Wenger making all the right moves but Arsenal defence is still a worry

Arsenal are looking good! And old! At least the attack is; and for the first time in a long while, I’m very proud of Arsene Wenger. Breaking the bank and signing players over 25 years old is not Arsenal’s style, but it is something that every team has to employ if they wish to win trophies. And I can feel it. As much as Wenger says his record of always qualifying for the Champions League is success in itself, which it is to some degree, he seems hungry for silverware. Who wouldn’t he be? Wenger wants to make history and you cannot make history if your legacy will be “finishing in the top four.” Yes he would get plaudits for the invincibles of 2004, but you are often remembered more for your final years.

Enter Santiago Cazorla Gonzalez. A winger who can play on any side because he is ambidextrous. The 27-year-old is known for his speed and capacity to change a game in favour of his team; a Spanish football magician who I can’t wait to see in premier league action. Olivier Giroud, 26. Another “over-age” player who is the type of striker I see being a success in the EPL. He is strong and powerful and he scores goals. Giroud has the experience that Arsenal has so often lacked over the years. He is physical and scores great goals with his head. Arsenal have lost so many matches due to “our” inability to make use of set-pieces.

Rarely do “we” score through free-kicks and corners; and signing up a player with an “accurate head” is definitely an asset. Lukas Podolski is 27; again way above Wenger’s accepted signing age. But none of us are complaining. The right-footed attacker is once again the strength and precision that The Gunners need. I do worry still about our back line. Wenger doesn’t seem to be making any moves in that department and he needs to.

Arsenal conceded 44 goals last season, more than the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and even Everton. It’s a wonder we finished fourth. Clearly we have RVP to thank for outscoring the competition. We had Bacary Sagna out for a good part of the season but that alone could not have been the problem at the back. A side like Arsenal that was still fighting on four fronts in February, should have adequate cover. And Wenger ain’t moving. I hope he isn’t banking on a similar season ahead. The brand new fire-power can outscore any side in the league but is that the way we want to go.

Concede many but score many more? The transfer window is open until the end of August but a serious side should already have a complete squad that has trained together before the season starts. And the last I checked; there were just 8 days to go.

Talk to me on @CarolRadull on twitter or Carol Radull on facebook.