Arsenal Must Have An Open Mind This Summer

Arsenal go into the summer transfer window as failures. They failed to win a wide open league and they need to reassess where they stand. And who stands with them.

Arsenal’s season didn’t go as planned, and you have to look at the cast of characters and wonder who doesn’t fit in. Over the past few years, Arsenal have been building towards a team that can have sustained success not only in the top five, but at the top and beyond.

Now that Arsenal have the spending power to make a splash in the transfer market, it has to be about time that Arsene Wenger opens his mind a bit and looks at his team, questioning each and every player to figure out if they play a vital role on this team. Because if not, why are they still here?

2017 is probably the biggest year in recent memory. Arsenal cannot take another upset. They cannot take another letdown. But running the same people out there and expecting a different result is not only the definition of insanity, it is just poor managing and a recipe for failure.

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Wenger has to reassess his crew, which held them back this year. Loyalty kept him clinging to Flamini and Arteta when they really had no part to play. They therefore took up valuable space that could have gone to much-needed depth signings.

This summer, he can’t make the same mistake. Any player that doesn’t figure to be a major player by the end of the season needs to be reevaluated as to whether they still belong on this team.

I am thinking of a few players in particular. Per Mertesacker, for one. The intelligence and leadership of the German is well known, but his ability leaves Arsenal vulnerable and we have to wonder how relevant he will be by the end of next season. I do not think he will be relevant at all, meaning that if Chambers or Bielik can’t step up, Arsenal need another CB.

Two other names I’m questioning more and more are Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The two Southampton men have been given numerous chances by Arsene Wenger but have yet to fully capitalize. The Ox is still young, so his frustrations can be brushed off a bit, but Theo Walcott is another story. He had about two weeks worth of combined relevance this year. That is unacceptable and not worthy of a potential Premier League title winning team.