Contents

Part 1:  Executive summary, Introduction & Delivery

Executive summary

Introduction

Results up to the opening Premier League match 17 August

Players since last audit (Overseas signings):

Players since last audit (Second player recruitment policy, version 2 – young British signings:

The rationalisation of player resources

Part 2:  Planning  (To Follow)

A new player recruitment strategy?

Case Study:  Tottenham player recruitment strategy implementation

The Mr van Persie transfer watershed

The new record transfer

Player recruitment policy – transfer spend

Player recruitment policy – wage spend

Part 3:  Competence  (To Follow)

Player leadership

Offensive and defensive coaching

Player contracts

Scouting

Monsieur Wenger

Monsieur Wenger’s contract renewal

Part 4:  Quality Control, Leadership and Board & Conclusion  (To Follow)

Monitoring and acting

Benchmark / target setting

Planning:  Leadership and Board

Conclusion

Matters of Evident Concern

1.  Monitoring and acting

2.  Target setting

3.  Composition of Board / senior management team

Executive summary

 The welcome cessation of economic policy and playing inefficiencies such as the second player recruitment policy and the socialist wage policy, features of the second period of Arsène Wenger's reign, together and positive commercial developments mean that Arsenal are no longer reliant on the sale of star players to balance the books.  The remarkable signing of Mesut Özil finally gave weight to the announcement that the Club was entering a new financial era.  Attempts to sign established, top, Premier League players was another welcome new development.  On the pitch, a return of player leadership and prioritisation of defensive strength and new signs of tactical approaches to neutralise the opposition are also welcome. Since the defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on 3 March, Arsenal have the best record in the Premier League and, at the time of writing, top the Premier League and the early stages of the toughest Champions League group.  The Club's aspirations of trophy success, for the first time in a long time seem both genuine and credible. 

The Club's lack of transparency over previous restricted targets during the second period of Monsieur Wenger's reign - playing failures supporters, not Mr Kroenke, were made to subsidise - is, however, a matter of grave concern.  It is indicative of the Club's growing disenfranchisement from supporters which is exemplified by Mr Kroenke's distant ownership, his refusal to personally engage with supporters and his inability to take leadership over key issues. 

For further previous matters of evident concern remain, that if uncorrected, could lay waste to all the good progress Monsieur Wenger and his staff and players have made.  It is imperative that the Club overcomes its customary reluctance to sign players in the January transfer window and the problems that dogged Arsenal's activities in the summer transfer market are not repeated.  Arsenal must use the significant finances available in the new era to strengthen the squad's obvious lack of depth in key areas, as soon as the January 2014 transfer window opens.  Premier League trophy success was dogged by three implosions during the second period of Monsieur Wenger's reign and cup success dogged by inconsistencies and misjudgements over the targeting of competitions and balancing of competing priorities.

  It is crucial that Arsenal genuinely competes across several fronts and maximises its opportunities to end the long trophy drought.  There is also a clear need for an enhancement of Arsenal's scouting and recruitment team and for further support for Monsieur Wenger at a technical senior management level to reduce his non-coaching burden.  With Arsenal genuinely back in the hunt for trophy success, Monsieur Wenger could then concentrate on what he does best:  Developing player resources and building teams capable of playing high quality football that is globally admired.

Introduction

This new-season report follows the Mid-Season Review [1] completed after the close of the January transfer window and following two disastrous home defeats.  In four days Arsenal had exited the FA Cup against struggling Championship team Blackburn Rovers and the 1 – 3 first leg Eufa Champions League reverse against FC Bayern München suggested that, on 19 February, Arsenal’s season was already effectively over. This report follows subsequent events up to the October World Cup qualifiers club break and Arsenal's AGM.  Again, it has not been sanctioned by the Club and is independent of any organisation.  

Results up to the opening Premier League match 17 August

Immediately after the previous audit’s publication, there was further disaster and a 1-2 defeat at Tottenham on 3 March 2013.  With 10 Premier League games remaining, Arsenal were 7 points behind their local rivals in the search for 4^th place and European Champions League qualification.  The eighth successive trophy-less season was subsequently confirmed in the next match, ten days later, with a 2-0 win at FC Bayern München and Champions League exit on away goals. 

