Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland: 3rd

If you came here today to see me bemoan the dropped points, you can turn right around because I won't. I probably would have done that had we lost, but when your team attacks for 90 minutes out of 95, manages 28 shots and has 76% possession, well, that's what I call an effort. And far from an effort worth booing.

Were we profligate at times? (link, Tim Todd) Certainly. Were Sunderland lucky at times? No doubt about it. Could we have won the game? Yes, and it would have been fair. Could we have lost it? Yes, so thank you, David Ospina.

I've heard numerous cries on Twitter at half-time and after the game how this match was similar to the one against Swansea. I couldn't disagree more: Swansea were compact and organised, restricting us to very few shots on target, none of these coming in the first half & we were listless on the day. Yesterday there were gaps between the lines, space to exploit and Sunderland weren't nearly as good at suffocating Arsenal players in possession. What is more, the Gunners really cared about the outcome from the first minute to the last. But it's football, here not everything goes your way.

Let's face it: the draw guarantees us 3rd place and direct qualification. I don't care one bit our points tally will be lower than last year, I only care about our position in the table and marked improvement in games against the big sides.

As the game was a one-way street only, I'll focus on some individual performances.

Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny & David Ospina

It's been some time since I last saw such an accomplished performance from our central defenders. The Mertescielny axis performed brilliantly yesterday, something that was overlooked in the context of the result. It shouldn't have been.

Both defenders played unusually high up the pitch and this was down to us camping in Sunderland's final third for most of the game. My gut feeling was that Mertesacker won the air completely, while his French counterpart made a ton of interceptions. I've later looked up their stats and it turned out I wasn't mistaken: Mertesacker won 5 out of 6 aerial duels, while also making 2 headed clearances; Koscielny made a whopping 7 interceptions. Just wow. Interestingly enough both only combined to a sole tackle, while Cazorla had 3 successful out of 4 attempted.

Also, kudos to David Ospina. Apart from sweeping up on at least two occasions the Colombian made two hugely important saves in the first 5 minutes of the second half and then parried Fletcher's chip late on. Dave made a huge contribution and rightfully earned his 8th league clean sheet.

Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez

All looked dead on their feet, however only Mesut didn't play the full game. The German was taken off with 10 minutes to go.

Santi played the entire game in the deep-lying role and he did grand: 3/4 tackles and a whopping 11 ball recoveries. On top of all that, the Little Magician completed 155 out of his 162 passes: a record for a player in a single PL game this season.

However, apart from maybe Mesut (who created 7 chances from open play), all need a rest. Ramsey also.

Thomas Rosicky & Theo Walcott

Both made an impact upon coming on and I think both should have been given more time. Theo created two goalscoring opportunities in less than half an hour, while Rosicky also had a chance to break the deadlock after a brilliant one-two with Theo.

Most importantly, Walcott gave width to out attacks and was just the man to exploit the spaces Sunderland's defense left behind. His runs and his dribbling were really dangerous, so I struggle to come up with an explanation why Theo didn't start the game. This is not a stab at Wilshere, Jack did alright on the wing and actually set up Ozil for the best chance of the game and almost scored himself from a Sanchez through ball. Still, Jack is not a winger and his natural tendency to drift inside left our right flank empty, while also creating an unnecessary overload in the middle of the park.

Rosicky, meanwhile, was that engine we lacked all game. Wilshere is not ready to be that engine yet, as he is still not at 100%, while Sanchez is knackered. Again, why Sanchez played the whole game or started altogether with a fully-fit Rozza on the bench is beyond me.

Olivier Giroud

Oh, Ollie, why do you have to be so frustrating at times? You know we all love you, why do you break our hearts with such bleak performances? You know you're our only realistic option at CF with Welbeck out, why did you abandon us in our time of need?

I think it's no coincidence that our recent form is so unimpressive. While Giroud was firing we were winning. Last goal Ollie scored was against Liverpool, which was April 4th. Since then, Arsenal struggled, picking up only 9 points in 6 games, while we also needed extra-time to defeat Reading in the semi-final. Only 7 goals were scored in the process & Arsenal was held goalless in three consecutive home games.

