MYTHBUSTING # 6 WENGER TOOK OVER A POOR ARSENAL SQUAD/WENGER WILL LEAVE A GREAT ARSENAL SQUAD BEHIND WHEN HE LEAVES

Should next season be a disaster and Wenger part company with the club the man charged with taking over would be faced with a squad of debatable quality? The season prior to Wenger’s arrival the squad was as below.

That summer, needing to signal intent Schwarz & Campbell went out and Platt & Bergkamp came in, two ‘marquee players,  they joined the 16 full Internationals, 1 B international & 4 Under 21 internationals. Rioch was charged with achieving success with this squad, which to an extent, he did with arsenal clinching a European spot on the last day of the season.

When Wenger then took over during the following Season he was able to call upon 12 of the squad and jettison the also-rans.

The analogy I would draw is that if this forthcoming season ends with a new Manager, that appointment would have a worse squad to work with than the one Arsene inherited.

Close Season Transfer Activity

In: Dennis Bergkamp   (Forward) from Inter Milan (ITA)   (7.5 million)

David Platt       (Midfield) from Sampdoria   (ITA)   (4.75 million)

Out: Stefan Schwarz   (Midfield) to Fiorentina    (ITA)   (2.3 million)

Kevin Campbell   (Forward) to Nottingham Forest      (~2 million)

Squad for 1995-1996 Season

1. David Seaman          (England int)

2. Lee Dixon             (England int)

3. Nigel Winterburn      (England int)

5. Steve Bould           (England int)

6. Tony Adams            (England int)

7. David Platt           (England captain)

8. Ian Wright            (England int forward)

9. Paul Merson           (England int)

10. Dennis Bergkamp       (Dutch int)

11. Glenn Helder          (Dutch int)

12. Andy Linighan         (Eng B int)

13. Vince Bartram

14. Martin Keown          (England int)

15. Ray Parlour           (Eng U21 int)

16. John Hartson          (Welsh int)

17. David Hillier         (Eng U21 int)

18. Steve Morrow          (Northern Ireland int)

19. John Jensen           (Danish int)

20. Chris Kiwomya

21. Eddie McGoldrick      (Irish int)

22. Ian Selley            (Eng U21 int)

23. Paul Dickov           (Scotland U21 int)

24. Mark Flatts          

25. Scott Marshall

26. Lee Harper

27. Paul Shaw

28. Stephen Hughes

29. Adrian Clarke

30. Gavin McGowan

31. Matthew Rose