Ivan Gazidis says he’s pleased with the way Arsene Wenger’s side has gelled in the second half of the season, but the Arsenal CEO stresses that there is still room for improvement.
The Gunners’ current eight game winning streak sees optimism high at the Emirates, but despite the great form it appears the club’s struggles in the early part of the campaign will see their title charge fall short.
Asked for his take on a season that could end with Arsenal achieving their highest league finish in a decade and another FA Cup triumph, Gazidis remarked: “We are not happy, but we are going to keep pushing to the end and see how far we can go.
“We are happy with the way the squad has developed and we are very focused how we can make a positive end to the season.
“After that it will be a question of how can we progress the team further so that we can have an even better season next year. We have a squad that’s clearly coming together. It’s a relatively young squad so it will continue to improve.
“We had a lot of new players this year who are beginning to gel together. We had a lot of injuries at the beginning of the season as well. Also coming off a World Cup year there are a lot of complex issues.
“We were trying to put the jigsaws into the right places at the beginning of the season. I think everyone can see those pieces are now beginning to fit. It gives us great optimism for the future.”
You can’t really argue with any of that…
It seemed like that at the end of last season too
Last year we had a squad that was clearly short in key areas and repeatedly got hammered in big games. Both these problems seem fixed, even if we don’t win the FA cup there’s more cause for optimism this year than last.
Indeed.
Harsh.
If you can’t see that we have a best squad since invincible then you are not paying attention.
You are probably right, although not having witnessed the invincibles nor the 07-08 team live, i cannot really say one way or the other. My point is, that although this squad is looking better than anything arsenal have had in the recent past, at the end of last season it wasn’t looking too bad either. People will point to coquelin, but the fact remains Arteta was never as bad as people suggest and having already added Alexis to the team and even with injuries, the struggles the team had at the start of the season with structure and cohesion for… Read more »
If you had been reading Tim Stillman’s column or the tactics one or even listening to Arsecast, you would know that everything you said is irrelevant and wrong.
Just stop. Please.
Nobody with sense has ever said Arteta is bad, the point being made by the praise of coquelin is due to the fact that he is different to Arteta and anybody else in the squad, and it gives us an extra dimension.
I’m optimistic about the future. It’s the first time in a long time fans are not asking for new signings during a non-transfer period.
Up Arsenal!!!
From Canada with Love
But we’re still going to get new signings – like it or not.
Players will leave, players will arrive.
What Wenger won’t do is (a) sell any of our best players (b) wreck the cohesion/stability of the squad.
Not that there won’t be questions, but there also won’t be any panic either.
Why wouldn’t he be optimistic…. A full squad to choose from in what seems like years, the emergence of bellerin and monreal as top, top full backs… Francis coquelin plugging a hole that has been empty for years, (yeah) the trio of ozil, alexis and cazorla gelling really well, as well as everybody else performing for the badge. There’s nothing to be pessimistic about and if you think otherwise you’re no better than, well, Michael Owen.
Don’t forget a we have a world class (albeit very highly underrated) striker. He’s a brilliant sounding board for the symphony of the trio you mentioned
Touché, sir!
My first thought was Sanogo??
Noo,man,call me anything,but not Michael Owen!
i really think that coquelin has brought a lot of balance and stabilty to the side, so much so that wenger has been brave enough to play Cazorla and Ozil in central midefield ahead of him. But i still get the feeling, that unless he drastically improves the technical side of his game, he will remain more of a utility player in the perhaps, not so immediate future. Perhaps a truly world class side has to have a better ball player at the base of midfield.
Harsh. Harsh please!
I recommend you watch more of our games at the start of the season and then post-Coq to realize that what you have been saying all along is quite wrong and irrelevant.
We are very well balanced and having Coq, Ramsey, Cazorla , Arteta & Wilshere we have a very good mix of different talents to suit different games.
So chill and go watch the games I told you about
Boom! :-))
He has the best job in football.
Let’s Arsene get on with it all, good seat at all the matches, gets great pay.
So THATS what he does.