However, the obvious gulf between the clubs, so evident in the home defeat, has been somewhat put into context by subsequent events.  It was a rare blemish on the Bayern’s astonishing Champions League, Bundesliga and German cup triple winning season.   The gulf wasn’t just Arsenal’s – it was exemplified by Bayern's incredible, humbling of the great FC Barcelona, 7 - 0 on aggregate in the Semi-Final.  Recently, the Saudi highly financed 2011 – 2012 Premier League winners, Manchester City, were also taken apart and defeated 1 – 3 at home by Bayern.  Indeed, the new manager of the 2012 – 2013 Premier League winners, Manchester United, declared that his team lacked the five or six world class players necessary to succeed at that level.[2] 

The win at Bayern, their only home defeat in a season in which they broke or equaled 30 records [3], proved a huge morale-boosting turning point and proved pivotal in developing the belief of Arsenal's squad.  Arsenal recovered and won 8 and drew 2 of their last 10 matches saw and amassed an unrivalled Premier League 26 points.  Champions League qualification was achieved on the last day of the season, once again, at the expense of Tottenham.  Subsequently, however, there was a mixed pre-season and worse followed as the Premier League got underway and Arsenal lost 1 – 3 at home to last season’s strugglers Aston Villa.  Once again, there were major disagreements between Arsenal fans over the direction of the Club and merits of Monsieur Wenger who suffered more abuse from supporters.[4]

Players since last audit (Overseas signings):

 Arsenal's recovery initially centred around a defensive tightening centred upon Monsieur Wenger’s dropping of out of sorts Captain Vermaelen for the match at Bayern, who later suffered injury problems. In doing so, a better-balanced centre back pairing of Messrs Mertesacker and Koscielny was created, one that has endured and largely thrived in the new season.  Mikel Arteta remained a crucial deeper-lying midfield presence before also suffering injuries. More offensively Arsenal continued to be a lot better balanced with a wider range of potential goalscorers. Santi Cazorla’s excellent form continued before a recent  injury.  To add to Arsenal’s injury woes early in the season, the other three wide operators, Messsrs Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott also suffered injuries.  Olivier Giroud had a solid but unspectacular season and his reputation was actually enhanced when he was suspended for three matches during last season's run-in and the full value of his all-round competences as the sole fulcrum of a 4-2-3-1 formation became clear.   Despite all the talk of a world-class striker being signed, he looks to have grown in confidence in his second season and his excellent team play and goal-scoring so far suggest that such a signing may no longer be necessary (rather, good quality cover able to lead the line).

Players since last audit (Second player recruitment policy, version 2 – young British signings):

 Apart from a welcome absence of injuries, Kieron Gibbs has appeared to benefit from genuine competition, from Nacho Monreal, for his place. Karl Jenkinson has performed well in his limited opportunities, having been somewhat unluckily displaced by a returning Mr Sagna. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s limited opportunities were ruined by a serious early season injury. In his limited opportunities to try his newly preferred centre forward position last season, Theo Walcott did not appear to quite have all the skills and attributes necessary – certainly not to lead the line in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

 Nevertheless, despite a slow goal-scoring start to the new season, he remains a key player who always pose questions regarding the oppositions defensive line by providing width and pace.  Jack Wilshere was hampered by another (minor) injury and he appeared mainly as a substitute in the successful run in.  This season, despite ongoing fitness concerns, Mr Wilshere has been a regular - but no longer automatic - starter. Having had his development historically affected by a major injury and its aftermath Aaron Ramsey finished the season more strongly in his preferred central midfield position.  This season, his all-round competences reached extraordinary new levels – not least his goal-scoring from midfield. Indeed, Mr Ramsey won the Premier League Player of the Month Award for September and he was even hailed as the “best midfielder in Europe right now” following his goal at Marseille.[5]

The rationalisation of player resources

 A significant exodus, or 'rationalisation', of players that appears to exemplify the failures of the second second player recruitment policy (which followed funding being completed and construction work beginning at the site of the Emirates in February 2004).  The sales of Messrs Gervinho and Mannone, for £6.9 and £2m, represented - in terms of fees - good business.  After eight seasons of a long and patient development period, and  wages, goalkeeper Mr Manone never delivered the expected results (Mr Fabianski, after a similarly unfulfilled six seasons, remains).  Messrs Arshavin,  Chamakh, Squillaci and Dennilson all proved unsuccessful too and they were also recently released or left on a free transfer.  Remarkably, of the eighteen man squad that lined up in the February 2011 Carling Cup Final defeat against soon to be relegated Birmingham City, only seven remain at the Club:  Messrs Szezesny, Sagna, Gibbs, Koscielny, Rosicky, Wilshere and Bendtner.[6]

Mr Santos was much discussed in the previous audit report.  Having been signed for £6m, his release for free after just two, disastrous, seasons represents a particularly catastrophic failure of the Club’s scouting and recruitment.  The excessive expenditure on non- / little playing fringe squad players may soon come to end with the contracts of Messrs Bendtner and Park, on the balance of existing evidence, unlikely to be renewed at the end of the season. 

 Part 2 here