So the focus shouldn't be on whether Ospina could have kept Gomis's or Herrera's shot out, it should be on our finishing. And I mean "finishing", we don't have a problem creating chances: 51 attempts in the said home games and 15 chances created by Ozil alone suggest we have no problem in setting teammates up, we have problems tucking away the chances.

The main culprit? Unfortunately, Ollie Giroud. He is our main man, our centre-forward and the overwhelming majority of chances are created for him.

Before I heap further critique on the Handsome French Bloke, I want to put his performances into some context. After making a return from injury in late November against United, Giroud made 31 appearance in five-and-a-half months, only 5 from the bench. Take his three-match ban into account and Ollie should be one of the most used players in the period from December till May.

It showed yesterday. Ollie was a second late for every ball, his touch was heavy, his flicks didn't come off and he only made 39 touches in 95 minutes on the pitch. Just 13 more than Ospina. Nonetheless, Giroud had two very presentable chances, one was saved by Pantilimon, the other he put just wide with the keeper stranded.

The Frenchman is obviously exhausted, though I can't help but wonder how much damage Henry's words after the game against Chelsea did. Giroud's form started to dwindle down a bit earlier, probably after the Liverpool game. However, two bleak performances (Burnley and Chelsea) aren't indicative of anything. The former was a game in which Giroud was doubly marked for the first time + Burnley were fighting for survival. Chelsea, meanwhile, was a game of fine margins, Ollie cannot be harshly judged for failing to score against the Blues.

Then Henry, feeling obliged to say something, said Giroud is not the one and here we are. Ollie relies on confidence so much he failed to score in 7 consecutive games.

Solution? I'd give Giroud a rest and play Welbeck if the Englishman is fit. Both against West Brom and in the final. Or we can give Walcott a chance centrally.

However, it'll be stupid to deny we have a wider issue. If Giroud is so sensitive, we need to have an alternative. Welbeck, Walcott or Sanchez if we are talking internal solutions. Jackson Martinez and Alexander Lacazette if we are talking external ones.

Maybe it would even be wise to consider Giroud second-choice and play someone less vulnerable to criticism as number 1 striker.

Another option is wingers who have goals in them and can save the day if Giroud is not in the mood. We have two such wingers at the Club: Sanchez and Walcott. Oxlade needs to work on his end product.

And of course we can consider bringing in such a winger. Sterling, Reus, Pedro are all possible options, with Reus my favourite. There are rumours flying around Pedro is being offered for as little as £7 million, while Sterling is definitely unsettled. Considering Wenger's comments on how he wants another 15-goal-a-season player, I don't exclude external solution to our problem.

The aftermath

While a draw at home against relegation team is never pleasant (further exacerbated by the fact last time Arsenal player scored a goal was May 4th), it's not the end of the world some paint it as. This point basically guarantees CL direct qualification, because I don't see United overturning an 8-goal deficit. Frankly, I also don't see us losing our last game. So keep calm. And support Arsenal.

Until later

Sunderland preview: guarantee 3rd

Hi everyone.

We face Sunderland on Wednesday in what will be the last match in the 37th round of Premier League games. Man, time really flies. One minute you were scrapping a win against Palace with a late Aaron Ramsey winner, next thing you know there are two league games left to play.

Luckily for us, we also have a nail-biting finale against Villa in the Cup. I'll stock up on Validol, sweets and maybe even go to church before the  game. I just hope we won't demonstrate how fine gentlemen we are by giving the opposition a two-goal headstart.

But before the real fun begins, there's still a small matter of securing direct Champions League qualification (we'll be in 2nd pot this time) and possibly even finishing runners-up in the league. Of course it's now highly unlikely, as City will have to lose to Southampton at the Etihad on the final day of the season while we'll need 6 points out of six, but funnier things have happened. Like United losing out on goal difference in 2011-1012 or Real getting knocked out by Morata or Chelsea going out of the Champions League thanks to David Luiz...

Speaking of Chelsea, do you know they were thrashed by West Bromwich the other day and Fabregas was sent off in the process? THAT was hilarious. Not so much the sending off itself, as the manner of it. If you haven't seen it yet, find a vine or a video on Youtube. You'll have a good laugh.

Back to the job at hand, however and I'll start with the usual bits on team news.

