As impressive as Arsenal have been in 2015, winning 30 points out of a possible 33 since New Years Day, they will inevitably fall short once again in terms of the Premier League title race.
Finishing second and retaining the FA Cup might be progress to some, but quite frankly, this is another missed opportunity and leaves the club blaming various factors which could have been avoided.
It is no coincidence to see Arsenal’s current run coincide with Francis Coquelin involvement in the team, not because he is such a sensational talent, but simply because he’s a specialist defensive midfielder who enjoys the physical side of the game. Had Arsenal signed one last summer, or played Coquelin from August, things may have certainly been different.
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Here are four decisions Wenger must take to make sure the Gunners are left without regrets at this time next season.
1. No.1 Goalkeeper
No team wins the Premier League without a top class shot-stopper between the sticks and Wenger must be decisive in the transfer market this summer. David Ospina has done well, but looks more suitable to a back-up role than starting every week for a team aiming to win the Premier League. Petr Cech is on the move this summer and if the reports are to be believed, a move across London may take place (via The Telegraph’s Matt Law) and would be a major statement.
2. Captaincy
Over the past decade, every title winner has had a visible leader, John Terry at Chelsea, Nemanja Vidic at Man United and more recently, Man City’s Vincent Kompany. Wenger has made a bit of a mockery of the captaincy at Arsenal and it seems as though there is a one-year tenure for each captain. Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie and Thomas Vermaelen were all sold shortly after being handed the captaincy. Mikel Arteta, the current skipper, is out of contract this summer and it is time for Wenger to make a long-term appointment.
3. Midfield reconstruction
Along with Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby are also out of contract this summer and there is no room for sentiment should Wenger regain the Premier League title. All three should be shown the exit door and the Frenchman must land his priority signing Morgan Schneiderlin (The Sun) to completely revitalise the club’s midfield options.
4. Formation
In the earlier part of the season, Wenger might have blamed injuries for Arsenal’s horrendous start, but the team wasn’t aided by the Frenchman’s weird obsession with a 4-1-4-1 formation. Not only were his team suffering from a post-World Cup hangover, they were forced to adapt to a system which didn’t suit the players at his disposal. The creative hub of the team is Mesut Ozil and his return in the no.10 in a 4-2-3-1 formation has resulted in the Gunners playing their best football of the season.