I often wonder. He does the odd interview, checks the spending is just less than income so that we make a profit, but don’t discern much else other than watching matches. Nothing that I couldn’t do, or most Arsenal fans.
Any offers for what he does most of the time?
He got us the Puma money, which is proving pretty useful, plus a whole lot of smaller sponsorship deals. He’s also responsible for the work the club does in the community. Every time I hear of something progressive being done in football – e.g. for women players and officials, or against discrimination on grounds of race or sexuality, or making life easier for disabled fans, it turns out that it’s Arsenal who are leading the way. German TV made a film last year about foreign-language learning through football and guess which club in Europe was behind this initiative – that’s… Read more »
Good to hear, and I’m asking as I don’t see much of what he is doing and it appears he is on a cushy number. Boosting our cash is unfortunately the key to success so if he is succeeding there then great. Just difficult to know if he is doing better than anyone else in the same position.
Good result for us today: we’re now five clear of City. We should get third at least now.
True. Since second is even nicer, it would be awesome to win at Old Trafford. Again. This season.
With Danny Welbeck netting a hat trick
and RVP sent off after LVG has made all 3 subs.
He probably won’t even make the match day squad.
Red carded along with De Gea and Rooney.
And LVG sent to the stands for simply being a wanker.
Sent off after 10 mins then? Sounds good to me.
Just hope we can keep our top players!
Why the hell would they want to leave?
At the beginning of the season that would have been a valid question as the Emirates Whingers made it an uncomfortable place but now they’re silent, It’s the best place in the world.
Idiot
Interesting how quiet Ivan has been in the last 12 months.
No more (or less) than usual.
Its what he does.
Would love to see the COQ and another “BASTARD” mix it up against the big teams in the middle of the park.!!
“BASTARD” = a big tackling meanie ! Too much of Game of thrones lol.
Big Adroit Steely Tackler – A Real Destroyer
Good points by Ivan. The fact that we’ve had so many new players come into the team has been rather understated. I think Wenger said more than 3 new players (in 1 transfer window) can unsettle the harmony.
We’ve always had quality on the pitch this season but not the fluency. I’m honestly not surprised by our recent form.
Ivan’s “on the money” I’m afraid to say…in more ways than one. Not my cup of tea but I’ll take our baldy in charge over Spurs’
The Champions League exit still hurts. We are one of the very very few top top clubs to have not won it.
I hope the club, the manager and his players really look at how we have under achieved in Europe for many years now and launch a real assault on the Champions League next season.
I think the PL is the next one on the list, followed by the CL.
Both in next season imo
Monaco ain’t that bad, actually. Yesterday night Juventus could score only thanks to a unexisting penalty For a foul on Morata outside the box. Lucky wankers.
Let’s just put them chav filthbags away next league game, everything going great guns then. I know I’ve jumped the cup but I think this team will be measured on that match.
Super optimistic about next season. I think we will win the league…
I suppose having blind faith is better than having no faith at all.
I can’t stand this fucking cunt. He doesn’t have the balls to stand up to Wenger and tell Wenger what to do. He is Wenger’s boss. He should’ve told Wenger last Summer he had to buy another cb. Anyone with half a brain could’ve foreseen our issues in that position. We went into the season with 3 cb’s. One an 19 year old that had never played in that position. Koscielny who has a degenerative achilles injury and could barely train. Mertesacker that was un-motivated that was just off a very long season. If Arsenal had bought Gabriel in the… Read more »
You’re blaming our poor results at the beginning of the season on Gibbs? Seems a bit off base.
People will thumb you down because we can’t lose at the moment, but you are right about the start of the season. We desperately needed a top class centre back and defensive midfielder going into the season, and having not done so, we paid the ultimate price and have given the league to Chelsea on a silver platter. The front line was not gelling, but a manager of Wenger’s experience should have realised we needed to strengthen in defensive areas to ensure that we are tight at the back. If we had been tighter, we could have won games we… Read more »
We lucked out abit with Coquelin. I doubt anyone even Wenger realized he would be a key player, first name on the team sheet who puts in weekly man of the match performances. He would not be spending his loan spell at Charlton if Wenger thought he was that good. In truth, if not for his invaluable contribution, we would probably be looking at yet another 4th place finish. In my opinion we should have signed both a dm and cb in the summer which could have had us up there alongside Chelsea instead of lagging so far behind. Just… Read more »
No manager would ever buy back a player that originally went on strike to leave a us.