Team news

All my hopes of a return for Debuchy, Oxlade or Welbeck were smashed by Arsene Wenger, who confirmed all three will once again be short. Nothing new on Arteta, so I guess he's also out. The painful part is that Koscielny is likely to miss out due to flu. Fortunately, we have Gabriel and Chambers, so I'm not particularly worried about the state of our defense.

Summing up: Debuchy, Oxlade and Welbeck are definitely out, nothing new was said on Arteta and Diaby (ahem), while Kos shouldn't make it due to illness. With that sorted out, a guessing game is in order. And this time around I think it does make sense, as midweek games imply rotation, only the extent varies.

Defense

Actually, I'm not exactly sure about who starts in goal either. Don't think the manager blames Ospina for the last two goals he conceded, rather that Szczesny may need game time before he plays in the final.

You know my stance on the matter: Chezza shouldn't start in the final as we stand a better chance of winning it with Ospina. However, I'm also quite sure Arsene WILL start Szczesny and as such may see the need to give the Pole some minutes prior to that. So I don't exclude the possibility of Wojciech making a surprise start on Wednesday.

At the back I don't think we'll see anyone new bar Gabriel for Koscielny. No need to mess around with a solid defense, especially since we still need to get a result in this game. Moving on to midfield.

Midfield

It is the place which interests me most. Surely Wilshere, Walcott and Ramsey all gave Arsene food for thought after making a tangible impact in their respective preferred positions against United? Coupled with the fact that Santi looks jaded and Coquelin is often bypassed by his teammates when our passing game clicks. Considering Advocaat himself said he'll be content with a point (Sunderland only need a point in two games to stay up), I expect them to sit back, put men behind the ball and cede possession.

As a result, we'll have plenty of the ball and Coquelin will mostly be a passenger, thus starting Ramsey deeper and Wilshere closer to Ozil may be just the thing to do. Wilsh will run at Sunderland's defense, something we lacked dearly against Swansea which is another benefit of giving Jack his first start since November. Something for Wenger to chew on, if he hasn't already.

Attack

I've touched on how Walcott's impact against United might have presented the Englishman with a better chance of starting and, frankly, I think there should be a place on the team for Theo. Sanchez was subbed with minutes to go and I do wonder whether he was sporting a knock/was slightly ill, Giroud wasn't really effective for the 5th game running and Ramsey shouldn't play on the wing anyway. Just shouldn't.

However, I don't really expect Wenger to omit Giroud or Sanchez, so it's Walcott on the right or Walcott on the bench for me. It's a tad risky starting both Theo and Bellerin, especially if Ramsey starts in Coquelin's place, but we'll see. Like is the case with Ramsey and Wilshere, Walcott did enough in my opinion to earn a start.

The verdict

Out top priority should be a win. Preferably two wins (who knows, maybe City will slip up?) So if Wenger doesn't rotate the squad or just does the bare minimum (like Gabriel for Koscielny), I won't be surprised one bit.

Then again, I think we can realistically expect a squad of Ospina-Bellerin-Mertesacker-Gabriel-Ramsey-Wilshere-Ozil-Walcott-Sanchez-Giroud to get the three points at home against Sunderland who, despite almost guaranteeing PL football next season aren't much to look at.

So come on you Gunners

Back with a review

Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal: point taken

Well, this is awkward. We all know how people tend to overlook the performance in the context of the result. Of course, it's fair to say this is mostly wrong: down the years Arsenal fans have seen good performances aplenty only to see the Gunners consequently lose the match. Many started supporting Arsenal for the entertaining brand of football. Because whatever the opposition and whatever the personnel on the pitch, Arsene almost always tries to take the game to the opponent by exercising an expansive and beautiful attacking approach.

However, you can't say those who put the result above the performance are ENTIRELY in the wrong: after all, only the results are written down in history books and, even among the most fierce fans, only the result will remain etched in their memory in a year or so. Ask me about a particular performance last season and odds are I will recall how we played on top of how the game ended. Ask me about the 2012-2013 season and I'll be hard-pressed to recall the performance. Go back a year more and I won't remember anything.

You probably understand why I've written all that: up to 60th minute or so yesterday our performance was simply appalling. It felt like we just forgot to turn up for the game: a fear every Arsenal fan has before almost every game, be it league or cup. This year we haven't turned up against Monaco at home, for Christ's sake.

Of course I have to add that such a phenomenon was almost non-existent in 2015 calendar year. Yesterday, for almost the entire game, it happened again.

