Arsenal supporters accept the new-look team under head coach Unai Emery will have “no hiding place” when the Premier League season gets under way.
In an interview with the Press Association, The Gooner Talk’s Tom Canton, Andrew Thompson and Kenny Ken discuss their team’s prospects as the Gunners begin life after Arsene Wenger.
Bring on the champions
Arsenal open their Premier League campaign on Sunday at home against defending champions Manchester City, which will prove the first genuine test for new boss Emery.
The Spaniard faces a stiff early examination of the approach and the make-up of his team, with an away fixture at Chelsea to follow.
Kenny says: “The first two fixtures are unforgiving, there is no hiding place. We are playing the champions and then the FA Cup holders, both two excellent teams.
“It is highly likely we will end up with no points, that is just because of the teams we are playing.”
Tom adds: “We need to get behind this team and realise change is not going to occur in four or five weeks of pre-season. You can’t expect that (defensive stability) of Unai Emery straight away from day one, it is simply not going to happen.
“It is going to take time for the players to adjust. We are going to have to wait and see.”
Kroenke in control
American tycoon Stan Kroenke has moved a step closer to completing a full takeover of Arsenal after minority shareholder Alisher Usmanov accepted an offer worth in excess of £550million for his stake.
Kenny, born in Holloway Road, was not surprised by the move and feels “nothing is really going to change”.
He says: “Stan was never going to spend big money anyway, he never did when he had 67 per cent shares, and we don’t expect him to spend now he will have 100 per cent.
“Don’t waste your time with protests (at the game on Sunday). He is a businessman first and foremost – and nothing you do or say will stop him from taking total control of the club.”
Andrew, who lives in New York, says: “We still have to make money for this to be a worthwhile business venture for Stan, that is the key.
“For me, Arsenal are going to be the crown jewel (for Kroenke), the one that is going to make him money from where he can then go out and do what he wants to do in other ventures.”
Transfer deadline dash
The future of midfielder Aaron Ramsey was unclear ahead of Thursday’s transfer deadline, with the Welsh midfielder in the final year of his contract.
Kenny says: “We can’t have a situation we had with Mesut (Ozil) and Alexis (Sanchez) where players are going into their last year where they could possibly leave on a free.
“Aaron harbours ambitions to play abroad, and if someone if going to pay him £250,000 a week, then obviously he is going to get that ambition.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Chelsea had a sniff, they are a big club and he wouldn’t have to leave London, so I don’t expect him to be at the football club (past the deadline).”