Team focus - Arsenal

Premier League / Editor / 04 July 2007 / Leave a Comment

Arsenal's pre-season has been dominated by the sale of Thierry Henry. The departure of their talisman to Barcelona, after eight seasons and 226 goals, leaves the Gunners under pressure before the new season has even started.

Life without their all-time leading goalscorer is bound to be difficult, and punters already doubt whether Arsène Wenger's outfit are capable of mounting a serious title challenge. Premiership champions in 2001/02 and 2003/04, Arsenal are available at 12.5 to lift the trophy again, adrift of clear favourites Manchester United and Chelsea.

Liverpool and Arsenal were closely matched in both the league and the markets last term, but it is the Reds who are catching the eye as the potential title challengers this season. They have done the opposite to Arsenal in recruiting a top-class striker in the shape of Fernando Torres and Wenger is sure to be under pressure to splash the cash as Rafa Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson have done.

Eduardo Da Silva has arrived from Dynamo Zagreb and is charged with the unenviable task of filling Henry's boots. The undisclosed fee is believed to be around half of what Barça paid for Henry's services and Gunners fans will be happy if he has 50 percent of the Frenchman's impact.

Brazilian-born Da Silva is known in England for scoring Croatia's first goal in the World Cup qualifying win over Steve McClaren's men in October and has since taken his international tally to eight goals in 14 appearances. He achieved a premature place in the Arsenal history books by scoring the first-ever European goal at the Emirates Stadium in a Champions League qualifier for his old club.

He struck 73 times in just 104 appearances for Zagreb and will be keen to answer those who claim he lacks the experience on the biggest stage and is expensive in the context of the fee received for Henry.

Henry was widely thought to have under-performed in an injury-hit season, although his strike rate of 10 goals in 16 Premiership starts is in line with his overall record for the Gunners. Barcelona did not see his powers as being on the wane and it is the strikers he left behind who have as much to prove on the fitness front.

Robin Van Persie started only 17 Premiership clashes but hit the net 11 times, whilst Theo Walcott's season ended early with a shoulder problem. The former Southampton youngster will get more chances to shine this term in the absence of his mentor, and with the developing Emmanuel Adebayor completing Wenger's forward options, Henry's departure might not be as severely felt as many think.

Fringe strikers Jérémie Aliadière and Arturo Lupoli have moved on, to Middlesbrough and Fiorentina respectively, whilst Wenger has strengthened the squad with the signings of young Norwegian centre back Harvard Nordtveit and Lukasz Fabianski, a Polish goalkeeper identified as the successor to Jens Lehmann. He replaces Mart Poom as the reserve keeper who will keep Lehmann and Manuel Almunia on their toes.

Henry suggested that Wenger might be following him out of the Emirates and identified 'Le Professeur's' reluctance to commit his future to the club as a reason for his own move. Cesc Fabregas has also previously linked his Arsenal future with the status of the current manager, so Gunners fans will be hoping Wenger signs his contract extension and commits to the long-term project of building a fourth Premiership-winning team.

Arsenal were a long way off the title race last season, as they never recovered from losing four of their opening 14 league clashes. Their points haul of 68 was one higher than the total achieved in 2005/06 and they went some way to securing their travel sickness, lifting their points per game average from 1.15 to 1.36.

A title bid might again prove beyond Arsenal's reach, but some silverware of some description and another top four finish are the minimum requirements after a trophyless two seasons. Fans will be aware of Tottenham Hotspur's successive fifth-place finishes and should the Lilywhites break into the top four, their north London rivals are the favourites to drop out. They trade at 3.5 and 1.57 respectively to claim a Champions League place.

Arsenal were in the bottom half at the end of August last term and punters don't expect them to make a flying start this season. They trade at 18 in the developing 'Month End Top-Aug' market, although this is due largely to them only having three August fixtures, compared to Chelsea and Manchester United's four.

Chelsea face Liverpool in that time and United host Spurs, so punters might view Arsenal's fixtures against Fulham, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City as winnable ones that would give the Gunners an ideal start. They face the other three members of the 'big four' in the final eight games of the season.

The Gunners look secure at the back, with Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Eboué, Gaël Clichy and William Gallas forming a formidable back four. Gallas experienced an injury-ravaged first season after his move from Chelsea, starting only 21 Premiership games, and his return to full fitness is a major boost. Abou Diaby and Johan Djourou were also missing for long spells and will provide depth to a defence that conceded 35 goals last term.

Mathieu Flamini and Freddy Ljungberg have been among those apparently available for transfer but remain on board, whilst José Antonio Reyes has been unable to secure his permanent transfer to Real Madrid. Brazilian playmaker Denilson might be one to watch as he seeks to make the step up after his impressive performances in the 'young Gunners' run to the Carling Cup final.