Arsenal: Recent Changes Indicate Major Squad Transitions
The last few years have been quite unusual for the ‘futures of Arsenal’ that have not yet come to be. However, this has positive implications for the squad.
There have always been a number of exciting prospects on the Arsenal horizon, both players and other aspects, but the last few years have been quite unusual for the ‘futures of Arsenal’ that have not yet come to be. However, this has positive implications upon the squad.
Let us take the example of Jack Wilshere. When he first made his debut in 2008, he was the future of the club. For the next eight years, he was supposed to be at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield, along with Aaron Ramsey (and Cesc Fabregas, but we won’t go there). However, injuries took their toll, and he has now been shunted on loan to Bournemouth, having made less than a hundred appearances in Arsenal colours. Meanwhile, the one-year younger Granit Xhaka has been signed to assume an automatic starting role.
Jack Wilshere has not kicked on as well as we might have hoped. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Staying with the midfield, think of Aaron Ramsey. Despite a magnificent breakout year in 13-14, he has since been deployed all over the pitch, particularly on the right flank. Being unable to cement his preferred central role, he now has another obstacle in Mohammed Elneny, who is two years younger than him. The youth ranks now also boast Kelechi Nwakali, Daniel Crowley, Vlad Dragomir, Krystian Bielik (or in the defense) and Jon Toral, all breathing down his neck.
This transfer window, we saw three highly rated winger prospects leave the club in various capacities: Wellington Silva, Serge Gnabry and Joel Campbell. All aged between 21 and 24, they reached a point where they no longer had the youth card, and were yet to make a sufficient impact on the first team squad (well Campbell did but we won’t go there either)
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On the other hand, Wenger has picked up a number of highly rated young wide forwards from around the world, such as Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Yassin Fortune, while continuing the development of Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Chris Willock.
The same applies to striker. With Lucas Perez signed with much expectation, and the fabled ‘world-class marquee striker’ conspicuously not arriving, some interpreted it as a go-ahead signal for Yaya Sanogo and Chuba Akpom. However, neither has received an opportunity in the first team, and, with both above 20, the clock is ticking. The time had already run out for Benik Afobe, who has since done decently for himself at Bournemouth. Meanwhile, Donyell Malen and Takuma Asano have come in and increased anticipation for the future.
Donyell Malen possesses mouthwatering potential (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Finally, closer to the starting XI, we have seen recent signing Rob Holding supplant Calum Chambers as the primary young defensive talent. Chambers now finds himself on loan at Middlesbrough, while Holding has made three consecutive Premier League starts. I still have hope for Chambers, but you never know. We shouldn’t discount Tafari Moore, Julio Pleguezelo and Chiori Johnson (who just signed a new deal) either.
A clear trend is appearing; the players who were the future stars of two years ago, still don’t seem to be any nearer to stardom (except Ramsey). However, there is now a new crop of players that are being called ‘Arsenal’s future’.
It’s hard to say what anyone should make of this. We can’t yet determine if this group of players was/is the lost generation, failed generation, the generation-that-never-was or the generation-that-might-still-be. What cannot be denied, however, is that there is another generation to keep them company, one of a slightly higher profile and wider positional variety.
What’s so unique about this? This has happened before, where one crop is deemed insufficient and subsequently replaced. The difference here is that the first crop is still largely in place. Some have left the club, yes, but most others have simply been loaned out, or are still available in Arsenal’s season squad.
Hence, Arsenal find themselves with two youth generations existing at the same time. Whether the final cut will be the first, the second or some sort of amalgamation will not be known for quite some time. However, this means that the youth ranks are full at this point, and that we should see increased output from there, which has gone rather stale in recent years.
Alex Iwobi and Hector Bellerin are two of very few youth players who have come through recently. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Moreover, this parallel youth-production also has a profound impact upon the current squad. It appears as though Wenger is attempting to assemble a youth team that is a mirror image of the first team squad. Consider this: This summer, Wenger made six signings: Xhaka, Perez, Mustafi, Holding, Asano and Nwakali. He was expected to fill the three needs of midfielder, defender and striker, and did so. In fact, he went one better, signing two players in each role: one established, one for the future.
However, that Wenger has already signed potential replacements for his major recruits is a poor reflection on the current establishment. It is now hard to see where they fit in with the squad in the long-term. Hence, a second parallel group has emerged, this time in the first-team squad. The old ‘futures of Arsenal’, Walcott, the Ox, Wilshere, Ramsey and Jenkinson; plus the departees Wellington and Gnabry, are juxtaposed by Xhaka, Elneny, Holding, Bellerin and Iwobi.
Though some could read this as Wenger finally giving up on the British core, this has been contrasted by a renewed faith in the English players, particularly Walcott. Two steps have been taken, that appear to counteract each other. However, I do not believe this to be a sign of Wenger going senile.
In fact, these two steps are two different paths towards the same end, moving Arsenal away from the dependency upon the one. The one group of players, the one set of prospects, the one tactical style. The fact remains that he has not signed a player with an identical skill set as one in the existing squad indicates that he is only bolstering the variety.
A greater positive impact will be felt because of this: The coming of age of another crop of players. I speak of the likes of Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sánchez, Santi Cazorla and Nacho Monreal. These are now experienced players who will oversee this transition/not-transition of players and youngsters in the squad.
This is a momentous thing for Arsenal. Just a year ago, the ‘elder statesmen’ of the squad were the irrelevant Arteta, Flamini and Rosicky. Now, however, the primary group of first team starters has reached a point where it is the centerpiece of the squad dynamic, not just the playing side.
Perhaps this is an indication that the decade-long transition period at Arsenal is nearing completion?
What are your thoughts, Gooners? Has a squad transition been made, or is there still work to do in that regard? When will the squad reach full maturity? Which youngsters are closest to the first-team? Have your say in the comments below.
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