After once being league leaders, the Gunners have had to settle once again for a third place finish. Arsene Wenger’s contingency of primarily young players played some implausible attacking football this season and even looked destined for the title at one point. But a bad run of form in March and April allowed Manchester United and Chelsea to overhaul them in the standings.
There’s no doubt Wenger needs to strengthen his squad for next season if his side are to mount a serious challenge for the title. Manchester United and Chelsea seem to only get stronger each season and if Arsenal is to have any chance of matching them next season then they’ll need to reinforce their ranks this summer.
That’s why the question has to be asked, why is Arsene Wenger letting some of his best players leave? Matthieu Flamini has already agreed terms with AC Milan and now Alexander Hleb looks set to join Milan’s cross city rivals, Inter Milan. Fransesc Fabregas, the heart of Arsenal’s midfield, has also been rumored with a move to Spain.
Arsene Wenger must know his squad needs some improvements this summer, so why is he reducing his squad instead of bolstering it? Maybe he has his eye on a couple transfer targets this summer, but that doesn’t mean he needs to allow some of the more integral members of his squad to depart.
The exit door at Emirates Stadium has been flung wide open, and I’m beginning to wonder who else will be marching through it in the next couple of weeks.
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5 months ago
Well Jeff, he can hardly bolster it until the transfer window is open. I wouldn't want any player at my club that didn't want to be there, so good riddance to them.
I think there is a wage structure at Arsenal that hampers their ability to hold onto flash in the pan wannabees like Flamini.
5 months ago
Not quite sure how the wage structure works at Arsenal but it'd be interesting to look into. But personally I thought Hleb and Flamini were two of Arsenal's best performers this season so it seems odd that Wenger would want to let them leave?
It seems to me that he's taking a step backward instead of a step forward. But like i said, when the transfer window does eventually open maybe he'll be busy recruiting top class talent. But Arsenal isn't exactly known for having a lot of funds so I kind of doubt he will be splashing a lot of cash.
5 months ago
Totally opposite to Brazil. Here if a team loses it normally stays in tact. The winning teams are stripped apart by vultures at the end of each season and have to turn to their youth base programs.
And the process repeats itself over and over again. That`s why there are some 900 Brazilians in Europe alone playing ball.
Don`t your teams have youth programs to draw on?
5 months ago
One player has left and thats an "exodus". Has anybody got any brains or is everyone so stupid that they they believe even one word in the press.
5 months ago
DON'T LEAVE FABREGAS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 months ago
Flamini has left. Hleb is all but gone. Gilberto is almost certain to leave. Fabregas may follow out the door. Lehmann is fed up and wants to leave. One player, Tony? Think again.
5 months ago
Sorry Jeff but Gilberto and Lehmann are over-the-hill bit part players anyway, so can hardly be considered to be part of some 'exodus'. Arsenal always sell players when they get over a certain age.
To say 'Fabregas may follow' to back up your argument is pretty lame, every single year there is stuff in the press saying Fabregas will go to Barca or Real. He hasn't left yet has he? Why will this year be any different?
If Hleb goes on top of Flamini, then that will be a blow to Arsenal, but still hardly an exodus, which refers to 'a large number of people'.
Tony is right at the moment, in terms of important players that Arsenal actually want. Only one has left.
5 months ago
To my knowledge, only 2 players have left Arsenal.. that is Lehmann and Flamini - the latter being the one who started more often for us. But the fact is that he wanted some unrealistic amount after one sesason of success.. Gilberto is not leaving as such, Hleb might want to leave but the Webster thing could make the whole thing go really ugly..
Fabregas has something like 6 years on his contract so.. there is no way in the world that he'll leave.. and Lehmann's contract expired.. I don't know about him being "fed up".. he was going either way.
4 months ago
If Hleb leaves then that is a major blow, as he's one of the best with moving the ball and putting it to key attackers. Flamini, Lehmann, and Gilberto can all get the deuces. They're gonna try and progress Walcott, and they have Eduardo coming back fully healthy. They need to move Bendtner as him and Adebayor have ZERO chemistry and it looks like they hate each other out there.
The problem at Arsenal is that THEY DON'T ATTACK ENOUGH. They play with the ball at their feet all the time, when Henry was there he was firing at the goal constantly, and now they don't have that. Adebayor is great with the ball in the air. But they need someone alongside him who's willing to shoot and push thru the defense.
Ok, I'm off my soapbox.
-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com
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