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20 teams in 20 Days – Arsenal

By on July 27, 2014

Kicking off our countdown to the 2014/2015 Premier League season, we preview Arsenal.

Manager: Arsene Wenger
Stadium: The Emirates
Nickname: The Gunners
Finish Last Season: 4th

If you look on the English Premier League’s official website, Arsenal will show up in first in the Premier League table, before the season has even started. And if the internet had been around for all of the past 95 years, Arsenal would have topped the English top division coming into every new season, in all 95 consecutive seasons Arsenal have played in the top flight of English football. However, this doesn’t, and hasn’t mattered the slightest – it is ranked in alphabetical order before the season begins. Yet this season, come the end of the campaign Arsenal have perhaps their best shot since they were last crowned Premier League champions in 2004 to actually end the campaign where they began it.

Last season they finished in what has been their customary fourth position, yet lead the league for longer than any other team. Mesut Ozil, the league’s most valuable according to data published by Transfermarkt, joined the club in the summer of 2013, and although the team is hardly viewed as a big spender in the transfer market, nor smart spenders over the past few years, have done themselves quite well since. For some €37,800,000 Wenger brought in World Cup star Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona this summer, as well as French international Mathieu Debuchy. This solves the problem they have had up front and down the wings in recent seasons, and with Colombia goalkeeper at World Cup 2014 David Ospina being picked up by the club for a steal of just €4m, it also solves, and at the very least gives The Gunners depth in goal.

Now, the team has a total market value of €393 million, fourth in the league. And there are many players on their squad who are undervalued, as well. Aaron Ramsey might have been given the limelight for his fantastic injury-free season last year but if he is fully fit again in 2014/2015 his form is likely to continue. Likewise, Tomas Rosicky was quite consistent in 39 appearances last season. And despite all the criticism he received, Olivier Giroud scored 16 goals in the league alone last season. There hardly seems to be any gaps in their squad anymore – with three center-backs in their prime and finally a world class forward.

Tactically, though, they could use a refresh. In 18 years in charge of the North Londoners, Arsene Wenger has mainly stuck to the same philosophy whatever his squad – slick combination possession play matched with a 4-2-3-1 and an emphasis on playing around the forward as well as down the wings. In the olden days, they could out play their opponents on the ball, and with some of the best holding midfielders in the world to protect their back line their midfield was quite balanced. Now, though, with Mathieu Flamini their only tough hard working natural defensive midfielder, something needs to change. Alexis Sanchez has brought the pace back in their side down the wings but their midfield needs to change. Whether that be to a 4-3-3 or even 4-2-2, they can no longer play with those two holding midfielders – when Ramsey and sometimes Mikel Arteta played in that position last season they often times ended up far to close together with massive gaps right in the middle when Giroud was wide. If Arsenal are to compete for the top spot, they don’t have as good of players as some teams, but tactically just might be able to beat them with no holes in their side.

Bits and Bobs:
Keep in mind there is still time left in the transfer window for Arsenal to improve. Mario Balotelli has been heavily linked to the club, which would provide a potential replacement for Giroud. Whether he would provide the same kind of almost false nine quality as the Frenchman, with midfielders and wingers running in behind him, or as a hitman, might be in question, however.

Arsenal had three star players in Germany’s World Cup winning side this summer, more than any other non-German team. Take that as you like.

Gedion Zelalem, Arsenal’s new starlet, has recently been in the spotlight by the media, but don’t expect him to take more than a slight part in Arsenal’s campaign, Wenger is far more experienced than to feature a player that is still undergoing nurturing.

Full Premier League Fixture List (All Times UTC):
16/08/2014 15:00 Arsenal v Crystal Palace
23/08/2014 15:00 Everton v Arsenal
30/08/2014 15:00 Leicester City v Arsenal
13/09/2014 15:00 Arsenal v Manchester City
20/09/2014 15:00 Aston Villa v Arsenal
27/09/2014 15:00 Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
04/10/2014 15:00 Chelsea v Arsenal
18/10/2014 15:00 Arsenal v Hull City
25/10/2014 15:00 Sunderland v Arsenal
01/11/2014 15:00 Arsenal v Burnley
08/11/2014 15:00 Swansea City v Arsenal
22/11/2014 15:00 Arsenal v Manchester United
29/11/2014 15:00 West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal
02/12/2014 19:45 Arsenal v Southampton
06/12/2014 15:00 Stoke City v Arsenal
13/12/2014 15:00 Arsenal v Newcastle United
20/12/2014 15:00 Liverpool v Arsenal
26/12/2014 15:00 Arsenal v Queens Park Rangers
28/12/2014 15:00 West Ham United v Arsenal
01/01/2015 15:00 Southampton v Arsenal
10/01/2015 15:00 Arsenal v Stoke City
17/01/2015 15:00 Manchester City v Arsenal
31/01/2015 15:00 Arsenal v Aston Villa
07/02/2015 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
10/02/2015 19:45 Arsenal v Leicester City
21/02/2015 15:00 Crystal Palace v Arsenal
28/02/2015 15:00 Arsenal v Everton
03/03/2015 19:45 Queens Park Rangers v Arsenal
14/03/2015 15:00 Arsenal v West Ham United
21/03/2015 15:00 Newcastle United v Arsenal
04/04/2015 15:00 Arsenal v Liverpool
11/04/2015 15:00 Burnley v Arsenal
18/04/2015 15:00 Arsenal v Sunderland
25/04/2015 15:00 Arsenal v Chelsea
02/05/2015 15:00 Hull City v Arsenal
09/05/2015 15:00 Arsenal v Swansea City
16/05/2015 15:00 Manchester United v Arsenal
24/05/2015 15:00 Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.