Monday, July 28: Burgenland XI 2-10 Arsenal, Match Report
Wed, July 30: Stuttgart 1-3 Arsenal, Match Report

[Note: This was submitted prior to last Sat's Barnet game]

I think this next season will be a watershed, make or break season for Arsenal in general and Wenger especially. He is increasingly reducing the team’s experience and age such that only Almunia, Gallas, Toure and Rosicky are above 25 years of age! That is incredible! Ofcourse some players can still be bought before the “window” closes.

Wenger has of this weekend (Barnet friendly weekend) has promised “one or two at most” signings. This ofcourse is annoying and frustrating to hear for quite a lot of us. However, lets look at his problem from his own perspective – or rather what I think might be his perspective.

Now we had problems last season in defense and with regards to depth in some areas.

I think its safe to say though that Wenger will not bench Toure completely. Afterall if he cares so much about the “hopes of youngsters” I dont see him benching a regular like Toure all of a sudden – but then again he did the same to Gilberto – so who knows.

Anyway, Wenger played 4-3-3/4-5-1 in about half our matches last season. I expect him to use this sort of formation far more often in the next. With a 4-4-2 we look rather thin and uncertain. But with a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 we look a bit more stable.

I would prefer both a new CB and CM but I think Wenger will just buy one of those. He might buy a CB and push Toure into a three man CM.

Overall as it stands, 4-4-2 does not make sense for us – without additional buys. But with a 4-3-3 we could make do with the “1 or 2″ signings Wenger talks about. Infact, a 4-4-2 will only become feasible if RvP, Rosicky and Eduardo are fit – otherwise it doesnt make sense.

With the current realities on ground this is what it is shaping up to look like next season:

————————-Adebayor—————————–
————————(Bendtner)—————————-

——Nasri—————Fabregas—————–Walcott—-
——(Vela)————–(Rosicky)————(Van Persie)—

—————-Diaby——————Toure——————
—————(Djorou)————–(Denilson)—————
—————-(Song)—————-(Ramsey)—————-

Clichy—————————————————Sagna
(Traore)———————————————–(Eboue)
(Hoyte)————————————————(Hoyte)
—————–Gallas(c)——-NEW CB—————-
—————-(Toure)————-(Song)——————–
—————-(Djorou)———–(Senderos)—————–

————————–Almunia—————————–
————————(Fabianski)—————————
————————-(Mannone)—————————-

Overall in this way, we dont look too bad especially with a proper CB in there….it also allows Toure to still play while being displaced from CB. With a 4-4-2 though, we look light on the wings, upfront (considering we cant count on RvP) and even in central midfield.

Hopefully Wenger really has a PRAGMATIC plan – not some “pie-in-the-sky” crossed-fingers kind. If not, the majority will start questioning why his job is un-waveringly safe.

First, I want to pick the manager. In my mind, without a doubt, Arsene Wenger is the GREATEST Arsenal manager ever. Herbert Chapman had put Arsenal into the football map. And to me, he’s the “father” of Arsenal FC. Nevertheless, back in those days, Arsenal were “Bank of England”, the Chelsea of 30s. Chapman’s policy was to buy the best available, whatever it takes. Under this circumstance, it’s relatively easier to achieve success than Wenger, who has been operating a “mid-table club” budget lower than the likes of Spurs, Newcastle.

Despite all that, Wenger has become only the second man in English football history who had won two “doubles”. And guided his team to a historical unbeaten season in 2004.

Back to the players. Here’s my pick of Arsenal’s greatest top 10:

(1) Patrick Vieira

Paddy to Arsenal is like Cantona to Man Utd, a key figure to revive the club’s fortune. He’s part of every single trophy won by Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.

(2) Thierry Henry

The most exciting player ever wearing an Arsnal shirt. Yet the real heartbeat of Arsene’s Arsenal was Patrick Vieira.

(3) Tony Adams

I disagree with Arsenal.com’s choice of Bergkamp. Bergkamp was great to watch, yet like Vieira, Tony Adams was the man the team built upon. With Dennis on the pitch, we might not necessary win. With Adams on the pitch, you can be sure he would not give up without a fight.

(4) David Seaman

No great team without a great keeper. Big Dave’s contribution was underrated.

(5) Dennis Bergkamp

One word “CLASS”. I am not sure if we will ever be able to see a player with such flair, elegant wearing an Arsenal shirt again. He’s a player only comes along once a life time.

(6) Robert Pires

Another low-key player belongs to the category “you will only miss him when he’s no longer there”. Probably the most intelligent player I ever seen. And if I am going to describe Pires in one sentence, it’s – he makes his teammates look better.

(7) Alex James

I do not know anything about him. But he’s the key player of Chapman’s Arsenal side, and cup final scorer of Arsenal’s first ever trophy FA Cup back in 1930, which had since turned the club’s fortune around. Surely his impact to the club should be enough to earn him a place.

(8) Frank McLintock

The captain of Arsenal’s first “double”, captain of Arsenal’s first ever European trophy (Fair Cup, UEFA Cup today). Like James, I rate them based on their actual contribution and impact to the club.

(9) Ian Wright

Tony Adams once said “Arsenal will not be able to win the league with Ian Wright”. What Tony actually saying was during the time Ian Wright’s with us, Arsenal built our attack soley on him, and the team relied so much on him (one season Wrighty scored half of the team’s goals in total), and no team would be able to win a league with them depending so much on ONE player to score goals.

Adams’ point was valid. As it proved with 1989, we did not have a 30-goals-a-season goalscorer (Alan Smith led the team with 23 league goals), but we won the league. Wrighty did not win a league medal until his final season when we had more options upfront to share the load.

(10) Liam Brady

I put Brady here simply because he’s widely known as the most gifted Arsenal youth rank graduate ever. Brady’s brightest moment was Arsenal’s amazing FA Cup final 3-2 victory over Man Utd some 30 years ago. With it still being remembered as “the Brady final”.