Morgan Schneiderlin, Geoffrey Kondogbia and now Arturo Vidal
Arsenal Football Club haven’t replaced Patrick Vieira. The Frenchman left TEN YEARS ago, and The Gunners have missed out on three ideal signings so far this summer.
The Gunners have fixed one major issue and that is in between the sticks. They’ve brought in Petr Cech from Chelsea who is arguably their first world-class ‘keeper since the days of Jens Lehmann and David Seaman.
However, they’ve missed out on three players that would have strengthened them drastically on the pitch.
Defensive Midfielder Needed
Every football fan can see Arsene Wenger NEEDS to sign a central defensive-midfielder. He’s got the attacking options and the number-1os, but he needs that one enforcer, that big guy protecting the back-four and allowing the attacking midfielders to cause havoc up front.
Nemanja Matic and Sergio Busquets. That’s the type of figure Arsenal need in the heart of their midfield. Who do they have? Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini.
Yes Francis Coquelin has emerged from out of nowhere like a Randy Orton waiting to smash an RKO onto someone, but he produced it for half a season. Can he do it for the entire campaign?
What if Coquelin gets injured? He’s an Arsenal player, he’s bound to have some time on the sidelines.
That would leave Arsenal with an ageing Arteta and a useless Flamini, unless the Frenchman does in fact complete his move to Galatasaray as expected.
Arsenal need a midfielder. They need someone to help out Coquelin during the big away matches and they need depth in that area.
Missed Targets
Morgan Schneiderlin. Would have been perfect. Linked with him for over a year but failed to get him last season because Ronald Koeman blocked any potential departure.
However, he stated he could leave this summer. The Frenchman wanted out as he wanted Champions League football. Arsenal didn’t make a move and allowed the star to join fierce-rivals Manchester United.
Not only that, but he also joined United the same day Bastian Schweinsteiger did. Louis Van Gaal technically didn’t even need Schneiderlin, but he signed him because of depth and because he was available.
The second name fans turned to was Geoffrey Kondogbia. The man dominated The Gunners in the Champions League when AS Monaco stunned them at the Emirates Stadium.
Powerful and happy to sit and patrol the midfielder. Monaco ready to sell due to financial reasons. Arsenal once again make no move and Inter Milan sign him up.
Now this isn’t the Inter Milan of a few years ago when they were winning the treble. No. This is a mid-table Serie A Inter Milan.
So they missed out on two players that would have easily strengthened them.
No fear though as Arturo Vidal is linked. The Chilean wants to leave Juventus and further his career. Enter Arsenal rumours. Alexis Sanchez is persuading him to join the Emirates.
Weeks later, he has agreed to join Bayern Munich. Arsenal once again caught sleeping in the transfer window and once again missing out on a star target that would have pushed them further to the title.
Wenger surely can’t be relying on an inexperienced Coquelin and an ageing Arteta. Surely he has a plan?!
Arsenal fans hope so.
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
