Just a month has passed after the impressive FA Cup final win over Chelsea, but the disappointments of last season in the Premier League and Champions League outweigh it.
This off season is very much needed to recharge batteries and take mind of the game for some time.
So what happened after the Cup final is that Arsene Wenger has signed a two-year contract at Arsenal. I don’t think majority of Arsenal fans wanted that, but I also know that majority of Arsenal fans knew this would happen.
Arsene said top four qualification will not affect his position. He also said the FA Cup will not affect it which just confirmed what fans already knew – he is not accountable to anyone.
The club do not set targets for him and ambition is just a word used during contract extensions by Stan Kroenke, Ivan Gazidis and Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal for some time now love delaying the inevitable. This summer was another perfect opportunity to make a fresh start and plan for the future but instead they chose to delay it.
I can understand that the club did not plan at all for life after Wenger and extension was a no brainer for them, but what worries me is that this doesn’t seem to be the reason for extending his contract if statements of Stan Kroenke and Ivan Gazidis are to be believed.
Stan came out and said Arsene is the perfect man to deliver Premier League and Champions League. But on what basis?
When did we win a European trophy under him? The last league title was 13 years ago so on what basis such lame comments are thrown towards fans? Arsene Wenger’s refusal to work with a Director of Football also makes sure that even now the planning aspect regarding his successor is on hold.
(AP Photo/Jon Super)
More than a month has passed since his new deal and no player has signed a contract extension nor the players expected to leave have left yet. Sead Kolasinac has been signed for free and Alexandre Lacazette should become club record signing this week.
The French striker right now divides opinion simply because Arsenal refused to pay the asking price for him last year but now have decide to pay much more than that. The teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe of Monaco is constantly linked but it will be very difficult for Arsenal to pull this off.
One of Thomas Lemar or Riyad Mahrez seem likely to join the Gunners if various reports are to be believed.
The biggest issue this summer for Arsenal was Arsene Wenger, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
Manager has signed an extension, Mesut Ozil also looks likely to extend his stay but there are still doubts regarding the Chilean forward. Arsenal simply have to keep their best player of last season.
Manchester City rumoured to be his next destination but Arsenal should be wary of another fan backlash if they allow this to happen.
If Arsenal manage to keep their big players and add a couple more players of quality like Alex Lacazette then they can challenge next season.
No Champions League football can help them in the Premier League run in. Would love to end this by saying exciting times ahead but as an Arsenal fan I am not sure about that.
What I am sure about is that this summer’s transfer business is of huge significance and next season is a massive one for Arsenal football club.
Gavin
Guest
Football has just gone the wrong way for a man of Wenger's brain, unfortunately. He's an absolute genius, and it's a shame the rest of the world doesn't have the same financial understanding, beliefs and principles that Wenger has, as ultimately, it will come undone. If anyone but my team are going to win, I'd love for it to be Wenger. He deserves a lot more than he has achieved.
Grobbelaar
Roar Guru
Lucky Eddie The Premier League clubs get something which is commensurate with their wealth, and the FFA gets something which is commensurate with its wealth. In proportionate terms, everyone does equally well (even if the Premier League club is walking away with 20 times what the FFA is banking).
LuckyEddie
Guest
The boring EPL totally dominated by the biggest bank accounts, to buy a comp. There will be the usual top 5 in the EPL and two of them will play off in the now boring FA Cup. Meanwhile the workers here and in the UK are not getting any pay rises and they are actually going backwards financially. Hard to understand that a lot of workers pay high entrance fees and rip off pay TV rates so the chosen ones can get mega rich. The beauty of football used to be every team had a chance but now it's down to a few in all of the major leagues. To rub it in the big teams come to OZ to flog off next seasons jerseys, play a pretend game of football and then the circus leaves town.
Andrew Macdougall
Roar Pro
Well said.
jonbuk
Guest
For one I agree about the Arsene out clowns they should perhaps try to remember thye are supposed to be supporters of the team ! I get a little tired about the so called arm chair experts who proffer their opinions and advice then become hell bent on trying to make what they predict happen for fear of being wrong. A self proffered fan who is already writing so negatively about the new season and its outcome the transfers have yet to be completed the shape of Arsenal not yet known you have a crystal ball ??
Nick
Guest
My thoughts exactly. Maybe this self proclaimed Arsenal Fan should have a long hard moment and think about the damage "the Wenger leave" squad caused last season to the players moral and the team in general. Very ungrateful to the man that delivered the invincibles, the greatest Stadium in London, 7 FA Cup trophies and beautiful to watch football. Maybe a good look at the Man U's and the Liverpools of current, can give him a hint of what happens when you change Managers on the fly.
DH
Guest
I think Arsene will sign another attacking midfielder/winger so that he has the full set and still short in most other positions. Same as he's done every year since he arrived.
crispen
Guest
Do you even know what the word majority means... stopped reading your rubbish at the third paragraph