't ready to play in that position, then I expect Arteta to continue in central midfield. I'm not sure it's an ideal option, the Spaniard isn't very physical or speedy, but he's still a very good passer and reads the game brilliantly. Definitely not the worst pick.

Ozil will continue playing under the striker, with Cazorla/Rosicky as back-up, but it's the front three where a fierce competition for places will unravel.

For now, I think we'll see a Cazorla-Giroud-Sanchez trio, but when Walcott returns, one of these will likely be dropped to give way for the Englishman. And, though I admit the prospect is thrilling, I don't think Walcott and Sanchez will play on different flanks, feeding Giroud. It might look good in theory (two speedy wingers for Ozil to pass to!), but, problem is, none of those are accustomed to playing on the left.

With Wenger hinting Sanchez will only be a winger until Walcott returns, I think Giroud may just be dropped. However, it'll also mean altering the scheme we've used for two years running and I don't think Wenger is too keen to do that.

Let's also not forget about Oxlade and Podolski. Though the latter seems to have cemented himself as a bench sub (it doesn't mean he won't fight for a place in the first team), Oxlade's qualities are similar to Walcott's, so I see no reason why one has to be played ahead of the other. Guess much will depend on their form and Arsene's view on the matter.

I've written all of the above assuming we keep our 4-3-3 formation mostly because I think the switch to something else is unlikely. Playing with four midfielders will mean dropping Ozil and Cazorla, while playing with three defenders is a hell of a risky thing to do. Three defenders means three central defenders (and we only have three, is there much sense in risking them all?) Also, it'll mean the flanks will have to trace back and help out, which is an unusual thing to do for Podolski, Walcott and Cazorla. Don't know about Sanchez. So I'd be surprised to see Wenger deploy a different formationto our usual 4-3-3.

Phew, enough guesswork. Let's see what happens later today on the pitch, it may well answer some of our questions. By the way, if you have missed my bit on Jenks, Campbell and Gnabry, check it out. Well worth your time.

That's it for today, here's for a good game and a win later and I'll be back with you tomorrow with my thoughts on this game.

Until then

On how prospects and ruthlessness correlate

Evening everyone.

I suspect, it'll be a short one today as not much new is going on.

To start with, Arsenal has confirmed Carl Jenkinson will spend the duration of 2014-2015 campaign on loan at West Ham. He's already held the Hammers shirt, said all the usual niceties, but I think the situation is clear for everyone involved: Jenks is there to make an impact and, if he succeeds, he will return to Arsenal to fight for his place. That's certainly what he, most Arsenal fans and maybe Arsene Wenger hope for. However, it's a great acquisition for West Ham and they'll be hoping Jenks will stay beyond this campaign.

I suspect Campbell is in more-or-less the same position right now. I've argued his case yesterday and came to the conclusion the Costa-Rican is not ready to play for us on a regular basis. For starters, he is unlikely to be physically ready, though he stated otherwise. And then you have to look at the competition he's facing, accept there's hardly a chance for Campbell to make any kind of sustained impact right now and loan him out. Despite most our wingers not really viewing themselves as wide players (Walcott, Podolski) or not being viewed as such by Arsene (Oxlade, Sanchez, Cazorla), the reality is, I don't think we'll see those deployed somewhere else. At least this season.

If someone goes, then perhaps Campbell has a chance. But it's hard to envisage such a situation. Oxlade and Walcott were handed lucrative contracts not long ago, Cazorla stated he's happy where he is (and today Atletico said they don't want the Spaniard), Giroud will likely extend his contract and Sanchez has just been signed. The only weak link is Podolski, who's been quiet about his plans this summer and who'll definitely start the season on the bench. If he leaves, then maybe we can keep Campbell, if not, Joel should be loaned out, together with Gnabry.

We have an overloaded front line (Just repeat it. Slowly. A couple of times. Feels good, doesn't it?), that's why I found Quintero talk suspicious. The Colombian winger was reported to be on his way to London, with the fee (around £16 million) having been agreed on by the clubs, but then his agent denied all this. Quintero is staying at Porto.

