What is wrong with Arsenal FC?

This is a great question. Many would argue that we don't spend enough money in the
transfer market, our owner doesn't put money into the club, city and chelsea are getting
a lot of owner's assistance etc. But for me, the major problem in Arsenal is in there
recruitment and the way they handle their players. Let's take a comparison between
Arsenal nd Liverpool

Liverpool

1. Season 11–12- Liverpool were under Sir Kenny Dalglish. They were in

the similar position like we are in now. Finished 8th below Everton,
average squad, weak mentality etc.

Brendan Rodgers arrived. Furthermore there was no assistance from owner and clubs like
City, Chelsea etc were spending recklessly in the transfer market.

2. Season 12–13

Due to Europa League football, no big player wanted to join them and they were handed
a transfer budget of just 60 million. But they approached transfer market sensibly.

They brought some average and good players to boost their chances but the signing of
Coutinho was shrewd. They brought a young 20 year old player for just 10 Million. It was
a calculated risk which Arsenal would never take.

That season they finished 7 and also missed Europa League. They were in dire strains.

With no UEFA revenue and decreasing market value, their spending spree was reduced to
20 million. Their position was disastrous as
 1. There was no money to spend
2. Star players wanted to leave
3. Other teams were destroying the market
but they again approached the things sensibly. In order to increase spending power,
they sold players like Andy Caroll for 15 million and immediately reinvested that money.

3. Season 13–14

They finished 2nd. It was a miracle and probably Caroll's sale was instrumental.

4. Season 14–15

Because of average signings like Lallana, Loveren, Ballotelli and Moreno, they messed up
with the market.

But again, they sold Luis Suarez for 75 million.

5. Season 15–16

Couldn't repeat the heroics. Finished 8th. Missed Europe as the result couldn't keep hold
of Sterling. But the didn't let him leave for free. Rather sold him for 50 million.

And brought Firmino and Benteke with that money.  They also signed Milner for free and
brought Joe Gomez for a minor fee.

6. Season 16–17

Klopp arrived and was given no money to spend at all due to no European
competition. But they still approached market differently. Sold players like Benteke,
Allen etc and all the others who didn't perform. And with all that money  klopp
made three important signings

Matip, Mane and Wijnaldum. The season went alright and they slowly started to progress
as the

 changed the manager.

 sold the players to boost kitty
 and instilled new philosophy
7. Season 17–18

Coutinho was certainly not happy. They did everything to keep him but when he left no
option, Klopp sold him for mammoth 150 million.

And he instantly addressed his main problem which was defence. Even Sakho who was
not doing well and was sold for 27 million.

And look at what they brought

 Van Dijk- 75 million

  Salah- 50 million
 Robertson- 8 million
 OX- 34 million
 Solanke- free transfer
 Keita- 60 million
That money was certainly reinvested well.

8. Season 18–19

They brought Alisson, Shaqiri and Fabinho.

They sold Solanke who was bought for free previous season for 20 million and won
Champions league.

Here, few points I want to highlight are

 They never spent beyond their budget. Even the owners backing was
minimal.
Arsenal are same in this respect.

 They sold Suarez for 70 million, Coutinho for 150, Sterling for 50 million
and even deadwood like Sakho and Caroll for decent amounts.
We sold Fabregas for 35 million and van persie for 20–25 million at the time when they
were easily worth 65+.

 They rarely let any of their players leave for free.

We let Ramsey leave for free who could have been sold for 45 million. Wilshere( 30
million), Welbeck(20 million), Gnabry for 3 million and now Ozil, Mkhitarayan etc could
be on same path.

We rejected Sanchez's 70 million bid and swaped him for Mkhitarayan 6 months later
whom we are again struggling to sell.

 They brought likes of Joe Gomez, Andy, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane,

Firmino, Shaqiri etc for huge bargain rates and in young age and now all
of them are valued more than that. They were funded from player
sales who were either from academy or were brought at cheap
rates.
We brought Mustafi for 35 million, handed ozil 350k per week contract and made a lot
of other average, irrelevant and panic signings.

 Milner, Matip etc were signed for free.

We signed Lichtsteiner for free but let most of our players leave for free.

 Klopp instantly addressed thir main problem ie defense with quality and
not quantity. Allison and VVD are perfect example.
We instead of fixing or defence brought another striker 6 months after acquiring one of
the best strikers of France for club record fee and constantly neglected the defence.
Don't get me wrong, Auba has been brilliant but VVD, Koulibaly or Laporte could have
been better.

 They sold all the non performing players.

We are still clinging with Muatafi, Jenkinson, Elneny and Mkhitarayan. Even Ozil should
be sold.

The difference is clear… they sold players and reinvested in young players with huge
potential, we let players leave for free and used all the money we generated by this so
called “self sustaining” model on average, old players with zero potential and handed
them huge contracts.

Last season was different as some sensible signings were made but we again let Ramsey,
Wilshere and Welbeck leave for free and were unable to sell any of Mkhitarayan, Mustafi
or Elneny.

Kroenke is also a big fraud because even though Liverpool, who always generated
less revenue then us has spent more net money even though we were more
successful recently and constantly played in champions league.

We need to understand our mistakes and recruit better players and manage their
contracts efficiently.