When Arsene Wenger said he is still involved in the transfer market, but would only sign a "very special" player, all Arsenal fans knew what he meant. No signings.
In a summer that started so brightly with the signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud and then the subsequent capture of Santi Cazorla, it has all gone a little pear-shaped. The departure of Robin Van Persie was expected, but the striker's move to Manchester United left a jarring feeling.
Wenger was emphatic in saying that Podolski and Giroud were the replacements and there would be no more strikers coming in at the Emirates, despite the repeated calls from Arsenal fans to buy Fernando Llorente, who was there for the taking.
However, the situation was further compounded when Wenger sanctioned the sale of Alex Song to Barcelona, despite the midfielder having three years to run on his contract. Song was a vital cog in the wheel for the Gunners last season, and even though his defensive work was suspect, he will be missed. Song's sale could have been appeased by a signing, with several quarters agreeing with the decision to sell the Cameroon international; but expecting further reinforcements to offset the sale.
Nuri Sahin was mentioned and was on the verge of making his move, but a last-minute decision changed all that and the Turkish international joined Liverpool instead. It was understandable, because Sahin would have cost in excess of £10 million ($15.8 million) in loan fees and wages for just one season; and the need for that type of player, in the first place, could be argued.
However, Arsenal fans were expecting a defensive midfielder to be brought in, even if it was a little-known player from France; something was expected. Wenger had also said he was looking to strengthen the defensive department, but no additions were made to the back-four either.
Arsenal have already made £40 million ($63.4 million) from the sales of Van Persie and Song and have a lot of leftover money from last year's departures. Even if they have brought in Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla for a combined fee of a little under £40 million, the money was still there to make a couple more splurges, while the fans will no doubt point to that swelling balance sheet.
Arsenal have a good squad, a better squad than last season, but what tripped them up the previous campaign and the seasons before that, was the lack of depth. Injuries are now commonplace at the Emirates, and bringing in a couple more new faces would have helped in coping with those misses.
Wenger stressed on the impending returns from injury of Thomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere and Bakary Sagna. However, the English Premier League is a long-run tournament which lasts for nine months and pans over 38 games, without counting the domestic cup games and the Champions League.
Only a team with a strong and deep squad, not a strong first XI, can compete in all quarters. Arsenal have a good team, a good squad, with a few up and coming youngsters.
However, the Premier League is one of the most competitive leagues in the world; and it is hard to not think that the Gunners would have been better equipped this season, had they gone onto buy a couple more players in the mould of a Yann M'Vila, Victor Wanyama, Ettiene Capoue or Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, because it is the team with the strongest squad that almost always wins the league.