This deal didn't make any sense on a number of levels (why splash money on someone we don't really need when we still want to strengthen DM's position?). It also was strange regarding Campbell. But I still think Joel should go on loan to get experience. Not as a part of an exchange deal for this psycho from Milan (why are we still being linked to him?), but to Southampton or Newcastle or whatever other BPL mid-table side you can think of. He'll gain valuable experience there, return to us next summer and then we'll see.

However, there's an interesting side to the proceedings, should Gnabry and Campbell follow Jenkinson's example. When was the last time you've heard Arsene letting go a promising player? These guys are not just promising, they've been as close to first team football as it gets. In other circumstances (if we had player shortage), they would have been thrown into the mix without a second thought.

Remember the beginning of 2011-2012 season? We purchased Arteta and Mertesacker back then. At that point in time, we played a team chock full of youngsters like Coquelin and Miquel. This season, I'm sure we won't see this. Not even close.

Thing is, as soon as resources (i.e. money) became available, Arsene became ruthless. He immediately purchased three players that can slot into the team right from the start and added Chambers on top. And I think Chambers, despite his young age, is also ready for first team football. If needs must, he'll play on a regular basis and I won't be experiencing a sense of uneasiness to see Chambers named among the starting eleven. Like it was with Jenkinson or Sanogo. Like it would be with Campbell, should he get this far during this campaign.

With such resources at his disposal, Arsene became who he always was (though he didn't have the opportunity to show it for the last ten years): a hardened professional. He thinks first and foremost about the good of the team and if he thinks some player will be a risk, Arsene will get rid of him. Either permanently or on loan. Sounds harsh, I know, but I like this.

Finally we are able to operate from a position of strength. Finally we know that everyone left is no risk to the integrity of the team at all. I'll get back to you tomorrow to discuss the possible line-ups this season, but even without my help you can see we have at least two great players for every position on the pitch (except central defence).

If we bring in a quality DM, this will be the ultimate indication that Arsene now operates differently. To drop a couple of (however promising) youngsters is one thing, however unusual it is. To drop Arteta, one of Arsene's most trusted lieutenants, our de-facto captain because he's not (even partially) up to scratch is another thing entirely. It will the strongest demonstration up to date of what lengths Arsene is willing to go to in order for Arsenal to become successful again. I love this new, ruthless Arsene.

On a side note, I've added a search bar on the right-hand side, should anyone need it and made the comment section a bit more open. Feel free to share your thoughts below, or contact me via email (it's on the profile). Or both.

That's it for today. Not short, as I originally thought it would be, but I hope you enjoyed it.

Back tomorrow as we start looking ahead to our clash against Benfica.

Until then

Is Joel Campbell ready to make the step-up?

Evening.

Not much going on today, but I can see a lot of people on the Internet debating the usefulness of Joel Campbell and decided it's high time to talk about him. I've touched on the subject already, but it's obvious it needs further clarification and elaboration.

The general reaction to any (however vague) story linking Campbell away from the Emirates is outrage. Most Arsenal fans seem to view the Costa-Rican as a genuine contender for at least a place on the bench, which I consider odd. But let's try and look at the matter from their point of view.

Campbell was signed in 2011 and everyone was like "Who is this guy?" Yours truly was no exception. I have to admit that, more often than not, I cannot say a single word about our newcomers. I may have heard of them, I may know them as good players, but I rarely watch the games of other teams and never watch them on a consistent basis. I don't know enough to pass a judgement on their style of play and sometimes to even make an educated guess on how these individuals will fit in. For me, a player's career start when he joins Arsenal and draws to a close when he leaves. Even with individuals I admire (Henry, Fabregas, Pires) the story is the same. I'm just not interested enough to watch them play for someone else.

Anyway, as soon as Campbell was signed, it turned out he had to obtain a work permit (in other words, play a number of games for his national team). Joel, at his young age, hasn't accomplished that and was consecutively shipped out on loan. First to Lorient, then to Betis and last year to Olympiacos. And here I don't think I'll make a gross mistake by saying there are hardly any Arsenal fans who followed Joel's progress at these clubs. Last year was a bit different, with Campbell scoring a wonder goal against United (this was the time I realised we actually owned Campbell) and then becoming a champion with the Greek side. But even last season I'm not sure there were too many Arsenal supporters keeping an eye on Joel.