It’s the sign cesc is a cunt!
Does anyone know if Cuadrado is better than Schurrle yet? He’s hardly played.
Similarly, the 2-faced Spaniard plays a different game to his countryman Mata, so I don’t think you can say he’s better, Just different (or maybe better for the team/tactics).
At the time Fàbregas became available last sumnmer, I was with you, and one of the more vocal in my opinion we should have done whatever was necessary to sign him. Despite his behaviour before his departure for Barca, I would have welcomed him back. I was wrong. I remain convinced Wenger would have re-signed Cesc back in 2013 had Barca been willing to let him go then, but when they weren’t and Özil became available, we signed Mesut instead. Having built his midfield, in 2014 Le Prof stuck with his existing players, and hindsight shows he was right to… Read more »
Absolutely, this comment: “We were trying to put the jigsaws into the right places at the beginning of the season. I think everyone can see those pieces are now beginning to fit. It gives us great optimism for the future.” Is a load of crap, early season tactics haven’t just started to work the complete opposite has happened. The formation and players have completely changed and only came about because the 3 players Wenger was trying to shoe horn into the centre of midfield all picked up long term injuries at the same time. If Arteta and Wilshere had remained… Read more »
What if one or even two of your four ‘must play in their favoured position’ players gets injured and you’ve allowed Ramsey, Wilshire and Arteta to leave? Who does the job then?
The difference between Wenger and you is that he manages a squad while you just picked your favourite (4/11ths of a) squad, and would seemingly have them play every game.
It’s easier from an armchair, I guess.
Yes, you need back up but you don’t play them out of position to accommodate Ramsey and Wilshere, they are the back up now.
I think you should sharpen up your reading and comprehension skills
Dang, this is the best tasting near-empty (I say near full) glass I’ve had in several years. I’m looking forward to savoring the rest, and can’t wait for the next to arrive.
COYG
What has Ospina done wrong?
He might look too short to be a GK, but I think he’s done everything that’s been asked of him really well.
Why don’t you go ‘support’ another team, Chels$i or Spurs spring to mind. But wait, you already do…… Tosser.
The above comment was to Az Ahmed, further above.
I support another club because I see things not in rose tinted specs but the reality in which they are? If you disagree with my objections, tell me I’m wrong and why you think so. Although, i don’t think you can thus you resort to ad hominem attacks. Last season, we were on top for most of the season, but we lost the league due to Wenger’s stubbornness and/or lack of foresight. Injuries cost us. We started this season short again of defensive players we desperately needed only two CBs and no DM. Only so called Arsenal fans (in reality… Read more »
Your’e wrong.
HK1 this is not FIFA games stuff! How about the players were not available and Wenger wouldn’t accept second best!
Just a thought!!!
No player available in the whole world? Any player can be available if you pay for him or if you look hard enough. Let’s say for arguments sake the players weren’t available, that is no excuse for the kamikaze football we played against the bigger teams.
Nobody else is trying to either keep or buy the best players in the world then? Just us?
I’ll have a Messi, a Ronaldo, a Bale and a Kane as my backup front line please.
We weren’t looking for the best players in the world for defence and defensive midfield. We signed Gabriel and brought back Coquelin. Proof enough the level of player we will make do with. The problem is we had NO ONE in those positions at the start of the season.
Arsenal fans should remember that even with the great run we’re on we’ll still finish at least 10 points off Chelsea. Let’s hope Wenger and Gazidis don’t rest on their laurels in the Summer and believe Arsenal are already have the squad to win the league.
Yeah that’s a big worry.
We’re in the exact same position points wise as last season.
