The transfer window has now shut, and this is a summation of how we did relative to our rivals.
CHELSEA
Positives
– Shut out Costa, who clearly didn’t want to play for them again
– Morata
– Bakayoko
Negatives
– Confusion with the board and Conte on signings
– Not enough possibly compared to other top six, and as the champions
RATING: AVERAGE
T*TT*NHAM H*TS*UR
Positives
– Didn’t need to buy as much due to a settled first eleven
– Aurier
– Llorente
– Sanchez (not THAT Sanchez, though if he ever went there, it’s hell to pay…)
Negatives
– Potential lack of funds for their new ground
– More settled team means less scope to strengthen
– Not strengthened in key areas. Maybe they needed another forward, instead of two defenders. Possible top-heavy squad.
RATING: AVERAGE
MAN CITY
Positives
– Mendy
– Keeping Aguero
– Spending over £200m
Negatives
– Not selling Sterling (overrated imho…)
RATING: EXCELLENT
LIVERPOOL
Positives
– Ox (one club’s gain is another’s pain…)
– Salah
– Keeping Coutinho
– Attempted bid for Lemar
– Getting Keita (albeit next year)
Negatives
– Not getting van Dijk
RATING: VERY GOOD
MANCHESTER UNITED
Positives
– Lukaku
– Return of Ibra
– Lindeloff
– Matic
Negatives
– No Bale
– No Ronaldo? (a stretch but then it’s true he never would have left Los Blancos this summer)
RATING: EXCELLENT
EVERTON
Positives
– Rooney back home
– Klassen
– Pickford
– £150m in spending
Negatives
– Losing Lukaku
– No top striker incoming
RATING: EXCELLENT
AND NOW FOR US…
ARSENAL
Positives
– Lacazette and “the tank” Seo
– Loss of dead wood/fringe players (Gibbs, Gabriel, etc.)
– Sanchez staying (by default, and not design)
– Ozil staying
Negatives
– No Lemar
– Poor bids
– No Ox
– Not going in hard enough for specific players
– Wenger LYING to fans about Ox leaving, and Sanchez not going (well a half-lie, so to speak)
RATING: BELOW AVERAGE
We’ve not seen the “catalyst for change” that we were promised.
And we have dithered, bumbled, and not fulfilled our chief objectives.
Yes, we got a left-back and a striker. But then we didn’t get a CM, a centre-back, and only sold half of our dead wood (Theo is still here, for instance).
It’s been another window of half-actions, and inanity, as always….
So who will finish where?
Get your replica wall clock here
You may not like this, but then it’s my honest and genuine view:
1ST
MAN UNITED – Yes, Jose will outdo us all in my mind to win another title
2ND
MAN CITY – The world’s greatest living manager will do well to finish second
3RD
LIVERPOOL – Now they’ve bought the Ox from us, they are beefed up (sorry…) to get top four
4TH
Toss up between ARSENAL, CHELSEA and SP*RS. – Chelsea has made some decent signings, but not enough in all areas. Spurs have added depth in defence and attack, though it remains to be seen if Llorente can be an able supplement for Kane.
So: it is possible we could get 6th place.
There, I said it. But then I doubt many, following the Stoke/Liverpool defeats, would disagree. I think we will finish above Everton, but I don’t see us challenging for top four unless we seriously revise our tactics, methods, mentality, and approach.
With our legendary, and currently FAILING, manager in charge, I think our chances (bar a minor miracle) for regaining Champions League via the Top Four route are slimmer. Who knows if we can qualify by becoming Champions of Europa.
It seems gloomy, granted. Though it’s very apt considering how much of a shambles we are at the moment.
To end on a positive note, the only way is up. Wenger could surprise us, who knows? Anything can happen in life. Maybe he finishes third, and we win two cups. It may seem unlikely, but it could happen and is not impossible.
Seems top four, the FA Cup and/or Europa League is all we can hope for, akin to all of the previous five or so seasons.

MarbleHallsTV is an Arsenal social media account on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. Been a Gooner since the 90s, inspired by Ian Wright, then Bergkamp, Vieira, Henry, Pires, Campbell, Rosicky, Koscielny, Ozil and Sanchez. A digital marketer/entrpreneur by profession, born in UK living in the Americas now.
Sorry, this sort of ‘summing up’ is trash. Change your tune, get a life 🙂
I’m merely stating what the reality of our situation is. Getting a life is about seeing what it is, not soft-soaping.
“To end on a positive note, the only way is up.”
Unfortunately I think you’re setting yourself up for a very nasty surprise.
The only way is up is very apt since we are 1 point off the bottom 3 and relegation!
Dom needs to go to Specsavers if he has not seen the progressive decline of Arsenal.