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INCONSISTENT BUNCH

By Shreyas Rai

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Updated on:
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English football is knocking on the door with clubs bolstering their squads for a much awaited Premier League campaign. North London outfit Arsenal had a shambolic outing last season and a turnaround at the Emirates was expected under the inexperienced coach Mikel Arteta. But an inconsistent transfer window for Arsenal has hinted towards another downward fall clearly evident in the pre-season.

 

 

While Arsenal’s latest approach of Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez explains how Mikel Arteta and company don’t have a roadmap laid in front of them and they are inventing new problems instead of solving the existing ones. Martinez’s hunt indicates that the trust in the attacking battery of Aubameyang and Lacazette is lost and although Martinez could garnish any roster throughout Europe, he might not solve Arsenal’s mystery.

Considering that Arsenal was fighting for a spot in the European Super League (a breakout league involving Europe’s elites)  in February this year, this inconsistency shown by the Gunners is a questionable matter. Will the inconsistent transfer window take a u-turn or will Arsenal continue the same approach in the remaining time left?

 

THE QUESTIONABLE SUMMER

The summer window is inching to a closure, and the Gunners are yet to identify an exceptional signing. Consider the situation at Barcelona, they needed a replacement for Luis Saurez they purchased Sergio Aguero, they wanted a substitute for Gerrard Pique they captured Garcia’s autograph, while Emerson’s and Depay’s arrival solved their other major headaches. And most of the above-mentioned names were either free or entered Camp Nou at the price of pennies.

 

 

This is a perfect example of how you could enjoy delicious summer shopping without having to spend millions of bucks. And even if the Gunners are prepared to splash out the pounds, they never went looking for solutions to their problems. English centre-back Ben White was purchased from Brighton for a whopping amount of 50 million pounds without thinking twice. Although the Seagulls’ defender is a brick wall, the Gunners could have weighed their options before signing the paper.

 

 

Manchester United and Raphael Varane agreed for a contract and other than Varane’s iconic defensive techniques, the Frenchman brings a championship pedigree to the Theatre. And considering the Gunners’ history, two or three disastrous outings for the centre-back and his debut campaign might be left in tatters.

The pursuit of Lautaro Martinez hints at the departure of Lacazette from the Emirates with the club possessing numerous striking options. But the real question is did Arsenal need a striker like Martinez? Secondary to Lukaku’s heroics, Martinez prefers operating from the wings allowing his partner to take the centre stage. And when given full attacking responsibility with his national outfit, he showed glimpses of confusion and hesitation.

 

 

If Aubameynag’s catastrophic summer continues for another summer, the Argentine forward would be expected to marshal the Gunners and his chances of failure at the club could increase throwing away millions of investment out of the window.

 

THE ‘CENTRAL’ NEEDS

While the Gunners spectators would argue that since Emery’s arrival, Arsenal has been particular about their signings, an inconsistent game plan is evident in the rumours shrouding the club. One day you could hear that Emirates need a defensive midfielder to replace the ageing and departing Granit Xhaxa and the next day Xhaxa would be seen donning the captain’s armband.

 

 

While unpredictability might be a manager’s potent weapon, using it in the summer window puts question marks over the club’s long-term roadmaps. The horrendous summer under Mikel Arteta ended with the Gunners experiencing a trophyless campaign. And after a shambolic outing, a revamp at the Emirates was expected but Mikel Arteta and company have shown signs of thinking about the present rather than planning for the future.

 

 

Arsenal’s top priority has been to fill the gap left by Mesut Ozil’s departure from the Emirates. Ozil’s jail-time with the Gunners ended with the German world-cup winner parting ways with the North London outfit in the most disgraceful ways. And since Ozil’s departure, creativity has been lacking in the centre.

Unai Emery’s army thrashed the Gunners, throwing them out of the Europa League in the semi-finals and Gunner’s midfield difficulties were on display in London and Spain. The lack of flamboyance and creativity is visible with Arteta possessing a technically gifted player but lacking playmakers who could outwit a defender.

 

 

Another major concern for Mikel Arteta is the reputation surrounding the Gunners. Aston Villa snatched Arsenal’s target, Emi Buendia, while Emiliano Martinez exclaimed his switch to Villa Park a step-up in his career. Rivals feared the Gunners while players waited years to join Arsenal’s roster but at this point, the problems shrouding the club have forced players out of the club rather than attracting them into joining the roster.

 

A YOUNG GANG

Every time a club expects to rebuild itself, there are two significant ways for the glittering process. Either you choose Lampard’s ideology of buying the big names across Europe or you back your youngsters developed and nurtured in your own backyard.

 

 

Although Arsenal under Arteta chose the second option, their whole eleven consisted of an injection of fresh blood. Without the fostering of experienced campaigners,’ it became quite difficult for the younger generation to showcase their talent on the biggest stage. Lacazette and Aubameyang had a catastrophic summer while Xhaxa’s brawls with Emirates’ audience didn’t take a backseat throughout the summer.

 

 

And while Arsenal should have been looking for the experienced names who could settle nerves in crucial contests, this summer they again began hunting for the young guns. Look at PSG, Los Blancos’ most-decorated defender Sergio Ramos might be reaching the twilight of his career, but the experience under his belt bolster Paris’ European aspirations. And the absence of leaders in the dressing room is another reason why Arsenal have been inconsistent in the transfer window.

 

 

The Gunners did capture Albert Sambi Lokonga’s signatures, but the Belgium youngster is seen as Granit Xhaxa’s replacement rather than Ozil’s. Martin Odegaard and Emil Smith Rowe were considered the heir of Ozil’s throne while Nicolas Pepe and Bukayo Saka could have solved the defensive headaches but the Premier League isn’t a cakewalk.

The biggest European sharks are prepared to eat you for breakfast and you can’t expect the youngsters to carry the weight of one of the participants of the ‘Big-6’.

 

OFF-LOAD DEADWOOD

Imagine being a Gunner enthusiast and not solving the biggest problem shrouding your club’s future- ‘Getting Rid Of Deadwood’. The North London army has an immense amount of players who could be off-loaded to smaller clubs across England and the Gunners could reap some profits.

 

 

But owing to the Emirates’ unbelievable transfer tactics, none of these players has been forced out of the club for either revenue or playing time. Cedric Soares, Saed Kolasinac and Calum Chambers, Pablo Mari, Willian, Granit Xhaxa, and Hector Bellerin the catalogue of unproductive gunners in the Emirates’ arsenal is quite lengthy.

But neither the deadwood has been sold nor there have been any efforts made by Arteta for the departures of ceratin names hinting towards an inconsistent transfer window for Arsenal.

 

 

And it’s difficult to fathom the fact that Mikel Arteta and company weren’t using Hector Bellerin, Inter’s defensive interest, to discount the price tag linked with Martinez. Although Bellerin entered the equation, the initial offer proposed by the Gunners came as a shock to many pundits.

These factors clearly explain why Arsenal have had an inconsistent transfer window. Not being able to offload players, putting immense and unnecessary pressure on young shoulders’ and failing to understand their targets, the Gunners need to put their seat belts on for another roller-coaster ride in England’s top-flight.

Shreyas Rai

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