Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he is searching for a new centre-half to solve Arsenal's weakness against the long ball as well as a 'creative playmaker'.
Speaking at a meeting with shareholders at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, the Gunners boss was unusually forthcoming on his intention to enter the transfer market this summer - and jokingly advised stand-in managing director Ken Friar to stay near to a phone throughout the coming months.
While insisting that his team defended set-pieces as well as their title rivals, Wenger admitted that the Gunners had been vulnerable to long balls aimed down the middle of the defence and vowed to address the fault.
"I must say this year we had among the best attack but we have conceded 31 goals which is six or seven too many," he said. "It's as close as that to win the championship.
"We didn't give more goals away than any other team in the League on open play, nor on set pieces, but where we gave more goals away was on direct balls, in the air, through the middle, and most of the time on second balls.
"On set pieces and open play we were as good as Manchester United and Chelsea. The numbers are available. But we have to rectify how we deal with direct balls. When a team just goes for long, direct balls against us, we have to improve."
Wenger also revealed that he wants to buy a creative player, although he didn't specify the exact position the player would fill. Already deprived of Mathieu Flamini's services for next season, speculation is rife that Alex Hleb will follow his close friend to Milan, although Wenger remain adamant that the Belarusian will not be sold.
"What people say about the buy-out clause, it is not as simple as it looks," said the Frenchman. "It is much more difficult and the clubs are reluctant to do that [invoke the 'Webster Clause'].
"We want to keep Hleb, we want him to be part of our team next year. It is as simple as that. We have lost one player, we do not want to lose more."
Arsenal are also expected to be in the market for a new centre-midfielder following the departure of Flamini - a shortage set to be exacerbated by Gilberto Silva's exit.
Your Comments
Goonerboy
"being a Red Member and I life long Arsenal Fan ( managed to live though the Boring Boring George Graham Days) . I find it laughable that arsenal's wage structure and spending policy is nowhere near the other top clubs . Why not that what I want to know .. This from a Club that Will charge you nearly 50 a year for the right to buy tickets to a Game and Heaven forbid If like me you would like to bring your child to a game who is under one year old . but laughably you will be charged for a full price ticket for him/her These stadiums are supposed to be family Friendly these days after all. Also with the mad prices they are charging for tickets these days anyway .Not to mention Sponsorship and merchandising So someone please tell me why cant Arsenal compete with the other Top Two ?? And Don't use the New Stadium Rubbish again "
chudleyqc
"Whatever happened to the Frank Ribery speculation? He and Cesc in the midfield would be unstoppable! Obviously, with VanP hurt most of the time and Silva most likely out for life, we also need another goal scorer. On that note, I read in the Barca paper that TH would not rule out a move back to the Arse."
zarrin
"sergio aguero(fwd),kaka or lampard(mid)richards(def)"
LLVeryColdJ
"Thank God Arsene has finally admitted that our team has a weakness under long direct balls aimed at our centre backs. Its been screamingly obvious for months. Please, please, please can we get rid of that idiot Gallas and get in a Tony Adams or Martin Keown style figure at the back. Possibly either Tony Adams or Martin Keown? "
liamgooner
"As a season ticket holder myself, i agree with holycrail.....we do need a few players to replace some positions. A winger is needed, a centre mid is needed, a centre back is needed. If you look at some of the fringe players in wengers past triumphs the present ones are awful. We had Edu, Wiltord, Kanu etc... all top class. Now we have Eboue, Diaby, Bentdner. Not good enough. Also how worrying if Guardiola gets Barca job, Cesc Fabregas only took number 4 cos of him. Hes Cescs idol.."
KNP_1000
"Cesc_bomb are you suggesting the only reason you didn't win a trophy this year is because one striker got injured? one striker who had scored four goals in 13 starts? Could United fans not then argue that if Saha hadn't been crocked all year they would have won the league in March? i think he has scored three league goals in five starts or something. ESSEX, Arsenal do have the players to win the league, but only if its cut down to a 30-35 game season! While Arsenal are certainly not a sinking ship, its pretty obvious to me that the reason they aren't competing in the latter stages of competitions is because they lack the strength in depth (Fabregas was totally knackered as long ago as the Wigan away game) therefore money needs to be spent on players who can come straight in and improve the squad, not players who will be good in 3 years. I don't think Wenger will do that. I agree that Richards and Ashley Young would be good additions, but that would cost somewhere near £30-35 million. Oh and you need a striker who is a bit stronger than a tea-soaked wafer biscuit"
Elvinjons
"Flamini is a loss - I fully expect him to be the new Gattuso at AC Milan - but he's weak in a key area, that's in the air. Fabregas is never going to be great in the air, so he needs a midfield partner who is. A young Patrick Vieira would do nicely - Abou Diaby, have you got what it takes?"
Colly22
"Good stuff arsene, you should replace that little cry baby sad excuse for a captain you have! His behaviour is nothing short of laughable when he gets beat!"
Mark_Wakirario
"We all love Arsenal as a team.We have gone 4 consequtive seasons without a major siverwhare !!!pathetic!..The team and it's spirit is good but we luck in depth to run to the finish line.In a team there are always missed scoring chances but good Lord for Arsenal it's a routine scenario.We need top class attackers,defenders,and midfielders + a world class goalkeeper...my take ie David Villa(fwd),Gareth Bale(mid),Richards(def)..and a goalkeeper. No excuse of cash limits....Mark wakirario(Kenya)"
holycrail
"OK, this is probably not the best place to post this. But seriously are the lot of you guys mad?? I'm a gooner, and have had a season ticket for the past 10 years... I agree completely with the simple fact that our squad is not strong enough in depth, and quite frankly we lack in "match-winning" players... but are all United and Chelkski fans completely off their rocker?? fact is... and ordinarily i wouldnt say a word about injuries... BUT, had it of not been for that AND the lack of strength in depth we would have WALKED to the title this year. FACT. Even after drawing what??? 5 games simultaneously... if we'd held leads against United and Chelsea... this coming "super sunday" wouldnt even be all that Super... the title would have already have been ours. Crisis at Arsenal. laughable. But undoubtably need to splash some cash this summer."
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