Nicosia Gooner
08-16-2012, 07:54 PM
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Arsenal ready for Van Persie-less future without need to panic buy
After the late spree last summer, Arsène Wenger learned lessons and bought in reinforcements before the Dutchman's exit
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Dominic Fifield
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 16 August 2012 20.04 BST
Robin van Persie's exit had been signposted since the spring, and Arsenal bought three strikers to replace him.
The front put up by Arsenal was one of reluctant acceptance. Another summer has seen yet another captain depart, with Robin van Persie up at Carrington for a medical after Manchester United's pursuit proved successful. "It's never great to lose players of that quality, but he only had a year on his contract so we do not have a choice," offered a deflated Arsène Wenger on TF1. Behind the scenes he will be exasperated as yet more talent escapes the Emirates.
Yet, if there is any consolation to be had from the sale of a talismanic striker who contributed 30 Premier League goals last term, it comes in the reality that the Londoners are better prepared for a parting of the ways this time round. The fracture with Van Persie had been signposted since the spring. Everything about Wenger's transfer policy since has been aimed at softening the blow. As he went on to admit to the French broadcaster, the signings of Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski were always "intended to offset the departure of Van Persie".
Some lessons have clearly been learned. To judge the sea change in attitude one need only recall how, a year ago, panic was setting in at London Colney. Cesc Fábregas was bound for Barcelona, the captain finally to fulfil his desire to return home having come so close the two previous summers. Likewise, Samir Nasri had been courted by Manchester City and, in a similar position to Van Persie, had indicated he would not be signing a new deal having entered the final year of his contract. He would be sold with a week remaining of the summer transfer window, leaving Wenger's squad stripped of two of its most experienced performers.
An 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford on 28 August, suffered by a makeshift lineup in shock, reinforced the belief that Arsenal teetered on the brink of disaster. The response was an uncharacteristic splurge on older, experienced players in the last 48 hours before the deadline that has become infamous. Wenger has since insisted that all of those recruited – Per Mertesacker from Werder Bremen, André Santos from Fenerbahce, Park Chu-young from Monaco, Mikel Arteta from Everton and Chelsea's Yossi Benayoun on loan – had been thoroughly scouted before they were secured.
Whether or not the Frenchman would have pursued any of them had he not been backed into such a corner is doubtful. Arsenal may have recovered their poise in the run-in to the season that ensued, but only Arteta of those recruits seems as if he has been a success. Park is now up for sale and Benayoun restored to Chelsea's ranks. The Premier League waits to see the best of Santos and Mertesacker.
That frantic shopping spree was overseen while Wenger was absent attending a Uefa coaching seminar and so alien as it was to the established policy of purchasing youthful promise, appeared to have been conducted amid a climate of desperation. "It was a crazy day when I joined," said Arteta. "The week before I signed there was a lot going on with the big defeat against United and, suddenly, a few players joining on the same day. We tried to rebuild very quickly and we did well to get it back."
This time, the strategy has been more coherent. While Van Persie agitated, Wenger and his scouting department busied themselves earmarking replacements. Once pinpointed, the hierarchy has been more efficient in the club's negotiations. This time there has been no repeat of the dillydallying that cost Arsenal deals for the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, who had impressed Wenger, in the recent past.
Podolski's arrival was announced before the end of last season, a left-sided attacker like Van Persie but, moreover, a £10.75m statement of intent. Giroud, secured on the eve of Euro 2012 having played a significant role in propelling Montpellier to an unlikely Ligue 1 title, appeared a focal point for the team's attacking intentions: strong, mobile, prolific. Santi Cazorla's arrival from Villarreal is mouthwatering. If the fee for Van Persie, a 29-year-old with a Bosman free on the horizon, ends up amounting to £24m, then that trio – bought for a little under £40m combined – might leave the collective stronger.
Arteta has already pointed to relative stability and "a different atmosphere" this time, even with the captain flogged. Wenger, who will appoint Thomas Vermaelen as his new captain, was still digesting the sale when speaking at France's friendly with Uruguay, his admission that he would "have preferred to sell [Van Persie] abroad, to PSG for example, over United" evidence that he still sees Arsenal as title rivals to Sir Alex Ferguson's side. "He's truly an exceptional player in every sense of the word," he had added. Yet Arsenal, with no panic and plenty of planning, have already moved on.
