Arsenal have been under the management of Arsene Wenger for 19 years and the club have always managed maintained a status of being a top team, qualifying for the Champions League every season under his management. Arsenal have earned European respect and are often regarded as a good team in the league. Throughout the last decade, Arsenal have experienced heavy criticism about their alleged dip in ambition and unwillingness to spend heavily in the transfer windows. One fact that has remained unchanged throughout all of this, is that Arsenal were and have remained a good team, nothing has changed over the last decade in terms of top four consistency, but that is where the dilemma lies for this Arsenal team. With money now available for lavish signings, an expected rise in club ambition should follow and therefore to meet all targets, Arsenal have to be elite. Simply being a good team, as they’ve always been, isn’t enough going forward and the competitive level of Barcelona and Real Madrid, will simply be just a dream if Arsenal do not take the next step.
In order for the team to evolve past their current status, it will require not only quality on the pitch but the correct mentality and management — in all departments — to achieve this. Assessing the current crop of players, Arsenal have the right balance of youth and technical quality in two-thirds of the pitch, with those being midfield and defence, the addition of Petr Cech to the Arsenal squad also represented the shift Wenger is looking to achieve concerning quality and mentality. His shrewdness in getting out players such as Lukas Podolski and Yaya Sanogo also indicates that Wenger notices the challenge ahead of him and the step this Arsenal squad should be making to progress to the next level.
With that being said, knowing when to drop or rest a player will be pivotal to the team’s target of pushing on to that next level of becoming elite. Arsenal’s current squad is its most competitive squad in the last decade, with every position having multiple game changers. Wenger must recognise when the squad should be rotated, considering that the Premier League does not offer a winter break as well as when to drop players who have experienced a drop in form. Players themselves must recognise that positions are always up for grabs within the current squad, which should motivate under-performers and keep squad players eager to prove their worth. If any players are a testament to that in this squad, they would be Francis Coquelin and Hector Bellerin. Both stepped in and stepped up due to not only injuries but less than impressive performance from Mathieu Flamini and Calum Chambers respectively. The two young players recognised the chance they were presented and made the absolute best of it, understanding the competitiveness of the squad and the difficulty in breaking through. Due to their rise and good form the squad now has more competition for places as well as improved in quality throughout.
Managing injuries has been one of the biggest issues for Arsenal since 2006, having to deal with impact or muscular setbacks on a consistent basis season after season. The revolving door of the medical room would see a player return to the treatment room as soon as one has been released, but last season’s final push on for the team really brought to light some interesting changes that have been made in that department. Arsenal, in the final stretch of the season had their most consistent starting eleven for eight games running, a testament to the work that has been put in. Having a fit squad facilitates not only consistent game time but allows for better squad rotation and resting of players, something Wenger has been criticised for in the past but with improvements seen in the latter stages of the season, Wenger should have a good headache on his hand.
Re-assessing the squad, as was stated above, Arsenal have a high level of competition and quality for positions in goal, defence and midfield. Where the club is lacking is in the forward line; Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck, both being good players, will need to produce beyond what has been seen of them thus far. Welbeck offers raw pace, skill, work rate and strength but lacks the refinement to finish off wonderfully worked moves and to work half chances in his favour. Giroud’s dilemma doesn’t lie in his refined skill and quality but simply his goal scoring, the elite front lines within the current generation of world football are quick, immensely technically gifted and remain ruthless finishers. What Giroud lacks in pace he makes up for in his technique when interlinking with the play, but his inability to put away chances more consistently will hold back this Arsenal team from ascending to the next level.
Arsenal are in a good position going forward with a core of top quality players nearing their prime. The experience of winning the FA Cup twice with the addition of world class players such as Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez & Petr Cech, the team can only go from strength to strength. The next level for this Arsenal team is right around the corner if managed correctly, with regards to fitness, rotation and competition. Even though the squad cohesion seems perfect, additional quality should not be ignored if available. As was seen with the goalkeeping position, the front line is another area Wenger could make a shrewd decision on, despite the good players the club has there. Resulting in the Arsenal every fan wants and believes in.
