The summer transfer window is almost over, and who’ve the Gunners, without a trophy for years now, bought? A Belgian defender that played in the relatively weak Dutch Eredivisie with Ajax, more of a youth team than anything else in recent years.

The 40 or so million pounds pocketed in selling the reliable Kolo Toure and enigmatic, but still effective, Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City has done nothing but gain interest. Now wouldn’t Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger do well on the Apprentice, what with his ability to buy low and sell high?

Arsenal embarks on the season still without a holding midfielder, cover in central defense, and cover up front.

That’s all worrying. Wenger couldn’t buy Brazilian Felipe Melo from Fiorentina (now with Juventus), and apparently Italian World Cup winner Daniele de Rossi didn’t want to leave Roma. It means the likes of Alex Song and Denilson provide the defensive cover in midfield, far inferior to the likes of Manchester United’s Darren Fletcher, Chelsea’s Jon Mikel Obi and Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano, who perform the same role.

Arsenal conceded far too many goals from corners and set pieces last year, and with Toure gone in the center of defense, that leaves the 6-foot William Gallas (he and Toure didn’t get along), 5-foot-10 Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, generously listed at 6-foot by some, and 5-foot-11 Thomas Vermaelen, the Belgian in question, dealing with the aerial threat at the back. Oh, boy. That Gallas, not liked by many of his teammates, is still around in North London, is a shock.

The backup in defense includes whipping boy Philippe Senderos (Everton was actually interested in buying him) and the inconsistent Johan Djourou.
If Robin Van Persie stays fit, then there should be adequate power up front. The Dutchman was relatively injury free last season, so does that mean he’s due for woe this campaign? Question marks surround the classy Eduardo, given he’s only recently back from that horrific leg injury, and the jury is still out on the feisty Nicholas Bendtner. Carlos Vela has no problems playing well against lower-division sides in the Carling Cup, though in the Premiership he has yet to cut it.

More than a few bright spots exist, especially in Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, and Andrei Arshavin, sure to be a hit in his first full season in England. But while Arsenal will continue to trouble Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in their head-to-heads, dropping points at Blackburn, Bolton and Sunderland, and the like, will also persist.

Best case scenario? Fighting off Manchester City and Tottenham for fourth.