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| Alex Song, Thomas Vermaelen, Andrey Arshavin & Theo Walcott pose with the new home kit. |
In his 14 years as manager of the North London club, Arsene Wenger has experienced his fair share of success. During his tenure, Wenger has three English Premier League titles and four FA Cup victories to his CV. During the 2003-2004 season, he led the team to an undefeated record, which is unprecedented in the modern footballing era. However, in recent years, success has eluded Arsenal with the club's 2005 FA Cup victory against Manchester United being their last occasion to hoist silverware.
Wenger, who is entering the final year of his contract, is optimistic about the upcoming season. He believes that the club has what it takes to bring silverware to Emirates Stadium. With the young and talented squad maturing through experience, and the additions of forward Marouane Chamakh and centre-back Laurent Koscielny, there is good reason to expect good things from the club. Whether it will be this season is another question.
Last season, Arsenal was realistically challenging for the league title until the last month of the campaign. The rigours of the Premier League had caught up with the team by the end of the season as the club experienced a mounting injury crisis. The team's potent scoring attack was dealt a crushing blow in November 2009 when Robin van Persie suffered a serious ankle injury while playing for the Netherlands. The star striker was sidelined for five months and by the time he returned to Arsenal's starting XI, the season was all but over. Serious injuries also beset upon Gael Clichy, Kieran Gibbs, Nicklas Bendtner, Andrey Arshavin and talismanic skipper Cesc Fabregas. In a game against Stoke City in February 2010, Aaron Ramsey fell victim to a rash tackle resulting in a serious leg fracture that has been classified as a long-term injury. It remains to be seen if the young midfielder will make a full recovery.
As the squad returns fresh and rested to North London for the upcoming season, the squad can achieve great things if they can stay healthy. The addition of Chamakh adds talent and depth to Arsenal's scoring attack. With the well-documented injury problems of van Persie and Bendtner, Chamakh gives Wenger an additional option up-front. Judging from Chamakh's preseason form, he would be an appealing option.
People are cautiously optimistic about Arsenal's success for the upcoming season. With the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City creating a flurry of activity on the summer transfer market, Arsenal has been relatively quiet and yet to completely address the perceived issues with their back four. During the summer, the club has experienced an exodus at centre-back, with the departures of William Gallas, Sol Campbell, Mikael Silvestre and Philippe Senderos. Thus leaving Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou to shore up the duties at centre-back. There is concern about the lack of depth as an injury to any of the centre-backs would leave the club with only the option of moving midfielder Alex Song to that position. However, there have been reports that Wenger is in pursuit of another defender.
The goalkeeper position has also been a cause for concern. Since the departure of Jens Lehmann in 2008, it has been argued that the club has been missing a game changing keeper to challenge for silverware. Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski have since taken over between the sticks but not without their critics. With both keepers making high profile errors during games, much is still to be desired. With the young Wojciech Szczesny and Vito Mannone still developing under Wenger, people have been calling for a new keeper to bridge the gap between the present-day and when Szczesny and Mannone are ready for regular first-team starts. Whether Wenger answers the calls of these critics remains to be seen.
Even with all the concerns about the team, there is still optimism for the squad to succeed. The club's skipper Cesc Fabregas remains with Arsenal after a summer-long transfer saga where Barcelona attempted to lure the midfielder to Camp Nou. Although there is no guarantee that playmaker Fabregas will stay in North London past 2011, his presence in the Arsenal line-up is a tremendous boost for the team.
There is also optimism that Wenger's post-Highbury youth policy will finally bear fruit this season. With the experience of the past season already under them, the likes of Samir Nasri, Theo Walcott, Alex Song, Abou Diaby, Denilson, Kieran Gibbs, Carlos Vela, and Nicklas Bendtner have been tipped to have breakthrough years. The emergence this preseason of Jack Wilshere, Emmanuel Frimpong, and Havard Nordtveit from the youth ranks also shows optimism for the long-term future. With an impressive youth movement, coupled with good health and inspired performances by established stars, Arsenal may surprise the critics.
In a recent interview with The Observer, Arsene Wenger admitted that it will be now or never if he was ever going to seek a change of club scene. "I am at the stage where if I extend my contract, it means I will finish my career at club level at Arsenal," he told Observer Sport. "If I go for a different challenge – I have been offered many challenges you know – it has to be now.
"That's a decision I have to make. But basically, I have no desire to change from here. I have one more year, and we are maybe thinking about extending it."
Wenger will be 61 in October, and stated that he has set a personal target of managing until he is 65 and then move to a different job unless he feels that his health is the same as it is today.
As Wenger acknowledges the possibility of retiring from club management in the next several years, there is no doubt of his passion for Arsenal, and his drive to bring further success to the team prior to his eventual retirement.
With recent trophy-less campaigns, Wenger has gathered critics but regardless of their views, he has stayed the course with his plan of youth development, and financial responsibility due to the construction of Emirates Stadium. In an era, where clubs field star-studded teams thanks to rich owners or bank loans, Wenger had the ability to balance the finances, spot and develop young talent, and constantly field competitive sides. The impressive financial condition of the club (according to Forbes, the 8th most valuable sports team in the world valued at $1.18 billion), and a constant presence in the UEFA Champions League for the past decade comes to mind.
There would be no better way for Wenger to silence his doubters then to lead the team that he has believed in and nurtured to raise some silverware. It will all begin when the squad steps onto the pitch at Anfield on the 15th of August.
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