And then there was the World Cup. Joel scored and assisted in his first game and then went all the way to the quarter-final with Costa-Rica. Joel played well, was both good at holding up the play and making quick runs and Arsenal fans got a bit overexcited. Simply because Campbell was something different to what we've been accustomed to. A fresh, interesting players. Subsequent calls to bring him back (and even play Joel ahead of Giroud) ensued.

But let's look at it differently. Do you honestly think that one good World Cup (good, not marvellous) and three loan spells in leagues far inferior to BPL is enough to throw Campbell into the mix? Let's be brutally honest about the World Cup: Joel had one great game - against Urugyay. He wasn't useless in other games, far from it, but he was no leader either. He wasn't a match-turning guy for Costa-Rica like Neymar was for Brazil or Messi for Argentine.

Do three season-long loans indicate he's ready for the rigours of the Premier League? Sure, he couldn't play in England due to work restrictions, but it's not like he was loaned out to Marseille or Atletico or, say, Schalke.  When even a player of Mesut Ozil's calibre, a hardened pro with a bags of experience obtained at Real Madrid, struggles during his first season, that tells it's own story.

Besides, Campbell faces extremely stiff competition for places. He's got at least Giroud in front of him in the central striker position (who's no less capable of bringing other into play) and the likes of Cazorla, Sanchez and Oxlade on the flanks. The only player Joel is above in the pecking order in our front department is Sanogo.

That's why I think a loan move to a BPL club is about the best thing that can happen to the Costa-Rican. Like it's the case with Jenkinson, Campbell needs playing time. Unlike Jenkinson, though, he needs this time to adapt to the Premier league and understand what's required of him. There are plenty of clubs ready to take Campbell and give him playing time, so he should join these for the upcoming campaign.

Don't get me wrong, I think a really good player can grow out of Joel. A player we could use. One for the future. But this future is not here yet. He needs to accept it and try to prove his worth at a higher level. If he impresses, we'll have this talk again.

Finally for today, Chambers has talked about his ability to cover defensive midfield, while Arsene took over Twitter. Both have interesting things to say, so check it out if you feel like it.

And I'll get back to you with a fresh batch of news when it arrives.

Until then

On what true support is + Giroud and Jenkinson latest

Morning.

Over the years of this trophyless drought I've become accustomed to moaning. And trolling. Arsenal fans moaned about Arsene's inability to change things around and bring back the days of glory, while most Arsenal haters concentrated on trolling.

The unsatisfied section of fans is still in business. Just imagine, in a transfer window when we've signed four quality players, on the back of an FA Cup, there are still those, who are unhappy. Avoid them like plague. They will always be unhappy, regardless of how good things are going, so no point in wasting your nervous system or listening to them like what they are saying is true. It's not, so just enjoy the good the days. Don't let them spoil the party. All Arsenal fans deserve to be happy for what we've been through.

Of course, there is a third category (apart from moaners and haters): neutrals. These weren't (and still aren't) too much into football, so they sometimes ask simple questions, like why, for example, Arsenal is doing so badly and why I'm still supporting this club, despite all it's failures.

And every time I try to explain. I say that you don't get to choose the Club you support. It just happens. For me that iconic moment happened back in 2004, during one of the friendlies. I say that, yes, Arsenal isn't doing great, but it's for a reason: we want to build a successful future. And in order for that to happen we have to go through a bad patch. I've even done a presentation on Arsenal's financial situation a couple of months back, so that at least some of the listeners will understand what we've accomplished over the last decade (financially).

As an Arsenal fan, you should know the feeling. I'm sure you've been through the same. Supporting Arsenal isn't easy, but when the Gunners succeed, there are no happier people on the planet than us Gooners. If you are an Arsenal fan, if you stuck with the Club through this hard period (or, at least, most of it), odds are you're emotionally strong and will make a good friend/partner/husband/wife. Cause you are devoted. Faithful. You will support your significant other no matter what.

