It’s been a tough season for Arsenal fans to endure.
Despite the long-awaited resignation of legendary manager Arsene Wenger, which was predicted to kickstart their Premier League revival, the Gunners still find themselves on the wrong end of results when it really matters.
Admittedly, Unai Emery has got his team playing considerably better football than the stagnating style of old but has found himself monumentally disappointed by the lack of funding from the boardroom.
Indeed, the club’s ‘austerity’ period is certainly not over, according to The Guardian – who published an excellent piece on why the club aren’t currently willing to spend in the market. And this will surely worry fans who are all too aware of the glaring issues the squad currently faces.
With nothing new to report on this January, bar the loan signing of Denis Suarez, of course, we take a look at the best and worst value of Arsenal’s recent signings.
Best: Matteo Guendouzi
It’s very hard to argue that 19-year-old Matteo Guendouzi hasn’t been one of the best bargains in recent times.
The Frenchman, who arrived from Lorient last summer, only cost the Gunners £7.1 million (Daily Mirror via Ouest-France), but regularly features in the starting line-up alongside Lucas Torreira.
For such a young player, the way he has handled the pressure of the Premier League and the added expectations of his home fans is remarkable.
As he showed time and time again he’s the perfect blend of aggression and calmness; providing the necessary physicality to one side of his game whilst also being mature and collected enough to create chances for his surrounding teammates.
Great player and a future star.
Worst: Stephan Lichtsteiner
According to The Sun, veteran defender Stephan Lichsteiner, 35, has been voted the club’s second worse defensive signing in the past 20 years. Even going as far to claim that fans would rather see Gunnersaurus occupy the starting right-back position ahead of their current Swiss problem.
Need we say more.
Clearly past the player he was at Juventus (by some time it would seem), Lichsteiner has been pulled apart time and time again, and with one of his most recent embarrassments coming against Manchester City at the Etihad, supporters have had more than enough.
He arrived on a free, given, but his wages could have been spent far, far more wisely on another young player wanting to fight for a place.
