by Daniel Snowden
Well, that was a funny old season for Arsenal. We started off as an absolute train wreck, got tonked at Utd and lost to Blackburn. However, as things progressed the new signings bedded in and the team got used to playing without Cesc and we started to work our way back up the table, before losing all four full backs and turning to rubbish again, before then staging another comeback to limp over the line in
third.
It feels like the team went backwards, with many saying this is the worst side Wenger has managed at Arsenal, yet this group of players managed 70 points and scored 74 goals, 2 more points and 2 more goals than last year. Football: It’s a funny old game.
So, with that in mind, here is the Cutter end of season review for the Gunners;
What were your pre-season expectations and have they been met?
Before the season started I was hoping for a top 4 finish and given the way we started even fell back to hoping for a top 6, so in that sense, yes my expectation were met and exceeded, although our defence was disappointing.
If you’d been on the touchline what would you have done differently to your manager this term?
Not much to be honest. When you lose your main central midfielder for the season through injury and all four full backs for 6 weeks, there is not much you can really do to remedy the situation. I might have used Ashavin behind RvP at least a few times to try and get the best out of him, but major formation changes are a bit of a stretch mid way through the season.
Player of the season?
Well, clearly it is RvP, so let’s have a look at second best. Probably Laurent Koscielny, who has improved vastly and has consistently put in strong performances. While Vermaelen’s goals has endeared him to the crowd, he has also made a fair amount of mistakes. Sagna is also in with a shout, but spent too much time injured to really stake a claim
Biggest flop?
Park bench. I am still not sure why he was purchased, his wages must offset any commercial gain.
Is there a player loved by your fans who other supporters may not rate particularly highly?
Again, probably Sagna – the guy is a machine, getting up and down the line, a clean tackler and gets the best out of Walcott
Season’s highlight?
Coming back to smash the scum from 2-0 down, and Sagna’s interview afterwards when he just referred to spuds as “the enemy”. The Ox’s emergence was a season long highlight, but the England call up is a bit too soon in my opinion.
Head in hands moment?
Sitting there, 2-0 down to Spurs, watching the season fall apart. Either that, or at 3-0 up to Milan remembering I booked a holiday over the CL final weekend after we lost the first leg.
Who are your realistic transfer targets for this summer?
Difficult. Podolski is already in the bag, and most players we want are also being chased by other clubs with much deeper pockets (Hazard). M’Vila is apparently close to signing but I believe we need another central defender, perhaps Vertongan and a proper back up goalkeeper as Fabianski and Alumina look set to leave.
