Arsenal fans can look forward to seeing further improvements by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the new season

Published: 16 August, 2012
by RICHARD OSLEY

IT'S a little forgotten now but a Premier League champion played for Arsenal last season. With his transfer unresolved, Samir Nasri was wearing a red and white shirt during Arsenal’s first home match, a disappointing 2-0 loss to Liverpool. 

It was a curious, unhelpful situation, and almost as soon as the game was over the French international was on his way to Manchester City. 

The uncertainty over Nasri’s future had plagued Arsenal’s preparations and led them into a rush of player purchases at the end of August. 

By the time they all seemed to reading from the same page, the Gunners were already out of title contention and worrying about whether they would even qualify for the Champions League.

Learning a lesson from that false start, Arsenal have tried to do their summer business early. In have come new attacking options in Malaga’s Santi Cazorla, Cologne’s Lukas Podolski and Montpellier’s Olivier Giroud. 

But the sale of Robin van Persie, perhaps the outstanding performer in the entire top flight last season, has once again undermined Arsene Wenger’s hope for stability. 

Breakthrough act:

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. People outside Arsenal tend to think of “The Ox” as another Theo Walcott, who may play well in fits and starts. Those who have seen him first-hand realise here is a player more than capable of eclipsing anything Walcott has achieved. A genuine star in the making, the more we see of him the better.

Last chance saloon:

Abou Diaby. Wenger has shown remarkable loyalty to a player who has never lived up to his promise. 

Strengths: 

The club has a ridiculous number of midfielders and wingers. If they can’t put together something good from Song, Wilshere, Arteta, Walcott, Arshavin, Rosicky, Ramsey, Gervinho, Diaby, Frimpong, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain and so on, then there are unsolvable problems.

Weaknesses:

Defence. Clearly, the defence. Arsene Wenger has often been credited with spotting attacking talent, but his choice of defenders has not always lived up to his wise man’s reputation. Think Sebastian Squillaci. A pairing of Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny shows promising signs, but even these tough guys seemed brittle under pressure last season.

What would make us smile:

Podolski and Giroud forming a killer alliance in attack. Maybe Maraoune Chamakh could suddenly come good too.