Did City's result affect our attitude? Was it the fear of Old Trafford, a place where we always have a tough game? Or was it a simple desire to not lose a second game in a row? Your guess here is as good as mine.

Whatever reason it was down to (or, most likely, it was a little bit of everything), Arsenal refused to play football up until the hour's mark. Then, suddenly, we've realised, that we actually have to put in some effort if we were to get anything out of the game. But it wasn't until 80th minute when we exploded. The substitutes started having an impact. So I'll start with them.

The actual football

Arsene named an unchanged side for the 6th game running, something he's done for the first time in his tenure at the Club. Whether he genuinely believes these eleven guys are best-placed to get a result or it was a showing a faith in the side that didn't exactly deliver a week ago is question we're unlikely to find an answer to.

These eleven players were pretty listless for the duration of the first half. Apart from Giroud almost finding a way through due to a mistake from Jones, we haven't bothered United's defense at all. United, however, found it tough going creating openings with an ineffective Falcao up front. Nonetheless, Mata, Herrera and Young troubled ours defense throughout the first 45 minutes.

And it paid dividends midway through the half. Young roasted Bellerin on the right and swung in a cross to the far post. It found a completely unmarked Herrera who smashed the ball home.

Now, this goal was very similar to the one we conceded against Swansea and I don't think it's a coincidence. United almost pulled off another move like that later in the game. Fortunately for us, Falcao both couldn't get enough power in his effort and fouled Koscielny on top of that. Arsene should take note we are susceptible to this move.

Apart from the goal, United weren't particularly efficient at creating chances. They did demonstrate some slick passing, but not much came of it.

In the second half we upped our game and United dropped their urgency levels a bit. It wasn't up until Wenger decided to change things around that we really started creating chances.

The substitutes and their impact

Around the usual 70 minute mark Arsene went all in. Bellerin and Cazorla left the field and were replaced by Walcott and Wilshere. Coquelin took up the mantle of a right-back and Ramsey shifted infield to give way to Walcott. And boy did the changes worked.

I'm concentrating on this for two reasons: in comparison, Van Gaal's changes didn't work (Blackett for Rojo and Van Persie for Falcao) and Arsene should be given credit where it's due. He did what most think he's unable to do: he adapted during the game. His subtle changes worked, his gamble paid off, so hats off to the Frenchman.

After our initial trio of Coquelin, Cazorla and Ozil was changed to Ramsey, Wilshere and Ozil our game transformed. The effervescent duo of Jack and Aaron played through Herrera and Fellaini as if they weren't there at all. This led to a) a beautiful goal by Walcott. Yes, Walcott. I know it counted as an own goal, but in my book a deflection is not an own goal. Blackett made no conscious action which led to the ball ending up in the net, so it's a goal by Theo in my book. However, the preceding 40 yard diagonal pass by Ramsey was a thing of beauty in itself. It greatly reminded me of Cazorla's assist against Hull b) a completely different dynamic, one which could have easily allowed us to snatch the victory right at the death, had Giroud not wasted two brilliant moments. We probably didn't deserve to win the game, but hey-ho, United didn't deserve to win at the Emirates.

Olivier Giroud

As I've stated on numerous occasions, I love the Frenchman. I love how he upped his game, I consider him one of the best back-to-the-goal strikers there is. However, I can't help but wonder whether a more technically able forward would have buried one of the chances Giroud was presented with. I think that even Giroud himself would have scored at least that late chance had his confidence levels been higher. They won't, he hasn't scored from any of his chances (only Ozil presented him with 3) and this gets us back to square one.

Do we need a better forward in the summer? Or maybe should Arsene start utilising one of the options already at his disposal, like giving Sanchez or Walcott a go? Both offer different qualities to these of the Frenchman and can become an excellent plan B. Such a shift will require us to sign another winger (especially in Sanchez's case), though it's a topic for another day.

Aaron Ramsey

Simply put, he was gorgeous. When Aaron was shifted inside he became godly. The Welshman provided an assist, he destroyed Herrera and his overall contribution in the last 20+ minutes could have been that difference between a draw and a win. It wasn't, but not because Aaron didn't do enough.

