Virtually good in attack, depth in midfield but poor at the back, This is the team that were one of the best defenses in the League but has been shattered since the start of this season. While having names like Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey in their cook-book, any team would feel that they have what it want to conquer the best in Europe, every team but Arsenal. Having spent 42million pounds on a player but didn’t know what his actual position is, this is Arsenal football club where transfer business is more like import and export and profits are what put on the table at the end of the day.
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Final whistle was the only positive factor for Gunners at Dortmund.
While Arsene Wenger says his team are a work in progress, most Arsenal fans were so fed up with this statement last season that a single match, the FA Cup final was used as a litmus test to check whether the 64-year-old Frenchman is what Arsenal really needs. But “unfortunately” for the Gunners, the manager passed the test and the relationship was strengthened once again.
While Arsenal have a record of reaching in 17 consecutive Champions League Competitions, the best achievement by the club is a defeat in the Final at the hands of Barcelona. This story is like that of a mermaid who jumps every-time by cannot reach the target not even once. This is the same for once the Invincible of the English game, a term which is now a pleasant memory of the past but looks doomed in future somewhere.
Mikel Arteta is the recent victim of transfer policy acquired by the Gunners. Linking with names like Lars Bender, Sami Khedira and even Morgan Schniederlin during the summer, Arsene Wenger perceived his team has what it takes to weather the storm that was evident by signings of teams like Liverpool and Manchester United, both of whom are contenders for top 4.
While failing to produce one successful tackle in the Dortmund penalty box throughout the match, Arsenal fans might have turned on the Cassette of Patrick Viera and how the Frenchman was used to better his opponents in every aspect. Unfortunately for Arsenal, Viera was the last of his breed and Arsenal failed to get his predecessor even after 10 years of his retirement.
Turning our attention back to Arteta, the Spaniard was the most successful tackler last season in the League however being at the wrong side of 30’s, he might have expected a role to come off the bench rather than to start and finish every game. Apart from the Arsenal side in the top 4 contenders of the Premier League, you will see Champions like Gerrard, Fabregas and Toure in that position with Manchester United obviously lacking in terms of names there, and Mikel Arteta was left to suffer in the center stage at Dortmund yesterday.
Dortmund is a team similar to that of Arsenal, they are also victims of money making clubs but they are still the giant slayers there. Having exported players like Gotze, Lewandowski and many others to big teams, Jurgen Klopp managed to get his bread buttered by exporting quality and most importantly, proven quality from all over the World.
So apart from the final whistle which was only one of the few things happened on Tuesday for Arsenal’s respite, the Frenchman should learn from his junior if Arsenal are to disturb the Elite both at domestic and European Level this season. Otherwise with the likes of Manchester United and too some extent Tottenham are playing now, the record for being in 17 consecutive Champions League competitions is finally in danger!
Amir Bashir follow him on Twitter.
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