Arsenal

Why Arsenal remains stuck in 4th Gear

Arsene Wenger is a brilliant coach. 5 years ago his team went undefeated in the league. 3 years ago he made the Champions League finals. Last year he came in 4th. Again. Didn’t put forth his strongest players in the FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea, not that it would’ve mattered. Adebayor has been begging to be sold for 365 days – publically – at least. He needs someone to protect Fabregas in central midfield, or just go all out and have a central defender with guts (read: NOT Senderos). That’s pretty much it. Sure, they could use a class striker, but if Eduardo is truly healthy and no one decides to studs up his ankle and snap both bones in two again, they have a good backup to Van Persie (if he can stay healthy) and Bendtner who is all of 21 years old.
We’ll come to the defense later, but first up front’s where Arsene needs to bend off his 4-4-2 and go to a 4-3-1-2, with the right and left wingers pressing forward and Arshavin playing just off the strikers creating hell for the defense. Either that or make him the left frontman in a 4-3-3. But Arshavin is not a winger, he’s just darn good. Similarly: Walcott. He’s almost 21 now. Nasri is brilliant at 22. Fabregas is all of 22 as well. Denilson? 21. Heck, even Aaron Ramsey is just 19. If they do go 4 wide at midfield and just play off each other they’ll have fun and (if they shoot) score a lot.
4 –man-midfield attack:
van Persie --- Bendtner
Arshavin --- Fabregas --- Nasri --- Walcott
or
the 4-3-3:
Arshavin --- van Persie --- Bendtner
Nasri --- Fabregas --- Walcott

Then again, I don’t really like Bendtner all that much, but he’s effective, young, and doesn’t complain all the time like Adebayor.
On to the defense. Oh, the defense. Maligned all year long, I don’t care what the stats say (and 37 goals against puts them in the “4th best” category since the top 3 gave up only 24-27 goals) but they have to improve at the back to move up the table.
They have two studs in the fullback positions: Clichy on the left and Eboue on the right, except Eboue is oft-injured or forgets to get back. Toure just isn’t all that solid, and Djourou is young. Younger still is Gibbs; I don’t know, maybe he won’t make another mistake like against Manchester, and if that’s the case then bully for him. But Gallas is pretty useless at this stage, as is Silvestre. Maybe Senderos comes back mature, it’s doubtful. They’ll try to buy Brede Hangeland to toughen up the middle.
Almunia will do, but he’s not special. One hopes Fabianski will be – time will tell.
Surprise: Arsenal should buy Gattuso. I don’t care if he’s “old” – he’s gritty, determined, intelligent, and always taking away possession. If he’s available, buy him and let Denilson learn and sub for both. He may not pass as pretty as Xabi Alonso but have you seen who Arsenal can put out on the pitch offensively? They don’t need it. Even Barcelona put a defensive holding midfielder in there so there fullbacks can rush up the pitch.

We’re going to go with an advanced winger 4-4-2 and play Gattuso a little deeper (this is Wenger, after all):

van Persie --- Walcott
Arshavin --- Fabregas --- Gattuso --- Nasri
Clichy --- Hangeland --- Toure --- Eboue
Almunia

Bench: Sagna, Gibbs, Djourou, Denilson, Ramsey, Eduardo, Bendtner

Please sell: Adebayor, Silvestre and headcase Gallas (really, how did Arsene make him captain?)

Buy: Hangeland, Gattuso

Total: if they sell Adebayor they’ll break even or profit.