Wenger is ushering in a new age at Arsenal

Wenger said at the end of last season that “we analyse every position in the team to see how we can improve”. Note the word “we”. Selling Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Touré are big decisions and there seems to have been some strategic consultation within Arsenal.

I am sad to see Touré go and there is the potential exit of Emmanuel Eboue (a useful squad player) but I am fully supportive of the overall sale strategy that has taken place this season. I don’t care if they go to rivals.

My reason, and I suspect this is also part of Arsenal’s overall reasoning, is that Arsenal need to change the mentality of their squad. Many a time last season, after Arsenal conceded a goal or faced a struggle, the team could not find the resources to pick itself up mentally. Certain players thought themselves junior and waited for reaction from the older (or more established) players.

Clearing out those players who had established themselves at the top of the pecking order or had been at Arsenal for so long that they gained respect just due to their time at the club is a good way to start a new mentality at the club. We got rid of Adebayor’s attitude and influence. We got rid of Kolo’s seeming acceptance of graceful disappointment (he is a humble gentleman) and Eboue’s lack of continuous improvement.

Losing Kolo is not losing experience in the same way as it would be to lose William Gallas. Kolo has always played more with his heart than his head but I loved him. Johan Djourou needs to learn from Gallas not Kolo. Losing Eboue shows that sheer seniority will not save you if you don’t have the drive for continuous improvement and quality. It will be a good message to Song, Denilson and Diaby. Song has improved A LOT and Diaby very little. Losing Adebayor is a clear message that Arsenal will not stand for bad attitude especially when it doesn’t deliver consistently. It is a clear message to Nicklas Bendtner that the manager wants him to step up and to Eduardo and Robin van Persie too.

This summer we have what we did not have at the start of last season. We have Eduardo, Andrey Arshavin, Thomas Vermaelen (who plays with his head), Bendtner, potentially Tomas Rosicky and an improved Alex Song. Yes I would have liked to have a more experienced DM but maybe there are other ways to play that makes that less of a problem especially given the options we have in attack. Don’t forget Theo Walcott and Carlos Vela are very capable in various combinations. Arsenal have never had so many options in attack.

This summer we have also gotten rid of old attitudes and replaced them with new ones. The Gallas – Vemaelen partnership is going to be a brainy one. The balance of power in attack has changed, Bendtner and Eduardo will get more from Arshavin and Arshavin is starting his first full season with them together building a new partnership. FRancesc Fabregas will also change as a result of that. He will stay further back a little more and that helps Song.

I am overall more positive than many fans even if we don’t buy any more players. I would like one more defender since I am not so hot on Mikael Silvestre but I am happy with attack and somewhat happy with midfield.

Bendtner in my view is the most underrated young striker in world football. I think he is very, very good for his age and shows every sign of great potential. Many people who claim Bendtner is rubbish cannot tell me a striker of his age that scores the numbers and range of goals he scored last season. Bendtner works better with mobile partners like Vela and Eduardo than van Persie and Adebayor.

Eduardo moves in the box as good as any great striker and finishes as good as the best. He hasn’t got the height or the power or the speed but that should only be a difference of about 5 goals per season between him and the very best. If Arsenal learn how to play with Bendtner, Eduardo and Arshavin, we will not notice deficiencies in central midfield and we will be in for a good season.

I am not a betting man. People bet on their conventional knowledge of the thing they bet on (like the fact that Manchester United is expected to beat Portsmouth); others bet using statistics that show trends (like the fact that certain teams don’t lose at home), etc. This year, I would like to bet on my instinct only. My instinct is that Bendtner and Eduardo will get more than 20 goals each. In my mind, van Persie is the third choice striker.

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