After finally paying off Emirates Stadium, Arsenal now has the funds to financially compete with the likes of Man City and Chelsea.
Couple that with last season’s FA Cup win, ending a long trophy drought, and Gunners fans have reason to be optimistic.
The arrival of Alexis Sanchez has excited many, with Arsene Wenger also solidifying the right-back spot, bringing in Mathieu Debuchy from Newcastle and Calum Chambers from Southampton to replace Bacary Sagna.
Furthermore, the arrival of Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina creates competition for the No. 1 role with Wojciech Szczesny.
In recent seasons, injuries have curtailed many an Arsenal title challenge, with star midfielder Aaron Ramsey the unfortunate one last season. Ramsay was arguably the player of the year in the first half of the campaign, before a thigh injury sidelined him for three months.
Staying fit and healthy is critical for Arsene Wenger’s men should they hope to challenge for more trophies. The Gunners hope to get Theo Walcott back in September as he recovers from a knee injury, with his pace being sorely missed at the back end of last season.
Sanchez and a speedy Walcott return will ease the burden on Olivier Giroud, who carried the goalscoring load for much of last term. Costa Rican World Cup hero Joel Campbell and Yaya Sanogo will be given the chance to impress, but it feels as if Wenger could use an additional, proven striker.
There are also doubts surrounding the future of club captain Thomas Vermaelen, given Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny are the clear first-choice centre-backs. The club want to keep him, but the Belgian seems destined for the exit. As such, another centre-half to replace Vermaelen would be crucial.
It is clear that Arsenal have improved in the off-season, mainly via the acquisition of Sanchez. Credence has also been given to breaking their trophy drought last season, with fans hoping that it could be the beginning of a swath of trophies for the Gunners.
In
Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona) £32m.
Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United) £12m.
David Ospina (Nice) £3m.
Calum Chambers (Southampton) £12m.
Out
Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City) Free.
Bacary Sagna (Manchester City) Free.
Chuks Aneke (Zuite Waregem) Free.
Nicklas Bendtner Released.
Chu Young Park Released.
Wellington Silva (UD Almeria) Loan.
Thomas Eisfeld (Fulham) Undisclosed.
Carl Jenkinson (West Ham United) Loan.
Marquee signing: Alexis Sanchez
Signed from Barcelona for around £32 million ($58m), the 25 year-old Chilean chose Arsenal over many other clubs, notably Liverpool. Sanchez can play anywhere across a front three and will inject some much-needed pace into the line-up.
He is also known for his work-rate and selflessness, indicated by his willingness to sacrifice his own game to benefit Lionel Messi at Barca. Despite this, he still ranked fourth in La Liga in goalscoring ratio per 90 minutes and scoring contribution, exemplifying his ability to not only score goals, but to create them. Sanchez played as a number 10 behind Antonio Di Natale at Udinese, further showing his versatility.
Key man: Mesut Ozil
Undoubtedly, Mesut Ozil failed to live up to his £42.5 million ($76 million) transfer fee upon joining Arsenal from Real Madrid this time last year. Many believe he is not physically strong enough to compete in the Premier League.
However, the German has quality. After a year adjusting to the rigours of the game in England, Ozil is ready to shine this season. Winning the World Cup can only increase his confidence ahead of his return to London. Look for Ozil to be in the top three for assists in 2014/15.
It’s a big year for – Jack Wilshere
Injuries have been a problem for the English midfielder, but he can longer use the ‘young’ label as an excuse (he is 22). Wilshere’s place in the Arsenal side has come under threat, particularly due to the vast improvement of Aaron Ramsey and continued growth of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Manager Arsene Wenger has stated that Wilshere is fully fit for the first time in three years, finally over the ankle problems that have plagued him recently. Once hailed as the messiah in the middle for both the Gunners and England, Wilshere needs a full season to show his value to Arsenal fans.
Manager pressure: 6/10
The FA Cup success has certainly eased the pressure on Arsene Wenger. However, he is expected to build on that and challenge for the championship this season. A poor start could put Wenger in trouble and re-ignite the debate over his future.
Headline Arsenal fans want to see: ‘Ozil worth the money.’
Headline Arsenal fans don’t want to see: ‘Chelsea 6-0 Arsenal.’
Headline you will see: ‘Sanchez brilliance sees Gunners in title race.’
Prediction: third.
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