Coupled with a several below-par performances from Santi (is the Spaniard just exhausted?), I think Wenger should consider playing Rambo in his natural position at least in the remaining league games. We all know Ramsey has a wonderful understanding with Ozil, so I can see the triquestra of him, Coq and Mesut working quite well. Of course, on the basis of what I've seen from Wilshere I firmly believe the Englishman is also due a start, especially after he dovetailed with Rambo nicely yesterday. Tough call for the manager on who to drop here, but I think as 3rd is almost assured, he can experiment with a Ramsey-Wilshere-Ozil trio against Sunderland.

The verdict

A below-par performance on the whole, one that could have seen us rip off United for the second time in one season nonetheless. However, I was mostly struck by how bang average United were. Herrera, Mata and De Gea aside, this United side is not much to look at. Alright, count Rooney in. Who else was good yesterday? Blind and Young?

Let's be honest here: it's Arsenal who have performed below-par. Had we turned up, we would have won. When a Club wastes 150 million on transfers and subsequently benches the likes of Di Maria and Falcao to play Ferguson left-overs like Jones, Valencia and Young, you know the Club is in trouble. The scariest thing is that De Gea is on the brink of leaving, Falcao hasn't performed and will likely be returned to Monaco, while Di Maria hasn't adapted, plain and simple.

United's problems aren't ours, luckily. Our main concern right now is to beat Sunderland midweek to guarantee direct qualification and then focus our efforts on strengthening the very good spine we already have. Rumour has it, Brian McDermott was at Lyon vs Bordeaux yesterday, with Lacazette, Fekir and Umtiti the mooted targets. Good to know.

Right, enough said. Back in a day or two with the customary preview.

Until then

Manchester United preview: make it double

Hi everyone.

It's United away on Sunday and it's hard not to look at this game as crucial to our hopes of finishing second. As we know, our defeat to Swansea left our fate out of our hands. We now trail second-placed City by 3 points with a game in hand, but it's important to note our goal difference is vastly inferior. So in case we finish level on points, City will be runners-up, we will be third.

As such we should concentrate on securing third right now and hope for slip-ups from last season's champions. Them dropping points is not completely out of question: Swansea away and Southampton at home are their remaining games and both look tough. Monk's side, as well as Koeman's team are looking to secure that last Europa League spot, so both teams will fight for the points right till the end.

However, we shouldn't hold out in hope City will make a mistake. We must admit Monday's loss (as much of a freak accident as it was) is a mess of our own making. Even a point would have left us with a good chance, instead we blew it. We should accept there's nothing we can do to rectify the damage that was done and move  on to our new objective: securing direct qualification by finishing 3rd.

Here our chances are still decent: even a loss on Sunday won't mean we can't finish 3rd. Six points in 3 games will do the trick. Nonetheless, a second defeat in a row can have lasting repercussions. We should try and bounce back by getting at least a point. It will restore some pride and, although not mathematically, will realistically ensure direct qualification to the group stages. A win can do wonders to our confidence and will also keep City on their toes, especially if we then get a midweek win.

Team news and approach

Regarding our possible lineup, no one will return from their respective injuries. Arteta, Debuchy, Oxlade and Welbeck are all short for the trip. The first two isn't a problem, Coquelin and Bellerin proved their worth, but we really could have used either Oxlade or Welbeck on the flank. As it stands, it's either Ramsey on the right (who himself is a doubt) or Wilshere.

Personally, I'd prefer Jack for two reasons: I don't want to risk Aaron, who is struggling with a knee injury for a second game running; also, I think Wilshere, who has some experience on the flank is a better fit. But I'd rather Jack played on the left, seeing as he's left-footed and shift Alexis to the right. Such a change will a) have an element of surprise b) look more balanced than our current set-up. However, I'm pretty sure Ramsey will start if he's passed fit. We were in exactly the same position pre-Swansea and Aaron started. Don't see Wenger changing it now.

As for our approach, the "defense first" one will suit me down to the ground. United need to win this game much more than we do. Even a draw is unacceptable for them: it will see the Red Devils trail Arsenal by two points with just a game to play, while we'll still have two, both at home.

United want/need to attack? Let them. It won't be the first time we'll defend deep and hit on the counter. Such an approach has been our trademark way of doing business away from ome against big teams this season. That was exactly how we got a result against both Manchester clubs away.

