Everyone enters a new season full of hope and optimism.

Then the first day happens and you begin to wonder if the next 37 games will ever be what you had imagined. And so it came to pass with Arsenal when, on day one of last season at home, they unbelievably lost to West Ham, a team that traditionally never stood a chance against The Gunners.

With only one signing all summer, Gunners fans were almost begging Arsene Wenger to spend some money, but again, in his own stubborn way, he refused to pay over the odds for players or rock his wage structure to accommodate a talent that would be the difference between league champions and runners-up.

This coming season sees the Frenchman admitting that he needs to revamp the tired side that showed few signs of actually, really wanting to be champions.

In came Granit Xhaka in midfield, up front Wenger went for an unknown, but potentially talented Japanese forward and in defence, the Arsenal boss clinched the deal for Bolton's Rob Harding.

That's it so far, although Arsenal have been linked with a few strikers, most notably the Juventus bound Higuaín and the stay-in-France Lacazette.

With Per Mertesacker now injured, Wenger will have to splash the cash, but it's almost as though he does so reluctantly.

As time goes by, so do the players of any note. The longer Wenger leaves buying in the players that he considers a benefit to the club, the longer he will end up buying no one.

Someone needs to remind him that it isn't actually his money that he's spending and that Arsenalsupporters want to see exciting players at The Emirates and a return to early Wenger winning days.

In reality the Arsenal fans will get Giroud up front again, no further additions to midfield and a dodgy fill-in for Mertesacker. Transfer window shut, cheque-book put away and a team that finishes up second or third next year.

It was remarked by someone at Arsenal that a top finish is considered success. Not according to the Arsenal fans that I know it's not.

To be eliminated one step after the Champions League groups seems to be a given with Arsenal and likely as not, the team are just not strong enough and Wenger not sharp witted enough to out-gun the major clubs in Europe, all of whom will strengthen before September.

Wenger has the money and has done so much for the club, but his perpetual reluctance to open his purse and spend is mystifying if you believe the rumoured £200m sitting in the bank.

As reported in the Mirror, according to Ravi Lockyer, a senior city analyst at Collins Sarri Statham Investments Ltd, the figure so often quoted by Wenger's detractors is misleading.

CSS have penned a special report on Arsenal's finances, which you can download and read in full here.

"Ever since Highbury was sold, Arsenal have held significant cash balances," Lockyer writes. "But do Arsenal really have £200m for spending on players? No."

This, CSS claim, is because there are deductions that must be factored in.

It appears that in reality, Wenger has financial constraints - there are always two sides to every story.

Next season could be Arsenal's year. With top managers coming into the league and spending big, this coming year will be a big test for Wenger and in his final year in charge, under his current contract, he will surely want it to memorable.

For all the right reasons.

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