It's Christmas for Wenger. Finally, the Money to Splash for a New Invincibles.
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It's finally happening. After a near-decade of tortuous frugality and painful sales of top players to rival squads, Arsenal's debts are nearly paid off which means Wenger can actually spend like a big club.
This year Wenger is truly unencumbered. He can target any player he wants even if that means breaking world transfer records for 1 player and breaking the club transfer record for another.
Mbappe and Lacazette would cost over £160 million between them, but imagine an attack featuring Sanchez, Ozil, Ramsey, Mbappe and Lacazette; it could be absolutely lethal. We're talking regular 8-0 demolitions of PL clubs and doubling last season's smashing of Chelsea from 3-0 to 6-0. Revenge!!
Arsenal's failure to keep its decades-long berth in the Champions League is a disadvantage for persuading the likes of Mbappe and Lacazette. But there's hope yet. Wenger has a good reputation for developing young players and it's rumored Mbappe is seriously considering moving for just that reason. Lacazette has said lack of CL football is "not a dealbreaker."
Like the entire Arsenal squad, these are world-class talents that believe they can win major silverware with Arsenal. And why not?
Last season was a disappointment, but there are bright spots. The 3-0 crushing of Chelsea had pundits declaring "Chelsea as we know them are finished." No wonder Conte declared Arsenal "favourites" to take the FA cup, he knew he'd been found out.
Conte changed to 3-at-the-back in response to their crushing defeat to Arsenal. Most of the league followed suit. One could argue that the entire Premier League adapted this change specifically to counter Arsenal. Once Wenger reverted to the 3-4-2-1 he'd used 20 years ago Arsenal won 8 of 9 including games against Chelsea, Man U, Man City and a game in which they scored 2 goals with 10-men to win 3-1 vs Everton.
In the end, Arsenal won the FA Cup with one hand tied behind their back. Not only does the scoreline belie Arsenal's dominance in the match--they could easily have scored 3-4 more goals--but they did it without this year's senior backline. Mustafi, Koscielny and Gabriel were all either injured or banned. Instead, an experimental backline featuring Montreal--not a center-back, Holding--just 19 and Mertesacker--who played his first match all year. They kept Chelsea's frontline quiet while Arsenal as a whole controlled the game.
Personally, I think Arsenal can win the League with the team it has now. But just 1-2 top top level additions and they could be utterly unstoppable. With cash to spend, Wenger can finance his ambition to build a new Invincibles. Apart from the troglodytes in #WengerOut, who wouldn't want to be a part of that?
