Arsenal Signing Oxlade Chamberlain May Confirm Their Fate

As a lifelong Arsenal fan there have been a few constants that I have clung to which allowed me to keep my continuing and growing faith in the club.

Theirry Henry was one constant. In my opinion he is not only the greatest goal scorer the Premier League has seen (yes Shearer scored more but had Henry played as many seasons Shearer’s total would have been dwarfed) but the greatest player in the history of England’s top flight. I never panicked watching us trailing in a game because I knew that at any moment Henry would turn it on and win the game. So many times we saw him do that. Sadly he is no longer there.

Another constant was David Dein, the Vice Chairman of the club. Dein oversaw Arsenal’s greatest era and was a heavy influence in the signing and evolution of many of the club’s greatest players. I always had complete trust in the board and in the management with Dein at the helm. Sadly he too is no longer there.

The last constant I will talk about, and obviously the most influential and significant is Arsene Wenger. Those who know the game and look further than the newspapers will have no hesitation in rating Arsene Wenger as one of the greatest managers in the history of English football. His ability to spot and develop talent from around the world and turn that talent into some of the finest players the world has ever seen is unrivalled. His style of play has been emulated around the world. When you hear his current or former players talk of him, you hear nothing but the utmost respect and gratitude towards the professor.

However, the well documented barren run at Arsenal has really begun to take its toll. The fans are at a point of hysteria they have not been in for a very long time, if ever. Their ability to not only win, but to contend, has been compromised more so than ever before. The club is falling behind and does not seem to be making a conscientious effort to catch up.

The signing of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain sums up Arsenal’s last 6 season to utter perfection. It sums up how Wenger seemingly has lost his way and how the fans are at the point of booing their side off the Emirates in a pre season game.

Chamberlain may be one of England’s most talented young players and surely will have a bright career with Arsenal. That is not the point. We have seen more money spent over these past few seasons than in the previous 10 combined, but Arsenal have not only failed to be a part of this trend, but refuse to do it.

Yes there are financial and structural reasons for this, but not to this extent.

Arsenal fell short last season, and continue to fall short, because of their defensive inabilities. Laurent Koscielny and Sebastian Squillaci were brought in last season to improve the back four, and both had poor seasons. Squillaci is the worst player I have seen at the club since Pascal Cygan. That name will send a shudder through the Arsenal faithful. Wenger made it his no.1 priority to improve the defense and targeted proven English talent such as Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill.

We saw Wenger bring in Carl Jenkinson, a talented young fullback from Charlton, then immediately turn his attention to the attacking forces by adding the exciting Gerinvho. He seemed to have forgotten his no.1 priority.

Wenger then revealed last week the club were in the process of making a big signing. He admitted he still wishes to add 2 or 3 players to the squad but confessed one was much closer than the others.

I immediately thought of four potential names that could be this big signing. Christopher Samba, Phil Jagielka, Gary Cahill and Juan Mata. All four would be welcome additions to the squad and all four fit a need for the team.

I was astonished to find out that the apparent big signing was that of Southampton teenager Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. I do not understand it.

The two other constants I mentioned before, Theirry Henry and David Dein, have recently come forward to testify there is no better man in the world to lead Arsenal forward than Arsene Wenger. I have never had reason to doubt them before, and I will not do so now. I have never had a real reason to doubt Wenger, as he still boasts a resume better than perhaps just one in world football. He is the reason Arsenal are where it is today, and he will decide it’s future, but there is no doubt Wenger has lost his way following the loss of the two constants I mentioned before.

It is unfair to judge where Arsenal are at until the season starts, because I am holding on hope that the potential transfer names I mentioned above become gunners, at least 2 of the 4, and I expect that will be the case.

Nonetheless if the signing of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is anything to go by, the final constant I had left at the club may be the final one to leave.