Arsenal have now gone four years without winning a trophy, and there are signs the Gunners’ fans are starting to get frustrated with the lack of silverware in the Emirates trophy cabinet.
Arsene Wenger came in for criticism from some supporters at a recent shareholders meeting for not strengthening the squad in certain areas, but the bare truth is that
Arsenal have not had the financial clout to compete with the spending power of the top three clubs in the Premier League.
Manchester United,
Chelsea,
Liverpool, and in particular cash-rich
Manchester City are all likely to make more high-profile signings this summer, and surely the Arsenal board will have to hand Wenger a significant transfer kitty if the club are to compete in the major competitions next term.
Wenger was given around £13 million to bring in
Andrey Arshavin in January and the Russian midfield wizard made a major impact, not least by scoring four goals against Liverpool at Anfield, but another striker, a holding midfield player and a central defender are still needed.
That much-needed centre half could turn out to be Thomas Vermaelen, who is being strongly linked with a £12 million move to Arsenal from Ajax. The 23-year-old is believed to be close to agreeing a four-year contract at the Emirates, and his representatives are currently in London for talks.
However, Gunners’ legend Tony Adams recently expressed doubts as to whether Vermaelen has the physical presence (he is only 5ft 11in) to dominate in the Premier League.
“I think that he is a very good player, but I don’t think he is ready for the Arsenal. I don’t think the punters at Arsenal would want another small one,” said the former
Portsmouth manager.
Admittedly, Arsenal enjoyed a smooth passage through to the semi-finals of the Champions League last season, but the manner in which they were swept aside by Manchester United in both legs underlined their lack of strength in depth.
Arshavin apart, there were other positives to take from the campaign though -
Robin van Persie showed once again that if he can stay fit he could be one of the best strikers in the Premier League, while young full-back
Kieran Gibbs looks like a player with a big future.
Shaily's verdict on Arsenal's season
A frustrating campaign for the Gunners once again. 6/10.
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