Woah..Transfer Deadline Day was CRAZY. I wouldn't have thought that Arsenal would actually purchase Arteta and Mertesacker. But I am glad they did. Santos will be a good Clichy replacement at Left Back..how good..only time will tell and the way he adapts to the English game as well. As for Mertesacker, he is freaking good. I have watched him play for Germany and he is really talented. So no complaints about that one..except that his height would probably intimidate his teammates and that would be kinda ironic cause he is taking the Number 4 jersey..and Cesc wasn't exactly tall as well. Oh well. Cesc will always be an Arsenal hero <3

Anyway..the Arteta deal seemed to be off a few hours before the 11pm deadline. But after Arteta pushed for a transfer, terms were agreed with Everton and the Spaniard became a Gunner. And Benayoun arrives on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

I think it has been quite a good day..and a rather peculiar one for Arsenal. I mean..Wenger doesn't sign Arteta-ish players..it jus didn't seem him to do so. But anyway I am glad he did. Even after bringing in reinforcements in defence, there was a big hole left in midfield with the departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc. So..I am glad he brought in Arteta..I mean, I rate him highly and he could be great for Arsenal provided he prevents long injury spells. And for Benayoun..he is a versatile player and he will add considerable amount of depth to the squad. So..overall happy :D Though if Arsenal had started splashing the cash a little earlier, they might have sealed deals for Eden Hazard or Gotze..but I guess it was also highly unlikely that they would move from their respective clubs given their tender age of 20 and 19 (YES HE IS MY AGE) respectively. Perhaps they want the safety net of their current club and learn their trade properly before moving? Hazard looks like a real deal. Hopefully, Arsenal can secure a deal for him in the future when he is ready to leave Lille.

So anyway, when Gooners look at their squad today, at least they can smile a little bit rather than live in fear of what might happen every single match even if they might be up against mediocre, winnable sides. At least the squad's depth has increased and Arsenal wouldn't have to rely too much on the likes of Frimpong and Jenkinson to finish the job..I mean they are youngsters who should be learning..they can't be thrown out there and be expected to perform incredibly with minimal experience!!

So there it is:

Chezzer

Sagna - Vermaelen - Mertesacker - Santos

Wilshere - Song - Arteta

Walcott - RVP (c) - Gervinho

Looks a lot more promising than the team that played against ManU. Cause that team was jus..really amateurish and lacked A LOT of experience. And with the likes of Arshavin and Ramsey in the team as well, there is room for rotation :D

So yay..finally hope!

I read in an Arsenal blog which quoted Dark Knight,'the night is darkest just before dawn.' Well..I hope the night part has passed. We have had to endure a really stressful summer where the squad's dynamics changed considerably. And the current team looks slightly different compared to the Arsenal team for the past few years. No, I am not gonna say Arsenal can now win the title or the Champs League. I guess with this team Top 4 would be a considerable achievement. But how well they will perform together..only time will tell. And I really hope they will do well. Gooners have had to endure a pretty rough patch as Arsenal fans. And if anything, I think it has only made us realise how much this club means to us and it has somehow brought us together. Don't ask me to explain how..it's jus a feeling.

The season starts at Swansea. For now, its international break and I hope no one comes back with bad injuries. And I hope Wilshere returns to match fitness ASAP. <3

Oh and congrats to Cesc for scoring his first goal for Barca at his La Liga debut at the Camp Nou. Glad he doesn't have to be a benchwarmer there like some predicted he would be and that he wouldn't be able to break through a star-studded team with the likes of Iniesta and Xavi as competition in midfield. But he is a world-class player and he will step it up a notch playing for Barca now. And what he had to say after winning the UEFA Cup: 'All I can think of now is what AFC has done for my career. Always in my heart.' This is why I will always love you, Cesc. Glad to see you still have Arsenal in you..and like you said,'Once a gunner, Always a gunner.'

Victoria Concordia Crescit,