Devotion is a very strong trait among the Gunners. It's a large part of what makes us good fans. When you hear "It's Arsenal" sung in a unison by a 60-thousand crowd you know it comes from the heart. This deep love for the Club and our unwavering support is what makes us different to other fans.

After Arsenal have lost to Bayern this year I had a long talk with my neighbour. I defended Arsenal and their way of doing things with such ferocity, that he couldn't understand why I was doing that. He said: "Why don't you just admit that Arsenal is not the greatest club this world has ever seen? Why don't you just say that Arsene made a lot of mistakes, that the players aren't so good?"

He just couldn't grasp why I kept defending Arsenal. The answer is simple, yet it seemed hard for him to comprehend it: I will always defend Arsenal no matter what. Especially if the person I'm arguing with is hostile. It's called not just devotion, it's called faith.

Next day he published a post on his wall, where he said that the Club he "supports" (Spartak Moscow) is a flop. The manager is useless, the players are sh*t and the days of glory are gone, perhaps forever. I was disgusted at this post. So much so, that I found it impossible to comment on that.

If you publicly, after careful thinking, with a cold mind, not driven by emotions, publish such a thing, you are no true supporter. To do this means basically betraying the club. When your favourite club is in a bad spot, you should defend it even more ferociously, than before. It's the time where your support is most needed and appreciated and it's also the time when everyone shows their true colours. If you quit, start criticising the club, you don't belong to it's fanhood. In fact, I'm not sure you belong to any fanhood. Keep that in mind, shy away from these people and show support for Arsenal. Because in the end you'll be rewarded for it, I can promise you that.

As always, I got a little carried away. Back to Arsenal news and there are some pieces to chew on.

Firstly, Jenkinson is set to be loaned out be West Ham. It seems Big Sam has won this race, though in the light of West Ham's president latest comments, it's unclear how long Allardyce will continue to plough his trade at the Hammers. I'm sure Jenkinson's desire to prove himself and return to Arsenal has played it's part, that why he wasn't sold to Hull. It is understood, however, that Jenks have one season to convince Arsene he's capable of being at least serious competition to Debuchy, otherwise Jenks will leave us for good. It'll be harsh on him and sad for us, so I really hope he makes the step up and returns to Arsenal for the 2015-2016 campaign.

Secondly, Giroud will likely extend his contract in the near future and will be tied down at N5 till 2018. I've already said I have no problem with the Frenchman staying. He's an honest chap, works his socks off for the team, capable of truly wonderful things. What is more, the handsome Frenchman is integral to our style of play. He's capable of holding up the ball, bring others into play and his one-touch flicks can benefit any pacy winger. With Sanchez or Walcott (or both) on the flanks, Giroud will become a very successful provider. I don't think Sanchez's arrival means Giroud is going to be dropped. I rather tend to think Sanchez will become a goalscoring machine on the wing, with Giroud feeding him from a central position. So Olivier staying is definitely good news.

Finally, for today, Cazorla talks how Atletico is an example for Arsenal to follow. He's not in any way diminishing Arsenal, rather, he says we're quite similar with the Spanish side. Check it out, Santi has some interesting things to say.

One last detail. I just wanted to thank you all for coming here and reading my stuff. My last post got more than 900 views and it means the world to me. When I know that I'm not just writing for myself, but that there'll be (a lot) of people who come here to appreciate my work, words cannot express how it's important to me.

To help you out, I've changed the design a bit. You can now see my best posts along with the blogs I read on the right (in addition to profile and archive) and you can always subscribe to my stuff via email. Also, feel free to comment below, or on Facebook or Google+. You can also contact me via email: the address is on my profile. I appreciate any feedback and thoughts on my blog, so feel free to write to me.

And I'll be back here as soon as something new pops up.

