Let’s be all honest with ourselves, we had a decent summer transfer window. I wasn’t half expecting Wenger to sign 5 good first team players, so I can give it a good 5/10 for the activity and quantity of the players we bought and 0/10 for the literal ignorance to fill the gaps in the team which the fans, pundits, journalist and even neutrals can clearly point out to what this current Arsenal team is lacking and what is needed (top class CM/a backup CB) to have a real go at the league title and yet again we are left at this case of so close yet so far. I don’t know what goes on in the Arsenal Boardroom let alone in Mr. Wenger’s mind but even as a strong advocator of Mr. Wenger I cannot get my head round to the current defensive situation and the mere negligence of the manager to correct it.

To think about it: We lost/sold 4 of our defensive players

1) Sagna: Free to City (bench warming duties)

2) Vermalean: Sold to Barca (3rd choice CB) to which Wenger himself commented that we would DEFINETLY sign another CB to replace Vermalean as we are short in that position.

3) Iggy Miquel: Sold to Norwich City

4) Carlos (banter) Jenkinson: Loan to West Hammers.

Now that’s 4 defensive players OUT. And we have replaced them with Chambers and Debuchy. So that still leaves us with 2 players short.

I literally can’t get my head round it listening to Mr. Wenger at the Champions League press conference before the BVB game when he was questioned about the defensive situation being stretched, he replied “The Debuchy injury puts us in a position where we do not want more (injuries)”. So basically we are relying on our luck with injuries rather than buying an extra player to cover our injury crisis. He went on to say, “Chambers can play in different positions and Monreal can play centre-back and we have as well Bellerin, who I think is now ready to play”. Monreal can play centre-back is basically a guess isn’t it? And Bellerin well even the Dortmund German to English translator had problems pronouncing his name so basically he was never so close to the 1st team than he is now. I’m all for giving youth a chance but not for just throw them in a big match vs BVB.

What has changed within a month when at the start of August following the sale of Vermalean, Wenger was confident of replacing him and now we are in a situation where we have to rely on the luck factor and Monreal at CB!!! This is not proper planning is it? This is just taking a wild guess that a player can cover CB just because he can and the other day I watched Nacho Monreal’s interview on Arsenal Player saying he has never played in that position anytime in his career. So, we are relying on a player who has never played as a CB and Luck factor in our defensive position.

To see a planned summer transfer window, as much as it pains me to admit this but just have a look at Chelsea’s activity. They had gaps in their team a Striker, a Box to Box Midfielder to replace Lampard and a Left Back to replace Cole and they identified their targets and got them early and ready to play in the pre-season to bed them in the team.

Wenger has not changed. He is still looking for a value in a transfer market where in 2014 players are sold for (S#@T) loads of money. And even after you sell Vermalean, you have 20-25 days before the transfer window closes and you still can’t find a 3rd or 4th choice centre back??? It really baffles me how Mr. Wenger operates in terms of managing transfers. And when you question him why you couldn’t sign a player, he goes on about his routine speech “We are only in for signing a TOP TOP class player and they are in shortage”. Come on Arsene we don’t need a TOP TOP 3rd or 4th choice centre back do we??? We just needed an extra body who can cover for Per and KOS and may be give them a bit of rest for the Mickey Mouse cup.

Well, in defense of Arsene I can say that the only amicable reason of not signing a 3rdor 4th choice centre back is perhaps Arsene telling the player “We are signing you but you will be a deputy to Per and KOS and will not play regularly” Well that’s being fair to the player and he may stay at his current club rather than come over to a bigger club like Arsenal and sit on bench all and rumor has it that’s what happened with Winston Reid of West Ham.

Guillem Balague the Spanish LaLiga Sky Pundit claimed on deadline day that Arsenal were looking for a versatile player who can play as a CDM and effortlessly perform as a centre-back if and when needed, we all know Wenger loves these versatile players and may be yet again he didn’t find to quote his words a “TOP TOP Player” who can perform both the positions with ease in the market.

I have no doubt that we have improved from last year in terms of personnel and numbers upfront but to think this current team are ready to put down a marker by challenging for the League title is a statement too bold to make for any sensible Arsenal fan.

A Guest blog Written by Sidd.