Arsenal will be there or abouts this season.

[leighton]

Just looking at the signings they have made so far not too bad and its not late in the season. I actually think they will close the gap on us this season. Really think Wenger is just 1 top class player short of having a great chance of a run at the title this season. They seem to have added well going forward with there players and the more Van Persie stays they will be in the battle for the title this season for me. Looking at the midfield options with Wilshire to come back as well. They are just short of a central defender as if Vermalen gets injured they cant seem to replace him.
Wenger splashing the cash for the first time in years and maybe 1 or 2 more to come in as well. I will be interested to see how they get on this season.

 

[Manc in London]

Arsenal's main weaknesses for the last few seasons has been a lack of leadership. They have not addressed it. You cannot win the league without a leader, unless of course no team in the league has a leader ;)

 

[bluethai]

Scary thought, just take Yaya(AFC), Silva(injured) and Nasri(injured) off, we have no one who can come on to take control and change game in the midfield at all. Barry, DJ, Milner, AJ, or even Sinclair, I doubt these players can create anything out of nothing in the tight CL games.

 

[Manc in London]

Scary thought, just take Yaya(AFC), Silva(injured) and Nasri(injured) off, we have no one who can come on to take control and change game in the midfield at all. Barry, DJ, Milner, AJ, or even Sinclair, I doubt these players can create anything out of nothing in the tight CL games.

Take three creative players out of any team and watch them struggle....

 

[sam-caddick]

If they get Sahin now, RVP to stay and can keep their injuries low then its game on!!

What Wenger can do is get any group of players playing as a team. Going to be interesting!

 

[Matty]

They're still a little weak at the back. Sagna and Gibbs are constantly injured and Andre Santos isn't a defender, he's a winger playing at being a left back. Whilst Vermaelen is good, Mertersacker isn't, and neither are their other defensive options either. Squillaci (is he still there?), Djourou (ditto?). The best of a poor bunch is Koscielny, and he's not much cop. If they lose Van Persie too you'd have to wonder where the goals will come from, Giroud is unproven, Chamakh is rubbish, Gervinho isn't prolific enough and Podolski is awesome......at International level, domestically his goalscoring record is mediocre at best. Their midfield is their strength, it's very creative and attacking, but you wonder if it's missing a little "bite" when it comes to battling for a result.

 

[mancboy123]

You all sound like arsenal fans they have signed carzola very good player, the top scorer from the french league who lets be fair chamakh and gervinho scored lots of goals in and a player who in podolski last time they went to a big club did nothing and not sure he will this time and all of sudden they are title contenders do me a favour.

He has made good signings but still not addressed the defensive frailties and lack of midfield steel that has dogged them in recent seasons and ive no reason to think that this is gonna change. Last season they had no probs scoring goals and every prob defending them so he has made good signings in all the wrong areas and this is if they prove to be good signings as they are being bigged up to be world class without really doing anything at the top level bar carzola.

Lets just wait and see.<br /><br />-- Tue Aug 07, 2012 3:55 pm --<br /><br />you stole my thunder a bit there Matty lol

 

[bluethai]

Scary thought, just take Yaya(AFC), Silva(injured) and Nasri(injured) off, we have no one who can come on to take control and change game in the midfield at all. Barry, DJ, Milner, AJ, or even Sinclair, I doubt these players can create anything out of nothing in the tight CL games.

Take three creative players out of any team and watch them struggle....

....Out of 9-10 main midfielders in the first team squad, that's a terrible management if you always rely only on just 2 players to always create everything for the team.

 

[Blue Hefner]

The trouble with Arsenal/Wenger is that they never take responsibility for anything that doesn't go their way. Nasri gets sold its City's fault, RVP wants to leave its other clubs 'ruining their work', they lose a game and the other teams style is at fault.

Until they accept that they need to change their attitude and until they get a 'plan b' they will not finish above City or United

 

[oakiecokie]

They're still a little weak at the back. Sagna and Gibbs are constantly injured and Andre Santos isn't a defender, he's a winger playing at being a left back. Whilst Vermaelen is good, Mertersacker isn't, and neither are their other defensive options either. Squillaci (is he still there?), Djourou (ditto?). The best of a poor bunch is Koscielny, and he's not much cop. If they lose Van Persie too you'd have to wonder where the goals will come from, Giroud is unproven, Chamakh is rubbish, Gervinho isn't prolific enough and Podolski is awesome......at International level, domestically his goalscoring record is mediocre at best. Their midfield is their strength, it's very creative and attacking, but you wonder if it's missing a little "bite" when it comes to battling for a result.

And in midfield if Song does go to Barca,then that weakens them.However I do believe that they will once again be one of our rivals and can`t see anything other than the top 3 from last season plus Chelsea.
Have to agree with you ref a leader and they are seriously weak at the back,but they can score goals,assuming they keep you know who.