Rivals' Views, Preseason Edition: Arsenal and Manchester United

There have been plenty of articles here on Bleacher Report which have been done as part of a series. Here's another one!

Rivals' Views features what fans think of their rivals' chances in the league along with their own teams'. The top writers from Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool will be giving their opinions about Arsenal and their respective teams and how they see the season shaping up.

For the first edition of Rivals' Views, I posed a few questions to our very own, Salaar Shamsi (who, if you don't already know, is a Manchester United supporter) about Arsenal and Manchester United and how he thinks the two teams will perform this season.

1. What do you think about Arsenal’s transfer activity this summer?

I think Arsene Wenger's done well to lure the likes of Samir Nasri and Aaron Ramsey to the Emirates Stadium, I'm not so sure about Amaury Bischoff though, considering Arsenal will have to pay upto 5.5m pounds for the Portuguese midfielder.

Both Nasri and Ramsey have shown they are extremely talented and are valuable additions to the Gunners especially after the departures of Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb and Giberto Silva.

2. How do you think the club will perform this season?

Personally, I think Wenger has taken Arsenal into a grooming phase. They are young side which is why their fans need to patient because they will need time to settle in and find their feet.

I think Arsenal's performance this season will depend on what kind of start they get, they need to hit the ground running but Arsenal's real worry like last season is a dip in form after December, they might need reinforcements in January to ensure they stay in the title race.

3. If Arsenal sign an “experienced midfielder”, do you think that we will have a squad complete enough to challenge for the title?

I think Arsenal have a good squad overall but I'm not too sure if the likes of Abou Diaby, Denilson, Alexandre Song or Carlos Vela are fully prepared for the big stage.

Tomas Rosicky is good player, they will need him fit. I think if Arsenal do sign somebody like Barcelona's Xavi who can sit in midfield and isn't afraid to be part of the attack then it wouldn't do them any harm.

4. Who do you think people should look out for this season from Arsenal’s current crop?

Obviously, Cesc Fabregas will be the centre of attention but if I was to pick two players to watch for this season, then I'd go with Samir Nasri, who is an absolutely brilliant player and he's proved it with Marseille. The quicker he adapts to English football, the better for the Gunners.

Secondly, I'd like to think Theo Walcott, is somebody to keep an eye on. He's a massive talent and I'm expecting something big from him this season.

5. Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo will be affected by the close season’s transfer saga?

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?