Not wishing to judge after one game but….

Last updated : 14 August 2006 By Editor

Joe Lovejoy in The Sunday Times wrote: ‘Arsenal, at their plush new home may be hard pressed to hold on to fourth place. Their lack of strength in depth is a fundamental weakness that Tomas Rosicky alone is nowhere near enough to remedy.'

Wenger said after Rosicky's Gunners debut in Zagreb last week that he felt the Czech Republic player was physically ready to play despite picking up a groin injury in pre-season. But Matt Hughes in The Times said "he made little impact".

Matt Denver wrote in The Independent on Sunday: ‘Tomas Rosicky's graceful movement will be central to Arsenal's attacks (in the new season). Capable of defence-splitting passes and runs and swerving long-range shots he's more in the mould of Alexander Hleb than (departed) Robert Pires.'

Shame they already have Hleb then! While the Belarusian played the full 90 minutes, Rosicky who Arsenal paid Borussia Dortmund £6.8 million for in the summer was withdrawn before the end.

Funnily enough not every Gooner was very taken by Hleb, especially in the initial stage of his first season in England.

As Gilberto Silva explained on the club's official website: "It was difficult for Hleb in the beginning. Of course it was not just about him needing time to adapt, it was difficult for us all at the start of last season and I think it would have been different for him if the team as a whole had been playing well, like we were maybe two years before."

Arsenal kick off their Premiership campaign at home to Aston Villa and away at Manchester City.