The new season starts off, as usual, with some friendly games.
This year we played two games in Europe before heading over to China to do some marketing and show off a bit in front of the huge Chinese market.
Perhaps it can bring us some extra revenue.
Pre-Season
After a bad start losing to some team I've never heard of over in the Czech Republic, we got a bit better to draw against Dutch FC Twente. Considering we were letting many reserve-team players get some time on the pitch, and with a few injuries, I'd say this is an okey result. Nothing I can't live with.
Our trip to china went better, even if we didn't play our stars on full time we still got two solid wins where we showed some good passing and somewhat emberassed the Chinese teams, but not too much for them to start hating us.
The best part about the pre-season games and training is that none of our players picked up any injuries, so ahead of the Premier League start we will have most of our players fit. Exceptions are Frimpong, Wilshire and Rosicky who were injured before I even got here.
Transfers
This year the board gave me some huge funds to work with, and with a few players leaving with big price tags, I was capable of signing almost anyone out there. I focused on young players who had proven themselves somewhat already, but with talent still waiting to bloom.
Some players are here mostly for securing the future, but the really good ones like Varane, Alaba Wanyama and Ayew will have some preassure on them to perform from the get-go.
Mertesacker being too slow, Santos being too weak defensively, Djorou taking too long to develop, Gervinho not performing and Chamakh being a disappointment were all thrown out of here as soon as I got a decent bid.
So what do you think, is this something we can work with? Someone I should've gotten instead, someone I should've kept?
Tactics
Attack
I will mostly play with a lone striker in the centre, letting Walcott prove himself as a striker before I consider someone else. With his pace he is bound to get something done up there with a bit of confidence.
With two inside forwards that will look to cut in from the flanks, I feel we will have plenty of power to shake even the better teams defences. To the right I will let our young starlet Oxlade-Chamberain make his mark, with Nathan Redmond challenging him for the spot. This is also where Walcott will play if I deem him unfit to play as a striker. To the left I will most likely play Ayew, who can also play in the centre if needed, a really versitile player. If he's not on the left, German international Podolski is most likely to play in that spot, if he can't perform then both "The Ox" and Redmond can play on both flanks.
Midfield
I will play with two central midfielders, one a bit more offensive than the other. Here I will look to rotate a bit as I want Cazorla, Arteta, Ramsey and Wilshere to all get some time on the field. Now that McCarthy has joined, he is also bound to get some games in him as I in the future hope to have an all British midfield with him, Ramsey and Wilshere leading our team from the centre.
Behind them my new african signing Wanyama will stand strong in a more defensive midfield role. At 188cm and great physical strenght he will make it really hard to get past. Frimpong will be the reserve for this position with both Arteta and McCarthy being able to play here if it's necessary.
Against teams I believe to be weaker, I will sometimes play with an attacking midfielder instead of a defensive one. That will be the place for Wilshere or Cazorla in those games, as they both excell in that position behind the striker.
Defense
In the back I have brought in three of the most promising defenders in the world. David Alaba, Austrian left wing-back who got his break in Bayern Münich last year and has already played 19 international games at an age of 20. He will go straight into the starting eleven with Kieran Gibbs backing us up on that position if we need to rotate or if there is an injury. The other two are Papadopoulos and Varane coming from Schalke and Real Madrid respectively who will contend for the two central positions with Koscielny and Vermaelen who are both more experienced and there will probably be some rotation here to get the both talents some time. This will be a very competative position in this year's Arsenal. The best will play, no matter the age.
To the right we have our good man Bacary Sagna who is one of few players staying at Arsenal even with other teams wanting his service. A great right wing-back both forward and back, pacey strong and a hard worker. To back him up I got German youngster Zimmermann from Gladbach who have shown some tendencies of what he's capable of. Not a starting man yet but with time he might become one.
Goalkeeper
In the position between the posts I've made no changes. I consider Szczesny a good young goalkeeper and I really want to give him a chance to properly develop here. Already a first-team goalie at the age of 22 in the Premier League, there is no doubt about what he's capable of. His countryman Fabianski will have to keep warming the bench unless our first man is injured with the posibility that he'll get some games in the cups we are in, to keep him in relative shape.
Manager
Me, Aeron Caddock.
I will make this team work hard for their fans, I will make them sacrifice themselves for the team, I will make them win.
