Reasons Why Wenger WON'T Significantly Strengthen The Squad?

[I Hate Hleb]

Being a man that is renowned for relying a great deal on statistics when it comes to making football decisions, maybe the fear some of us have that Wenger won't buy the players we think the squad needs to make an even stronger challenge for trophies next season will unfortunately come true, if the following is anything to go by.

Taken From Arsenal.com:

Season Review: Stats show big step in the right direction
By Matt Fortune

Points-wise, this season has only been surpassed twice by Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal.

Although disappointment was the underlying feeling among many by the time the final ball was kicked, a look down the years actually makes for healthy reading.

To begin with, the improvement on the previous Premier League campaign was palpable. The Gunners accumulated 15 more points in 2007/08 than they did one season earlier, had a higher goals-per-game average and scored a further 11 goals (finishing one place higher in the standings too). The Club’s top scorer, Emmanuel Adebayor, plundered 24 goals compared with the 11 that Robin van Persie had topped the list with the year before. In fact, since the inception of the Premier League, only Thierry Henry has scored more League goals in a season for the Club.

Arsenal also conceded on four fewer occasions, 31, and kept three more clean sheets; moving up that particular Premier League table from 10th to fifth. All this was achieved in a fairer way too — Wenger’s side moved up two places in the disciplinary table, ending the season in seventh.

The status quo was maintained in one respect: Cesc Fabregas remains the Premier League’s leading goal-maker. Even then, his tally of assists shot up from 13 to 19. Fabregas’ emergence as the country’s leading 'assistant' is good news for the Gunners because, since the turn of the century, only Henry has managed more in one season — in 2002/03 the Frenchman set-up a staggering 23 goals for his team-mates.


Fabregas - 19 assists this season
Adebayor - 24 League goals this term


Glancing back even further, it’s clear that the positives of this domestic campaign outweigh the negatives. Arsenal surpassed their points total of the 1997/98 ‘double’ season by five, and eclipsed the ‘goals scored’ tally from the famous Invincibles season.

Of the Gunners’ title-winning seasons, only the 2003/04 side conceded fewer goals than the class of 2008. It’s also worth mentioning that the only campaign to wield more clean sheets was Wenger’s first full season in 1997/98.


07/08 earned more points than 97/98..
..and scored more than the Invincibles


On the European stage, Arsenal progressed one round further than they did the previous year, reaching the Quarter-Finals for the fourth time.

Wenger’s team also surpassed the previous season’s goals tally of seven. The Club notched double that figure in the group stage alone, including the 7-0 romp at home to Slavia Prague.


Arsenal thrash Slavia Prague 7-0
Arsenal exit against PSV Eindhoven


A glance below reveals just how well this season matches up to those previous.

Arsenal's season - the statistics Season Pts F A CS* Top Scorer Top Assists Pts (H) Pts (A) Fair Play
2007-08 83 74 31 15 Adebayor 24 Fabregas 19 47 36 7th
2006-07 68 63 35 12 Van Persie 11 Fabregas 13 42 26 9th
2003-04 90 73 26 15 Henry 30 Pires 9 49 41 7th
2001-02 87 79 36 14 Henry 24 N/A 40 47 19th
1997-98 78 68 33 19 Bergkamp 16 N/A 47 31 15th



*CS = Clean Sheets

The One stat not mentioned in this that did surprise me was that Arsenal conceded less goals from set-pieces than any other team. It's funny how we the fans perceive things and yet statistics can suggest the exact opposite.

[goonarmy]

It's funny how we the fans perceive things and yet statistics can suggest the exact opposite.

I think the offside statistic will be exactly what i perceive it to be, not that i've seen it but i can imagine

[Rob]

All this is very well but at the end of the day we let the title slip through our fingers because we were and are physically and emotionally brittle.

We need reinforcements and that was BEFORE Flamini - one of our key performers - departed.

This closed season is the most important ever for AW at Arsenal. He has to get it right. We need a commanding centre back, a replacement for Flamini, some width - a winger and a forward - who we know is Vella.

That is assuming no one else leaves. If Hleb goes we need to replace him.

In my view we also need a new Captain. Which means selling Gallas - but that may be a step too far.

[Charlie! Charlie!]

The stats show a great improvement and should be applauded. I wonder how chavski and man ure's look as the most important one is that they have finished off better this season?

[Gunner4LiF3]

we need 3 players:

a winger, Vela can play there
a mid figher maybe bullard, but there are a few posibilities
CB because Senderos doesnt cut it.

[Charlie! Charlie!]

we need 3 players:

a winger, Vela can play there
a mid figher maybe bullard, but there are a few posibilities
CB because Senderos doesnt cut it.

I just can't except that Bullard is the type of player that is going to improve our chances of closing the gap in the prem and europe?

[Magic Merse]

Bullard is a good player for Fulham, but for arsenal, No Way.

I think others who we have be reported as going after are more likely, such as Nasri, Aquilla etc.

[Magic Hat]

Didn't Wenger say we needed players? Yes the stats are better and we have greatly improved but we still far from ideal squad.

[burns718]

Bullard is a good player for Fulham, but for arsenal, No Way.

I think others who we have be reported as going after are more likely, such as Nasri, Aquilla etc.

bullard is good enough to play against the likes of bolton stoke sunderland an the rest of that calibre, thus givin fabby some much needed rest

[Charlie! Charlie!]

Things haven't reached such depths that we need Bullard to improve have they? Would Man Ure or Chavs have him as "back up"?

[Gunner4LiF3]

a player like bullard could come on for the last 20 min for cesc when the game is won, just to give cesc a break, a squad player is what we need.

he would be good aswell coz he wouldnt complain.


thats my view, and im entitled to have it

[Gunner4LiF3]

Things haven't reached such depths that we need Bullard to improve have they? Would Man Ure or Chavs have him as "back up"?

sorry didnt relize players such as sidwell, fletcher are better then bullard

[Charlie! Charlie!]

a player like bullard could come on for the last 20 min for cesc when the game is won, just to give cesc a break, a squad player is what we need.

he would be good aswell coz he wouldnt complain.


thats my view, and im entitled to have it

Didn't mean to offend You are right, we are all entitled to our view.
We need to improve our first 11 before we start worrying about our bench in my opinion.

[Charlie! Charlie!]

Things haven't reached such depths that we need Bullard to improve have they? Would Man Ure or Chavs have him as "back up"?

sorry didnt relize players such as sidwell, fletcher are better then bullard

They have those players, just like we have squad members we would rather not.. The question was "Would they have Him"?

[Gunner4LiF3]

i would have him for the spirit, fight, he can chip in with a goal.

Im not saying he is the only player who would fit in, i think we need a player who has some premiership experience who can play there. I just used bullard as an example

i just think cesc cant handle a whole season. we cant replace cesc or look to replace him. cesc is still very young. so there is no need to buy a fantastic player in his position who would only spoil the atmosphere by complaining he isnt starting.