Arsenal suffered a shock Capital One Cup exit last night when they lost to Bradford City on penalties. The fourth division team had taken the lead in the first half, and it all seemed like a case of déjà vu for the mighty Arsenal.
The Gunners spent the remainder of the game trying to catch up with Bradford. The fans were behind the team, but the hostile environment and the cold weather did not help the Premier League team.
Arsene Wenger had played a very strong team compared to his usual second string of youth academy players. The manager’s decision therefore surprised everyone, and it was apparent that the Frenchman was really going for the league cup.
However, a very strong Arsenal side failed to make a strong account of themselves against an inferior, but very well organised and determined lower league opposition. Despite scoring a late equalizer and taking the game into stoppage time, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429 had to
face the daunting task of penalties against a team who have won their last 8 successive penalty shoot outs.
It seemed like the game was written before it had started. Arsenal lost the penalty shoot-out 3-2 and crashed out of a tournament they really should’ve won this season.
Now, the team and the manager face increasing pressure from fans and the media. With the New Year coming up, Arsenal face 5 league games against teams in the bottom half of the Premier League. And we all know how Arsenal fare against teams ‘fighting for
their lives’.
Arsene Wenger will tell his players that he needs at least 12 points from a possible 15 before year ends, but he also needs to address certain areas in his squad. The Gunners badly need a striker capable of scoring from the odd chance, and with the January
transfer window coming up, Wenger will look to sign one.
That is however the least of their troubles. The squad needs more players, and big names if it wishes to compete at the top. Arsenal need a solid midfielder and need to stop relying on the injury prone http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Abou-Diaby-c3453. Even though the Frenchman is an absolute
beast of a midfielder when fit, he fails to manage a decent string of games, and this leaves the Gunners short staffed in the centre.
At the back, Arsenal need to sell off dead weight and buy at least two quality defenders. This transfer window will be Arsene Wenger’s most crucial one to date, and if the manager fails to capitalize, it may cost his team the season.
The likes of Sebastian Squillaci, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Andrei-Arshavin-c5771 may be out of the club, and should be considering how they have not contributed much towards the club’s cause in recent seasons.
Arshavin remains an enigma, and I still think the player offers much more than the frustrating and wasteful http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gervinho-c14755. The little Russian has been played out of position ever since he joined the club, and his downfall is not entirely his own fault. So you
have to feel for him.
Here’s a list of players that I think Arsenal should go for in January, and what they could potentially bring to the team:
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Klaas-Jan-Huntelaar-c21175
The Dutch striker is at the final year of his contract with Bundesliga side Schalke, and will be available for free next season. However, Wenger can make a move for him for only £5 million, or at least that’s what sources in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749 claim.
Huntelaar has a proven record, and is clinical in front of goal. He is exactly the sort of player that Arsene Wenger likes, and may provide Olivier Giroud with much needed competition.
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