Season Preview - Hopes and Dreams

Right then; here we go! A new season commences, and anything could happen. And I thought that I'd lay out my hopes and dreams, my expectations and my concerns, and would see how they resonate with yours. Let's get right into it. But warning - long read...

Title aspirations

Last season, Arsenal fell just short of toppling Team 115 from their perch, despite taking 49 points out of 54 from their PL matches in 2024. 89 points wasn't enough, and it was almost certainly the relatively slow start to the season that cost Arsenal the title (remember, Liverpool once got to 97 points and it wasn't enough!).

As far as trajectory is concerned, it's been 8th to 5th to 2nd, and then 2nd again in the past 4 seasons - with every season end tinged with regret of some kind or the other. But it's clear that Arsenal are getting closer and closer. It's in the area of marginal gains where Mikel Arteta knows he needs to squeeze a bit more out of his squad, and for sure he's working on it.

I see the strengths and weaknesses as follows:

Goalkeeper and Defence

Little to criticise. The best defence in the country, without question; and Arteta has addressed the perceived (or actual) weakness posed when oppositions pick on Zinchenko by adding Riccardo Califiori to the ranks. Plus Jurrien Timber looks ready to go as well - indeed, I'm not quite sure how to get 6 into 4 right now; although there will be plenty of opportunities for rotation as the season progresses - it's highly unlikely that Saliba and Gabriel will be able to keep their exemplary fitness records for another full season. 

Honestly, there are no worries here. In William Saliba, Arsenal have the stand-out centre half in the entire league. And his partnership with Gabriel is equally the number one partnership. Add Ben White, and with a choice of first class left backs, just relax...

Midfield 

Again, Arteta appears spoilt for choice; and may be even more so if he gets Merino. 

Declan Rice is a machine, and whilst he did start looking a little tired towards the end of the recent Euros, the break will have done him sufficient good. Alternatives to him at the 6 spot are Jorginho (excellent passer; not too mobile these days but very capable) and Thomas Partey (gives Arsenal something different with his ability to quickly beat a man and create vertical passing spaces, but not reliably fit and his legs are perhaps starting to betray him). Between the three of them, Arsenal are well served in that position, but this is an area that will need reinforcing next summer.

Further forward, the 'right 8' role belongs firmly to Martin Odegaard; a player who must surely be the envy of literally every single club side in the world. £30m from Real Madrid has turned out to be an absolute bargain! Left 8 is rather more complicated, and it's worth pointing out at this stage that Arsenal's right hand side has been considerably more effective as an attacking force than the left for probably two seasons now. If Arteta can find a way to make the opposition worry more about what's going on down Arsenal's left, then what an attacking outfit they will have become!

But the waters are muddy. Should he put Rice there; with Partey or Jorginho behind. Havertz? Trossard? Vieira (sadly, he doesn't have the option of ESR any more)? Nwaneri, even, at the right time? Who would work best, and how will that upset the equilibrium on the left wing, and up top? I'm glad that it's not my problem!

Forward line 

Just the one place out of three is set in stone here; Saka on the right. After that, it does appear that Kai Havertz is the centre forward of choice, with Gabriel Jesus a decent alternative. On the left wing, there's Martinelli or Trossard. Or even Jesus (could play all across the front). But...

And here's what bother me the most; yes, Arsenal scored 91 league goals last season. And the goals were spread all across the team, with contributions from almost everywhere. Saka top with 16 (including penalties). Then Havertz 13, Trossard 12, Odegaard 8. Which is all great news, but for me there are two issues:

Firstly, Arsenal are missing the key ingredient of a top centre forward. Last season three players - Haaland, Palmer and Isak - notched 20+ goals. Saka was number 9 on the list for the season. Arteta and Edu are well aware of this; look at the very first move they attempted to make this summer - trying to sign Benjamin Sesko. For me the addition of a goal scorer is the missing ingredient in this Arsenal squad. Yes, 91 League goals - but look at the games when Arsenal failed to score to see where those extra margins can be made up. City away. Newcastle away. Both matches against Aston Villa. And inexplicably at home to West Ham. Not forgetting the 1-0 defeat in Munich. 

Margins... the odd extra goal here and there in those games would have been huge. It's OK to knock 5s and 6s past inferior teams, and they'll do that again this season, but that's not actually enough.

Which brings me on to point two: expected goals. Because Arsenal don't have a clinical finisher in the squad, they need to create more - and better - chances than other sides to allow for the 'big chances' that are squandered. Matches are consistently dominated, but quite often that isn't reflected in the scoreline. There are any number of examples from last season, but Brighton at home stands out for me. It could/should have been 6-0. 

