Ten reasons why Arsenal fans should be optimistic

In every calendar year since 2012, Arsenal always go on a scintillating run where for a quarter of the season or so, they are invincible. In all but one of these runs, it has coincided with a defeat to Tottenham. How or why this is, is up for debate.

Every fan has a reason to look forward to the next season, like tomorrow will happen in Shangri-la where everything is perfect. But the everyday Gunner, they seem to look forward to every next season more than everyone else. They finish 4^th this season, exit the Champions League in the round of 16, look forward to next season, when in all likelihood, they finish 4^thagain and bow out in the Champions League Round of 16 to a not so dissimilar opponent. Rinse and Repeat. But for some reason I think next season might be a bit different for Arsenal. Here are my reasons:

Arsene Wenger is spending money:

Make no mistake; the money available has been there for a while. The Arsenal cash reserves can change the fortunes of some 3^rd world countries. But on recent evidence, the recently renewed Puma and Emirates deals have loosened the Arsenal purse strings. Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez have been signed for very big money. With new TV deals being signed for mind-blowing amounts of money, evidence is that this trend will continue. Big players tend to win big things.

There is quality on the bench:

Not so long ago, Arsenal had a decent starting XI and a bench that quite frankly, was disgraceful. The likes of Squillaci, Djourou, Chamakh, Denilson, Bendtner, Santos, JY Park, etc, will regularly have Arsenal fans groaning and cussing. But these days, those squad players are Szczesny, Gabriel, Wilshere, Arteta, Chamberlain, Rosicky, Gibbs and Walcott. It is a mark of where Arsenal are at now that they can comfortably leave 16 million pounds players like Chambers and Welbeck on the bench and still get the required result. As recently as August 2013, the Arsenal record signing cost 15 million pounds.

There is competition for places:

Most people under estimate the effect of complacency in a big money game like football, or any other job for that matter. Would you give 100% at your job if you had absolute job security and no competition? Giroud has been spurred on this season because the signing of Welbeck put him on his toes. Gibbs and Monreal are pushing each other to give their best in every game. Szczesny never seems to up his game until his competition either puts him on the bench for a while, or threatens to. Gabriel isn’t at Arsenal to be a bench warmer. I suspect the next time Theo Walcott gets game time; he’ll make sure to track back incessantly because the bench is a lonely place.

Shad Forsythe:

To say injuries have held Arsenal back over the past 5 years will be a major understatement. Arsenal players seem to spend an absurd amount on the treatment table. Since the start of last season, the following players have been out for at least 3 months at a time; Mesut Ozil (2x), Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Mikael Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Matt Debuchy, Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby. That’s half of the Arsenal team. Shad Forsythe is the fitness coach who helped Germany win the world cup. He is world class at it. The expectation is that Arsenal’s woeful injury record should be a thing of the past once he handles them for a full preseason (He didn’t start working with Arsenal until August due to Germany’s world cup exploits). At this time, the only Arsenal player out injured is Alex Oxlade Chamberlain.

Arsene Wenger has finally embraced tactics:

It took the man a while to get there, but finally he has. Arsenal seem to be taking tactical assembly and opposition scouting a little more seriously than they have done in years. Gone is the wide-open approach of season’s past, in is the measured, sensible approach we have seen in the league against City and in the cup against Man United. Rosicky has come out openly to say that they now consider their tactics in the big games more than they have at any point in his Arsenal career and he has been at Arsenal for almost a decade. Leading 3-0 against Liverpool, as they were a couple of weeks ago, the Arsenal of old will have gone all out to make a party of it. These days Arsenal seem more comfortable seeing out a one-goal margin lead than they have looked in a very, very long time.

 

To be continued next week.

 

Adedamola Obisesan