Arsenal: Will The Lack Of Transfers Cost Them The Premier League?

Arsene Wenger has stated that he is not on the verge of signing anyone. Will the lack of signings cost Arsenal and their title hopes?

Boxing Day 2013. Arsenal were flying. With the introduction of Mesut Ozil in the summer bringing a touch of class to their attacking play, Arsene Wenger had navigated his side to the top of the table, favourites to lift the trophy come May and end their then eight-year trophy drought.

Aaron Ramsey was their talismanic figure. Playing as a box-to-box midfielder, the Welshman was magnificent for the first half of the year. He showed a ruthless goal scoring streak, intelligence and awareness in possession, confident in his own ability, oozing quality throughout.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

However, it was Boxing Day that the season unravelled for the Gunners. Ramsey suffered a thigh strain, an injury that would keep him on the sidelines until the FA Cup final, missing almost every game in between, the momentum was lost and Manchester City were quickly improving.

There was, though, one hope for Wenger to resurrect a sinking ship. The January transfer window offered Arsenal with a chance to bring in some much-needed midfield depth amid a mire of injuries and loss of form. By 31st January, Wenger had signed just one player. Kim Kallstrom. On loan.

Brought in primarily to bolster the title challenge in the latter half of the season, a mysterious back injury that Wenger either ignored or was unaware of limited the Swede’s game time. In fact, Kallstrom, during his six months with the club, played just 128 minutes of Premier League football, making only one start. Wenger is notoriously hesitant in using the January transfer window. He is disenchanted with its uses, is critical of the value that can be found and feels that quality signings are hard to come by.

This year, like almost every year, the North London side has been very quiet, signing just the one player; non-league youngster Cohen Bramhall who is nothing more than a punt. When asked if fans should expect any activity in the final few days of the window, in his pre-match press conference before Saturday’s trip to Southampton, Wenger stated that: “We are not on the verge of signing anything”.

Next: Arsenal Vs Burnley: 5 Things We Learned

Whilst that is unsurprising, it is nonetheless disappointing. After a quiet January cost Arsenal in 2014, they are again in danger of harming their own title chances with a lack of reinforcements, once again in central midfield. Wenger, as he ever does, has shown great loyalty to his players, but it may come at a fault; the Premier League title.

Home/Arsenal News