Another trophy less campaign has persuaded Arsene Wenger to bolster his Arsenal squad ahead of next season.
A fourth-placed Premier League finish means the Frenchman’s charge have to run the tricky gauntlet of the Champions League qualifying stages – and as Tottenham can testify, there are no easy draws.
Wenger has recently suggested he is targeting ‘tall players’ in this transfer window, seemingly throwing out the Barcelona model on which he styles his team.
Thomas Vermaelen’s lengthy absence dented Arsenal’s silverware aspirations last term, but with the Belgian overcoming his injury, Wenger will be comfortable in the fact both Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny now have regular first-team experience under their belts.
Cesc Fabregas’ potential move to Barcelona has not yet hit full swing in the British media, but with Pep Guardiola’s side securing both domestic and European glory last season, it’s difficult to argue a case for the former Camp Nou youth player being able to command a regular starting berth at his original home.
But midfield is one area where Arsenal lacked drive in their last campaign. With Denilson out of favour and Abou Diaby failing to cement any consistent form during the season, the regular trio of Fabregas, Jack Wilshere and Alex Song were responsible for running Wenger’s engine room.
Wilshere undoubtedly had an excellent season, and will improve on that. Aaron Ramsey returned from injury in the closing stages of the campaign and look capable of challenging for a regular first-team place – but what Arsenal lack is experience
Both Wilshere and Ramsey possess the quality required but the duo still lack the experience required to win trophies in a season, while last season was only Song’s third in which he made over 20 appearances for the club in a single term.
And this is where Scott Parker comes in.
The West Ham midfielder endured relegation from the Premier League but his talismanic performances prevented Avram Grant’s side from capsizing earlier in the year.
At 30, Parker still has at least three seasons in which he can offer Arsenal his infectious determination in the same way he’s imprinted on the England national side.
Recently appointed West Ham manager Sam Allardyce conceded there might be an Upton Park exodus, with Parker leading the exit charge. But the former Chelsea man has been linked with a number of clubs other than Arsenal, namely Liverpool and Tottenham.
Statistically, Parker edges Song in the defensive-midfield stakes. The West Ham man made an average of 3.8 tackles per game, while Song made 3.3, the pair tied on interceptions with 2.6, but again, Parker edged the Cameroonian on blocked shots with an average of 0.9 per game to 0.4.
But the defensive-midfield ethos of winning the ball back, without committing fouls which then pressurises the back-line, appears to be stronger with Parker. The West Ham midfielder fouled on 1.4 occasions during each league game over the season, but Song’s record suggests the 23-year-old may still be too rash, as his average foul count per match was 2.2.
Parker shaded the goal tally over Song by one, as the England international netted five in the league last term. The pair tied on assists with two, while the pass success rate of Parker, 83%, and Song, 86%, is very similar.
WhoScored.com’s analysis of Arsenal based on statistical data shows Arsenal are very weak at protecting leads. With the potential addition of Parker, who’ll bring experience as well as a combative nature to Arsenal’s midfield, we could see Wenger’s side become a significant force in the Premier League, and in Europe.