Arsenal ready for Van Persie-less future without need to panic buy
After the late spree last summer, Arsène Wenger learned lessons and bought in reinforcements before the Dutchman's exit
Share2
Dominic Fifield
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 16 August 2012 20.04 BST
Robin van Persie's exit had been signposted since the spring, and Arsenal bought three strikers to replace him.
The front put up by Arsenal was one of reluctant acceptance. Another summer has seen yet another captain depart, with Robin van Persie up at Carrington for a medical after Manchester United's pursuit proved successful. "It's never great to lose players of that quality, but he only had a year on his contract so we do not have a choice," offered a deflated Arsène Wenger on TF1. Behind the scenes he will be exasperated as yet more talent escapes the Emirates.
Yet, if there is any consolation to be had from the sale of a talismanic striker who contributed 30 Premier League goals last term, it comes in the reality that the Londoners are better prepared for a parting of the ways this time round. The fracture with Van Persie had been signposted since the spring. Everything about Wenger's transfer policy since has been aimed at softening the blow. As he went on to admit to the French broadcaster, the signings of Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski were always "intended to offset the departure of Van Persie".
Some lessons have clearly been learned. To judge the sea change in attitude one need only recall how, a year ago, panic was setting in at London Colney. Cesc Fábregas was bound for Barcelona, the captain finally to fulfil his desire to return home having come so close the two previous summers. Likewise, Samir Nasri had been courted by Manchester City and, in a similar position to Van Persie, had indicated he would not be signing a new deal having entered the final year of his contract. He would be sold with a week remaining of the summer transfer window, leaving Wenger's squad stripped of two of its most experienced performers.
An 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford on 28 August, suffered by a makeshift lineup in shock, reinforced the belief that Arsenal teetered on the brink of disaster. The response was an uncharacteristic splurge on older, experienced players in the last 48 hours before the deadline that has become infamous. Wenger has since insisted that all of those recruited – Per Mertesacker from Werder Bremen, André Santos from Fenerbahce, Park Chu-young from Monaco, Mikel Arteta from Everton and Chelsea's Yossi Benayoun on loan – had been thoroughly scouted before they were secured.
Whether or not the Frenchman would have pursued any of them had he not been backed into such a corner is doubtful. Arsenal may have recovered their poise in the run-in to the season that ensued, but only Arteta of those recruits seems as if he has been a success. Park is now up for sale and Benayoun restored to Chelsea's ranks. The Premier League waits to see the best of Santos and Mertesacker.
That frantic shopping spree was overseen while Wenger was absent attending a Uefa coaching seminar and so alien as it was to the established policy of purchasing youthful promise, appeared to have been conducted amid a climate of desperation. "It was a crazy day when I joined," said Arteta. "The week before I signed there was a lot going on with the big defeat against United and, suddenly, a few players joining on the same day. We tried to rebuild very quickly and we did well to get it back."
This time, the strategy has been more coherent. While Van Persie agitated, Wenger and his scouting department busied themselves earmarking replacements. Once pinpointed, the hierarchy has been more efficient in the club's negotiations. This time there has been no repeat of the dillydallying that cost Arsenal deals for the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, who had impressed Wenger, in the recent past.
Podolski's arrival was announced before the end of last season, a left-sided attacker like Van Persie but, moreover, a £10.75m statement of intent. Giroud, secured on the eve of Euro 2012 having played a significant role in propelling Montpellier to an unlikely Ligue 1 title, appeared a focal point for the team's attacking intentions: strong, mobile, prolific. Santi Cazorla's arrival from Villarreal is mouthwatering. If the fee for Van Persie, a 29-year-old with a Bosman free on the horizon, ends up amounting to £24m, then that trio – bought for a little under £40m combined – might leave the collective stronger.
Arteta has already pointed to relative stability and "a different atmosphere" this time, even with the captain flogged. Wenger, who will appoint Thomas Vermaelen as his new captain, was still digesting the sale when speaking at France's friendly with Uruguay, his admission that he would "have preferred to sell [Van Persie] abroad, to PSG for example, over United" evidence that he still sees Arsenal as title rivals to Sir Alex Ferguson's side. "He's truly an exceptional player in every sense of the word," he had added. Yet Arsenal, with no panic and plenty of planning, have already moved on.