Arsenal's Recovery Continues

[boundngag]

I don't think I'll be the only Arsenal fan who was worried when we went 2-0 up away to Wigan yesterday... This time we won though and now we're 5th in the league. It's a good revival, but I still think that the poor start could have been avoided if Wenger has been more decisive in selling Fabregas and Nasri earlier in the transfer window and moving more swiftly for replacements. I still suspect Wenger was willing to let them run down their contracts, but Kroenke told him he couldn't.

I think Arsenal's first team was still good without them, Fabregas had a poor final season and that was, pretty much, Nasri's only consistently good season for us. But by clinging on for so long, Wenger sent out the wrong message to the other Arsenal players, which would have affected their confidence and to go along with that, we had the now annual injury crisis. The plus points are, in my opinion, that Arteta (who plays deeper than Fabregas did) and Gervinho were good signings and there is quality (especially potential quality) in our squad. I think the quality of the other teams is not as good as people make out (look how easily Man City have moved 5 points clear at the top of the league and yet struggled in Europe). I think that if other teams went to the top clubs with a more attacking approach, there are defensive weaknesses ibn all of the top teams that can be exploited. I think that if they do that, then this coulod be one of the closest seasons the premier league has had.

[John]

I was just mulling this over last night. it seems a very long time ago I was calling for Wengers head and was wondering at what stage I get the salt and pepper out and start to eat my hat because he has certainly turned it around thus far.

I agree on the new signings but I'm very worried up front. Without Van Persie, I think we'll struggle. The keeper is good, the back 4 settled and the mid field are gelling nicely, but am front, the team is still essentialy week. Chamakh looks the part, it's just unfortunate he's not the part.

Still, I feel more positive about the team now than a few months ago

[boundngag]

I can't help but wonder what happened with Chamakh. He was a much coveted striker at Bordeaux (I think?), but Wenger wouldn't buy him when we could have done with more firepower up front (I think Van Persie was injured at the time) and he ran down his contract. He joined Arsenal the next season, seemed to have a fairly good start and then his form just sort of disappeared. It's strange the number of attacking players this happens to at Arsenal. It happened to Arshavin, Rosicky and I don't know if you remember a certain Jose Antonio Reyes! Unfortunately, good strikers cost (look at, for example, Darren Bent. Imho one of the most overrated players EVER!) and Wenger's refusal to pay even slightly over the odds has hurt us in that department. But Wenger has January to address (don't forget Wenger brought Arshavin in January and he had an immediate impact) this and one more striker could will see us OK.

I also think that in the near future, Walcott will start playing up front and I think he could be a revelation. A major reason for this is Oxlade-Chamberlain, who looks like he's going to be a much better winger than Walcott is. Also, don't forget that we still have the likes of Wilshere and Sagna (imho the best right back in the league and probably our most consistent player) to come back from injury this season.

All in all, I think we have a good team with bags of potential and Wenger is right about that. I think what he gets wrong is the statements he comes out with and the way he desperately tries to cling on to players, rather than accept that they want to leave and move on to other transfer targets quickly.