Five reasons for Arsenal fans to be concerned
A £40m outlay on Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla has provided fresh hope of success at Arsenal this season and served as a welcome distraction in the midst of Robin Van Persie's self-imposed transfer saga.
There is still cause for concern at the Emirates, however, and here's why...
Robin van Persie is virtually irreplaceable this season
It's rarely wise to keep an injury prone 29-year-old with 12 months left on his contract when there's serious money on offer. Robin van Persie, on the other hand, scored 30 Premier League goals last season in a team that laboured to third spot. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has managed more in the last ten years, as Man United lifted yet another top flight title in 2007/08. Sure, Arsenal have bought Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski but will either of them muster anything close to 30 goals this season? They would do well to manage a combined total of 30.
Arsenal could be out of the title race by October
Six games into last season Arsenal found themselves in 12th spot, nine points behind leaders Man United and effectively out of the title race in September. This year, the Gunners host Chelsea and visit Stoke, Liverpool and Man City in their first six fixtures - a testing period that gives new signings very little time to gel.
Alex Song is tempted to jump ship, too
Unfortunately for Arsenal, one of the byproducts of sustained failure has become the tendency for good players to leave in search of silverware. Box-to-box engine Alex Song, the man who controlled certain games last season and chipped in with 11 Premier League assists, is a transfer target for Spanish giants Barcelona. Would you blame him for leaving? There aren't many players who would turn that move down and he can't be too happy with the impending departure of Van Persie. If Song leaves, Arsenal's questionable defending will be under even more scrutiny and no amount of tricky little midfielders will make up for that.
The bigger clubs are getting even better
Arsenal may have forked out £40m for three players but Man City would happily spend that amount on one man at the top of his game. Man United, as the world's biggest club, are capable of drawing bigger names with the promise that trophy-less seasons are an exception rather than the rule. And Chelsea, who only finished below Arsenal last term because Andre Villas-Boas was so dreadful, have already spent £70m this summer. One of these days Liverpool and Spurs will get their act together, too.
The club doesn't buy or produce winners anymore
Who was the last decent player to emerge from Arsenal's youth system? Ashley Cole, the man loathed for daring to leave in search of success. Jack Wilshere, nabbed from Luton as a youngster, is a tremendous talent but he is under enough pressure just to come back fit at the moment and, though promising, Arsene Wenger has signed players who are unlikely to lift the club above the Manchester teams. Lukas Podolski arrived from a relegated German side, Santi Cazorla has never won a club trophy and Olivier Giroud has to prove himself at a level above the French league.
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