tPM, let me start saying that i am also frustrated - as it seems, we have enough cash and should have bought at least a new DM, and i think that maybe a new goalkeeper as well. but my arguments on why we should not be that much worried are based on the following:the playing mantis wrote:wenger has money to spend this summer a significant amount too.
the youth system is being derided as the club have failed ato win any trophy in 4 years and failed to mount a serious challenge in to a major trophy in all but 2 of those years (i mean league or CL).
how can a squad that is undeniably weaker than last year (i wanted toure and elephant washer out as i thought they would be replaced), hope to improve on the woeful (for arsenal) performance last season??? how? none of the failings of last year have been addressed (vermalean a great signing so far but still no CB depth).
Stop going on about the good start to the season, everton were distracted and abysmal, pompey are turd, as are celtic and Man U look decidely off colour (and not because we made them look off colour they werent harrassing our players or closing down like they usually do) yet still won when it mattered.
the fact that 2 or 3 proper signings could catapult this team to serious contenders is the main issue that annoys people why needlessly hamper yourself by not spending????? it makes no sense.
i can really see man city and sperz in the mix for top 4 with us relying on liverpools malaise to sneak in maybe. But we will definetely not challenge for the major honours come squeaky bum time
what took us out of the league race last season was NOT how we managed the big difficult games. remember hull and stoke at home? remember fulham in the second match of the season? well, those were matches are not different to everton, portsmouth and celtic!! if you win both matches against the 10 lowest teams in the table, that's 60 points. it makes you need only 20 something points in the other 18 matches!! look at manure and liverpool last season, they were not well against the other top 4 teams, and we only lost one match, chelsea at home! the thing is, manure didn't drop points to lower teams!
so NO, i will not accept any argument that our great start to the season should be forgot - it IS very good to see the way the team are performing.
you say we lost two major players and are so a lot worse than last season. that does not sound any correct to me! we are marking a lot tighter, making the other teams make mistakes at their own side of the pitch, we adopted a tactic that makes our midfield work a lot better both defensively and offensively, we have eduardo who is a wonderful player back, how can you say we are not better? vermaelen looks much more reliable than touré and brilliant in the air, which was probably our biggest defensive problem, that is a GREAT improvement!
i am frustrated that we didn't buy. i really am. but there is a big difference between that and saying the season is lost, specially now that the team gelled so well.
i'm confident, and i'm backing this team for another season.