Why Wenger May Buy No One In This January Despite All The Rumours

Arsene Wenger has been cryptic about his transfer plans this January transfer window, but he did give a clue as to where he could be seeking to bring in a signing before the transfer window closes. the midfield was mentioned, but after the unexpected shoulder injury suffered by Mathieu Debuchy and the fitness issues that has trailed Kieran Gibbs, defensive personnel is suddenly becoming short going into the crucial moment of the season.

“There is a need there [to enter the market] but the right opportunity has to come up” the boss said On December 30. “To buy, simply to buy, is not what we want to do but if the right opportunity comes up, we will do it.”

Arsene Wenger specifically mentioned that when the need arises the club would react. Arsenal have often be criticised in the past for not being proactive by showing more ambition to sign a player that would hugely improve the squad, rather they always wait for something wrong to happen before reacting in the transfer market. The reactive stands often taken by the club has not served the club too well in the past, it means it is just when another player gets injured that is when the club deems it fit to sign another player.

The second full week of the window is now in full swing, and with the injuries in midfield softened by the return of Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Mathieu Flamini from injury. It means the manager might just keep hold of his cheque book. The sudden rise of Francis Coquelin like a phoenix from the ashes could have put a dead nail on the manger’s possibility of bringing in another midfielder in this window.

The need has firmly shifted back to the defence because of another injury there. What Arsene Wenger decides to do between now and when the window closes, would be keenly awaited by all followers of Arsenal.

The manager has always mentioned that when an opportunity arises, the club would make a signing, it is as if the club has not done it work by identifying the player or players it needs for this window, it smacks of the old snag of no plan for the window, as always, an opportunity would have to come up before the club reacts, sad that such opportunity could be both ways, a long term injury before the window closes, could open up an opportunity for the club to sign.

The expectation again is that there might not be a signing in this window, despite Arsene Wenger’s best attempt to say there would be one if the opportunity comes up. The old cliché that Arsenal are just one injury away from facing a defensive crisis is there. There was worry on Sunday when Laurent Koscielny limped for sometime after a collision with Amir Begovic, which would not have been the case if there was adequate replacement, he still does not look too fit, he gets up gingerly when he is down on the floor as shown on several occasions on Sunday.

Arsene Wenger delights in taking a gamble, hopefully he takes one in the transfer market to finally sign a defender or midfielder that his team needs.