Arsenal: Is the Revamped Team Strong Enough to Challenge for Major Silverware?

Not that I am deliberately trying to rain on the parade of positivity, but everything isn't completely magical at the Emirates all of a sudden.

The lengthy injuries to Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen are evidence of that.

This sure to be new look Arsenal squad is in an interesting situation.

The three best signings—Gervinho, Mikel Arteta, and Per Mertesacker—are definitely quality additions but it is yet to be seen how the team will fare for the season.

It seems that signing players on deadline day, in a hurried fashion, only because we lost 8-2, was good enough to appease a majority of fans.

Sure the new players have arrived. But is there already too much expectancy from the fans?

With all the new signings, minus the young boys who hopefully will not feature as much again this season, there are some disadvantages.

Andre Santos can be deceiving with his 22 international caps, but he has never played for a big European club, and he lacks defensive quality, which is much more necessary for Arsenal than his attacking prowess.

Chu Young Park could very well be a steal like Gervinho, but will going from being a frontrunner at a Ligue 1 club to a rotation player in the Premiership affect his confidence in the long run as it did to Maroune Chamakh?

Both Yossi Benyaoun and Mikel Arteta are older, and are subject to the odd injury that could very well negate their positive impact on the field.

On the positive side, the squad has depth that will only help, and places the team in a much better position than they were before September.

That being said, a top three position in the Premiership, and a quality Champions League run are still tough asks.

These major competitions in question will provide very strong opposition.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are the strongest teams in the league this year, and the Champions League is a whole different ball game.

Liverpool is the closest competition for Arsenal at the moment, and they're ahead on points without Steven Gerrard having played a game.

Tottenham has also endured a slow start, and there is no telling who else may come close to challenging for a top six spot.

In the Champions League Arsenal has been unlucky, having to face Barcelona for the past two seasons but there are more teams to worry about than the Catalan giants.

Arsenal has a pretty tough group to start with, as the likes of Marseille and Olympiakos are European veterans. The young and talented Borussia Dortmund side could also pose a big problem in their return to Europe's top stage.

In the knockout rounds Arsenal could still face its Premier League rivals, as well as Barcelona, Bayern Munich and, among others, AC Milan.

The likelihood of a usual 16th round or quarterfinal berth is very dim but the Gunners do have time.

Without Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen, the leading players in midfield and defense respectively, the Gunners will not be at full strength for a little while, but that's why the additions were brought in.

The fact that many of the new players still have not had much time with the team due to the international break makes this weekend a tricky one.

Arsenal has to make statements in its next two games to really make opponents take notice.

The team welcomes Swansea to the Emirates and a win, hopefully a convincing one, will go a long way to helping the team through the season.

In Europe, the Gunners have their first opportunity to take on the exciting Borussia Dortmund squad and it will not be an easy game.

Expectations are always high at the Emirates but after this summer there has to be some caution as well.

The FA Cup and Carling Cup are the best chances for silverware at the moment, and there is some hope for a good run in the Premier League and Champions League but title contention thoughts are optimistic to say the least.

It is a long road ahead, and from this point on Arsenal fans should consider this Saturday the start of the season.