Until then

Exceeding expectations

After the 2013-2014 season drew to a close I have to admit I was a little worried about how well Arsenal will fare in the transfer window. Arsene said before the World Cup that most (if not all) business would be done after the tournament in Brazil. What further fuelled my sense of uneasiness was our manager stating a year ago how purchasing more than three players can disrupt the balance of the team. You need to look to further than Tottenham to confirm Arsene was right. After Fabianski and Sagna left the Club I realised with growing horror that three players is the minimum requirement this summer. A right-back and a goalkeeper to cover for the ones that departed, and a striker to strengthen our attack, because it was obvious Giroud wouldn't manage a second season like that. He was deep in the fabled red zone, but even the maximum, he undoubtedly gave us, wasn't enough. We needed not only a striker who would take some of the weight from the Frenchman's shoulders, we needed a striker with a different playstyle. All in all, we had a month and a half and three vital players to purchase. I was stocking up on validol, fully expecting to sign two of these three on deadline day. I was wrong.

Mere 15 days after Germany won the most prestigious prize in footballing world, Arsenal has bought four players. It all started with the acquisition of Alexis Sanchez and I maintain the Chilean will be our most exciting piece of business this summer. Even if purchase a DM of Khedira's level, he won't outshine our №17. The attack received the boost it needed and we moved on to other areas of the pitch, in a ruthless and efficient manner.

A week after Sanchez signed on the dotted line, Mathieu Debuchy made his grand entrance. He represented experience, a like-for-like replacement for Sagna and, while not overly exciting, the Frenchman was just the player we needed. Aurier was a gamble, Debuchy was not.

Yesterday David Ospina was announced, though Arsene let it slip about the transfer back on Friday. This was a mouthwatering deal, because Arsene didn't sign someone like Schwarzer, who would only provide back-up, he signed a very good keeper in his prime, who would push Szczesny all the way.

However, I haven't had time to drool over Ospina for as long as I would have liked. Today Arsenal announced yet another deal, Chambers completing his move from Southampton for £16 million (£11 million up front + £5 million in bonuses). There's the usual waffle you can find on the official site, while I here wanted to concentrate on an interview Wenger gave to The Telegraph.

On Chambers versatility:

“He can play at centre-back, right-back and central midfield. I hope he will give us competition for the players in this three positions. He hasn’t played many games, no, but the English players on the market in England are very expensive and at the end of the day I was ready to take a gamble because he is a player for the future.”

I'll leave the bit about expensiveness out (Shaw costs £30, but Debuchy £10? Madness) and focus on the versatility bit. The fact that Wenger hints at it gives me the feeling that we're probably done in the market this summer and will only purchase another player if someone (like Vermaelen) leaves. To me, what Arsene is saying is basically this: "I've got us a back-up right-back, an emergency centre-back and a possible DM. These positions are covered, so no more arrivals". Not that I have anything against it, we are already very well-stocked. However, Ornstein (this guy has grown on me) gives us the following info:

As I've said, I'm not overly concerned with whether there will be further arrivals this summer, but this tweet sounds like we are aiming for the maximum plan. If anyone would have told me three weeks ago we would sign four players and will be in the market for a fifth before August even kicks in, I would have laughed. Joker-style.

While the arrival of Chambers is a positive one, it seriously hampers Carl Jenkinson chances at Arsenal. From a possible №1 he turned into №3 and Chambers is "the one for the future", mind you. He's younger than Carl and already better positioned at Arsenal.

Which means one thing only: Jenkinson will leave, either on loan or permanently. Our young right-back was linked with a number of clubs over the course of the day, Hull being quoted as the most likely destination. Well, what can I say? This is sad. Jenks may have a chance to prove himself at N5 in 2015-2016 campaign, but right now he doesn't have one. He will likely leave, I keep all my fingers crossed that Jenks will do so on loan and I wish him all the luck. Really. If he impresses away from Arsenal, he'll have a chance. Especially if Arsene will make a CB or a DM out of Chambers.

Finally for today, Sanchez won't join the rest of the team when they fly to Austria for intensive training, as he has some visa problems. Arsene sounded frustrated at that and I can get him: why wasn't this sorted out before? One of our key cogs won't be able to integrate in our team the way Arsene would have liked, which casts a doubt over Sanchez debut at the Emirates Cup. Why his visa problems can't be solved by someone else is another thing entirely.

That's it for today. Bake in our two fresh signings for now and I'll be back with you as soon as something interesting pops up.

Until then