Arsenal: Stress free summer the gift that every fan needed

Arsenal fans are a tightly-wound bunch, and rightly so, but the brain trust is turning this summer into the ultimate stress-free experience.

It’s a strange feeling to completely trust a football club’s management. And while we certainly aren’t there yet with Arsenal, it is sneaking closer by the day.

I know in previous summers, there has always been this lingering knowledge that at least one clear and present need would not be addressed. At least one position, that was sorely lacking, would go into the season still lacking.

I don’t know why that was, but I have several theories – Wenger trusted his players too much, he trusted the academy too much, he trusted himself too much, etc. The point is, it didn’t work. Time and again, those needy position were still needy, and often grew needier, as the year went on.

Going back to January, that feeling has changed drastically. When the club got into the precarious situation of having Alexis and Mesut Ozil at the end of their contracts, there was not a lot of optimism going around.

And there was a heck of a lot of stress. So much stress.

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But the club handled it remarkably well. Dare I say to perfection. Not only did they not get any worse – they got massively better.

We were hopeful that this trend would carry on into the summer and, lo and behold, it has. Magically so. Whether it’s Raul Sanllehi or Sven Mislintat or Unai Emery or any and all combinations of the three and beyond, the club has been approaching this summer as a no-nonsense summer.

Every need that we have is being addressed, and it isn’t being addressed like Yaya Sanogo addressed the striker problem. It’s being addressed like Bernd Leno addresses the keeper problem.

This is a sensation that has become all too foreign in recent years. This sensation of believing in what the club is doing and trusting that they will get it all done.

Now, let me jump in here and say that it isn’t over. If the budget limitations were true, then we have a few sales upcoming, but until they actually happen, we can’t be critical of them.

If nothing else, this summer has been remarkably stress-free. The signings have been smart, sharp, definitive and – of course – cheap.

Next: Arsenal Complete 2017/18 Player Ratings

Whoever deserves the thanks for this, let me say it for everyone – Thanks! It’s the greatest gift we could get this early into the new era.

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