If we can buy better players than we already have in any position we should do it.
We’ve improved the quality of our squad, this summer I’m hoping for a couple of first team players who won’t need too much of an adaption period.
I would like to see a world class striker as proper competition for Giroud, a strong tough tracking ball playing playmaker type DM another CB and a GK.
this ain’t football manager or EA’s Fifa mate
No, this is Arsenal and we have the resources to improve the depth of the squad. Every season we have been found wanting, either because of injuries or lack of depth or both. I don’t see for players beyond our capabilities. Every top team has at least two top strikers. We have only Giroud. What happens when he gets injured? Also, same with Coquelin. He has been brilliant, but what if he gets injured? Flamini? Arteta? Don’t make me laugh. What if two defenders get injured? We need for centre backs. As for Szcezcny. He’s too much trouble, hence the… Read more »
You’re talking Fantasy Football, man!!
There’s no FFP and no teams competing with you for the top players when you play Fantasy Football.
After weighing up the options I think I’ll stick with Wenger, thanks,
I don’t think it’s as simple as just looking at points. Chelsea’s points haul, while outstanding, would not happen too often. They’ve been so consistent, they’ve been top of the League since the second week. That’s extremely rare. While we’ll probably finish with a similar points tally as last season, many of the issue we had last season seems to be addressed — lack of depth, performance vs the big boys, finding a balance between defence and attack. The only remaining issue that remains unaddressed is depth and quality in the DM position. We’ve got lucky and have partially solved… Read more »
Gnabry as well.
Possibly Bellerin at RW, moved forward. Only really need another DM to play alongside our Coq; But not until Arteta has played out next season.
Rubbish. Arteta is not the answer… He never was!!! A proper DM is needed as an alternative to Coquelin. Someone who can break up play and distribute. Also a pacy central defender who will allow us to press high up the pitch, something Mertesacker doesn’t allow us to do
I hate city even more now, as they screw up against the scum
So basically you mean to buy new players?
I think 8 in a row is cause to be hopeful despite similarities to last season. We need cover for CDM and then look at the market for a world class ****** if the price is right. Never say no to class.
Well i for one am not carried away. Next season will be even harder with manure finally gelling and chelsea will of course get better.
No matter how you look at it, we’re still 2 steps behind chelsea and possibly manure. The good thing is FFP has given us an opportunity to catch up and even overtake shitty.
Still hoping for the best though.
Do praise manure but remedy they didn’t have to endure champions league football this season. So don’t be surprised when next season their improvement is in reversal. I really do feel strong about next season If it is naivety so be it but it might be number 16 come may 2016.
off topic: if we need to sign cech and mourniho refuse to sell to us why not give the money to inter Milan then take him as if its a loan and make it permanent. Lampard to City for instance……. Is it possible????
You’re either extremely naive, delusional or both, but in answer to your question… no, that’s not possible.
It’s only possible if you own Arsenal AND Inter Milan.
Watch the game more than writing an essay of nonsence!
Even immediately after beating Liverpool spoke to fans outside the ground and all they did was moan about the early season form. It seems there are Arsenal fans that can find a cloud for every silver lining. Maybe they don’t want us to do well just so they can be right…
Yesterday is history. You won’t get anywhere railing against the situation we were in 6 months ago, ignoring what we’re doing now and pretending that we haven’t resolved any of our former flaws. You see a lot of bitter, unhappy Gooners, and they all share the same traits. They fixate on the last bad stuff and believe the claims of the Press and Other Teams Fans that we are bottlers, Wenger can’t do tactics and won’t spend money, etc etc, blah, blah, blah. They’ll rarely enjoy being Gooners because they can’t help thinking back to the bad and assume that… Read more »
Our run has been great, but I’ll just take it game by game. Its easier on the heart that way.
Coq is exactly the DM we have missed for a decade. Only downside is that he can get injured or temporarily lose form like everybody else. Is Chambers the right cover then? I am not sure, Chambs looks more like a talented CB to me, and thats why I don´t want to know the answer before 2018