27/09/13
Welcome back to my blog. I haven't posted anything for many months now and don't intend to post regularly again. But I do intend to write the odd article on an interesting topic to do with The Arsenal. Today I will be discussing a crucial signing that Arsene made this summer, I hope you enjoy it. Stay tuned!
What an unbelievable summer transfer window that was for Arsenal. The mix of frustration, anger and euphoria all in the same window, was something that we have never witnessed before. In the end I believe we had a very productive transfer window, especially in terms of the players that the club managed to get rid off. The aptly named: "deadwood". I do think that this side of our transfer window has been very much, under emphasised. The fact is last season, and for a number of seasons before, we have had a very big squad including many players that were never really playing, never really contributing anything to the team, and to the cause. However they were collecting enormous pay checks. Clearly this entails a number of significant problems. Firstly the wages that were being spent on these players could clearly be spent much better elsewhere to bolster our wage budget to get in the top quality players in that we have been crying out for, that naturally demand much bigger wages. Secondly and probably actually more significantly the team spirit would have been detrimentally affected. Therefore I believe that in getting these players out was a great piece of business by the club, not only because it cleared up a lot of wages to allow us to pay bigger wages elsewhere, it also would have made the squad a lot tighter and I think that has started come across very well on the pitch. There is an absolutely fantastic team spirit at the club. No one can question the togetherness of the group now that is for sure. And I think that is partly down to the fact that those players that were not pushing in the same direction, that weren't involved in the team, have now gone.
In terms of the "ins" at the club during this transfer window there has clearly been one standout, marque signing. I am of course talking about Mesut Ozil. What an unbelievable moment that was for all Arsenal fans. After the summer of frustration we had experienced, where the original optimism of big signings being made had been quashed by a lack of actual activity. Many big signings were rumoured to be close, with the likes of Higuain and Gustavo especially said to be almost "done" on a number of occasions, however time and time again the club failed to get these players through the door. But as the saying goes good things come to "people who wait". And in the end, after all the waiting, one good thing did come, and that was the epic signing of Ozil. It is an incredible signing for the club, and at £42.5 million it absolutely obliterated our previous transfer record. I believe that it is an absolute watershed moment for the club, from now on in we should be able to attract more players of this level, and with increasing commercial revenue streams we should be able to afford these sorts of players more and more often, which of course is extremely exciting!
Clearly Mesut has had an absolutely massive effect on the team since he has arrived, and has created an incredible buzz around the club. He has given the whole club a massive confidence boost. However in many ways I believe that most significant signing in terms of righting the wrongs of the last few seasons, has been in the signing (or should I say resigning) of Mathieu Flamini. For me Flamini has been an absolutely beast since he has come back, and has really aided our defensive solidity this year. He really puts himself about, and is desperate to win the ball back whenever we loose it. But the most important and crucial thing in my opinion about his reintroduction to the team in my opinion, has been his exceptional leadership. It is a while since we have seen an Arsenal player screaming at his teammates, ordering them into position, and berating them when they step out of line, or make a silly mistake. This is great to see. We have been lacking someone in the last 5 years, since he left actually, who is prepared to just sit in front of the CBs and tuck in when need be, and to clear up the ball whenever the opposition is on the attack.
Whilst Arsenal were craving that extra bit of "stardust" which of course Ozil brings, in many ways I genuinely believe that Flamini has been the most important signing in terms of our impressive early season form, and long may it continue. Flamini is exactly what we have lacked. He gives our team balance, and also brings fantastic leadership and experience. Were he not on a free, nor an ex Arsenal player, everyone would be saying what an amazing signing it was. When the signing was made I said I thought that it was an extremely "shrewd" and "intelligent" signing and I believe that he has absolutely proved that so far. He has been superb. It is no coincidence that the team has looked much more solid for most of the season when he has been playing, because he does not mind just sitting in front of the back four which naturally brings the best out of the likes of Ramsey, Ozil, Wilshere e.t.c as they do not need to worry about whats going on behind as much because Flamini fills them with confidence. And I believe the Flamini factor if you will, is a contributor to Aaron Ramsey's excellent form. Flamini has allowed Aaron much more freedom to go and play, and it is so great to seem him playing with this freedom. Flamini has been in my opinion the most significant signing thus far, however of course Ozil is an absolutely amazing signing who will continue to integrate more and more into the team, and get better and better, which is of course a very exciting thought!!
All in all it was a very strange transfer window at Ashburton Grove, but I think in the end with the significant clearance of the deadwood, the shrewd signing of Flamini and the incredible arrival of one of the worlds best and most talented players, Mesut Ozil, it was a good transfer window for the club. Moving forward we do still need another CF, but with the form of Olivier Giroud at the moment we should be okay until January, as long as he stays fit. However with the number of midfielders we now have at the club I can see Lukas Podolski given more of a go in his "preferred" CF position, rather than on the wing, in rotation with Ollie Giroud, which will be very interesting to see.
Thanks for reading. Over and out!!!! UP THE ARSENAL!!
Mathieu, the beast, showing great passion......