But I'm not asking for two and three goal wins to become 5 or 6 goal wins (enjoyable as that would be). I want to see them score in every match! Even against the most difficult of opposition. A single goal at Villa Park, St James' Park, or even The Etihad (remember that Trossard chance in the second half?) would have made all the difference to the entire season! 

For me, if Arteta is going to make just a single extra signing in the next fortnight, then please let it be a centre forward! Although I guess that there will need to be further departures first.

The Squad

So... what does the current squad need by way of additions? And who needs to go? Let's do this!

Goalkeepers - Aaron Ramsdale; let's be fair to the bloke - he needs to go and play somewhere. A sale would be the best move for all parties. He'd do a fine job pretty much anywhere. And Karl Hein needs playing time. What that will mean, of course, is that Arsenal need to sign a replacement; somebody who would be happy enough to under study David Raya. Bentley from Wolves would be no bad idea; he did a decent job standing in for Jose Sa last season. Alternatively, our old pal Wojciech Szczesny is currently a free agent...

Defence - and here Arsenal have not only quality but quantity. It wouldn't surprise me to see Jakob Kivior depart, and there looks to be space to advance young Aiden Heaven into the group too, alongside Miles Lewis-Skelly. Both very much for the future, but closest to breaking through

Midfield - and continuing that theme, there Ethan Nwaneri. the departure of ESR gives him a chance for more first team minutes, and he certainly looks up to taking them with both hands. There are shades of Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas in watching him, and I'm excited to see how he gets on. Elsewhere, even if Arteta would have been happy to shift Partey out, there haven't as yet been any takers. He's got a year left on his contract, so let's make use of him whilst he's fit. Plus the likely addition of Mikel Merino creates further opportunities to dominate opponents.

Forwards - Arteta is trying to shift both Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson out. They don't have the quality for this Arsenal squad. Thanks, and good luck. But as I said before they surely need to draft in another body. Havertz's qualities are clear, but he's not a reliable finisher. Jesus similar, but with the added trait of being so unpredictable that he can sometimes upset the pattern of play. On the left wing, Arteta has a real conundrum choosing between Martinelli and Trossard - sure, they'll both get playing time, but who's the 'starter' and who's the 'finisher'?

On the whole, the squad is almost complete. The bulk of them are aged 22-26. It bodes well for a period of great excitement and optimism for us fans. I've got nothing more to add on this.

And now for the 'elephant in the room' - Team 115. And it's all about to come to a head over the next few months. There's no point attempting to make sense of anything at this stage, but it's worth bearing the following in mind:

1. The charges cover the period 2009-18 only

2. They have already had a legal fight with UEFA over their FFP rules

3. They alleged to have consistently broken the premier League's old PSR rules

4. Almost a third of the charges relate to them 'failing to co-operate with Premier League investigations'

5. Whilst remaining favourites to win the Premier League yet again, they are also just 10/1 in places to be relegated. Remarkable...

I mean... WOW! 

So what would/could the penalties for this be if found guilty of even half of these charges? Well, bearing in mind what happened to Everton and Nottingham Forest last season, it's got to be a massive points deduction - enough to make relegation a certainty. I hear that their players have relegation clauses in their contracts; why on earth would the club bother to put them in in the first place?

What this could mean for Arsenal does not need to be spelled out. Arsenal are generally acknowledged as Manchester City's closest challengers, and with Liverpool expected to be in a post-Klopp lull are ideally placed to take advantage. Case to be held in the next couple of months - results early in the New Year. Juicy stuff...

And so to predictions:

1.    Arsenal to finally win the Premier League following a 21-year gap

2,    Champions League - quarter final at the minimum

3.    FA Cup/Carabao Cup - why not? One of those to come Arsenal's way

4.    Top scorer - Bukayo Saka

5.    Player of the Season - Martin Odegaard

6.    Breakout player - Riccardo Califiori

7.    Best young player - Ethan Nwaneri

8.    Most disappointing player - Fabio Vieira

As to the rest of the league:

Other Champions League qualifiers: Manchester City (if the points deduction doesn't fit the crime), Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle (for me, Villa are going to suffer in their Champions League year)

Most disappointing team - surely the nut-job that is Chelsea FC?FIrst managerial sacking: Enzo Maresca

Relegation: Southampton, Leicester, Ipswich. Sorry, guys. Unless a team like Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford or Forest have a shocker, they're really going to struggle. As it is every year.

Anyway, that's me done for the moment. See you at the Emirates tomorrow. COYG!