I would be more at ease with Welbeck and Oxlade at our disposal, as both are hard workers in defense, while they are also capable of quickly performing the transition to attack. Alas, we have neither and so will have to make do with other players.

This is the part where I suggest Wenger gives Walcott a shot at CF. Theo for Giroud can turn out to be hugely beneficial in more ways than one:

1. Just like Wilshere on the left with Sanchez on the right, United won't be expecting that. If they didn't expect Welbeck, surely they won't expect Walcott
2. If we are planning on sitting deep (something we should be planning to do), Theo is the perfect counter-attacking weapon. When we take into account McNair and Jones is the most likely pair of central defenders to face Walcott, well...Both are error-prone and slow-ish. Theo should have a field day
3. Such a move from Arsene Wenger will show Theo he is likely to have a future at the Club, maybe even as a centre-forward. On top of that, if Theo does well, he may genuinely become an option as a striker in Wenger's eyes
4. Final (and most obvious bit) is that Giroud isn't much help when we decide to play on the counter. Moreover, it'd be fair to say the Frenchman has lost some of his flair. Whether this is down to being tightly marked, having a painful reaction to Thierry's untimely comments or simple exhaustion, remains to be seen. Either way I think Ollie will benefit from a short respite

You are probably asking why not play Giroud and Walcott simultaneously. My answer is such: firstly, that'll mean we'll have no striker/winger on the bench. Secondly, shifting Theo wide is risky, simply because he'll have to help out defensively a great deal and we all know how Theo isn't really good at it.

The verdict

It is our chance to prove Swansea game was just an accident. It is our chance to beat United away for the second time in God knows how long. It is our chance to secure third and direct Champions League qualification.

If there was anything positive about that Swansea loss it's that the players will have a burning desire to respond. They'll be angry. And they'll know they are capable of beating United because they have already beaten United.

Moreover, let's face it: United have been utter crap all season long, relying on occasional goals from Rooney (who'll be unavailable) and Fellaini, coupled with some outstanding saves from De Gea to keep them afloat. The only reason United are in the top four right now is because Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton are nowhere near as good as they were last season.

Yes, on paper United looks a force to be reckoned with: Van Persie, Di Maria, Herrera, Mata & Falcao on the bench. Truth is such that none of these players are showing anything special. Falcao and Van Persie have been fighting for a starting place for U21s, Mata has discovered some semblance of form only recently and Di Maria has been as big a flop as I've seen. The only player I was truly worried about was Rooney, we know how Shrek loves a goal against us, but Wayne is out of the equation for Sunday. Which means we are in a perfect spot to get a win.

So come on you Gunners

P.S. If you've missed my yesterday's piece on who should be brought in this summer, check it out here.

Summer business

It's that time of the year again. Though the transfer window will only open in 6 weeks, the transfer mill is already churning out rumours and boasting actual signings. Depay will start next season in United colours after the Red Devils bought him for a ridiculous £31 million and Dybala (our long-rumoured target) should do likewise at Juventus. Oh, and lest I forget: Forza Juventus. Brilliant work on knocking out Real Madrid and reaching the Champions League final. Watching a €200 million front three of Ronaldo, Bale and Rodriguez get knocked out by their academy graduate was priceless. Funnier even than, dare I say, Welbeck's winning goal at OT.

Back to the summer transfer window, however, and it's obvious Arsenal needs to get some work done come July. And we will really be better off doing it in July, since August 1st is earmarked for the Community Shield game. The first league game will take place a week later.

For my ramblings about who needs to be brought in so that we could challenge Chelsea next season I'll adopt the expectation/reality format. The more accurate headings would probably be "what I think needs to be done" and "what Arsene Wenger is likely to do", but where would the fun be in that?

Anyway, I'll start with

Goalkeeping position

Expectation: ideally, I'd want Szczesny to come good, wrestle his place back from Ospina (with his performances, not literally) and make a further 400 appearances for us before retiring a Club legend having won every possible trophy.

However, what I just did is take my imagination to new dizzying heights. This scenario has "unreality" written all over it. Let's move over to more realistic options.

Can Szczesny come good?

Reality: from where I'm standing, Szczesny is half gone from the Club. He might (or might not, depending on the manager's decision) have just one game to prove he has a future at the Club: the Cup final. You know what I think: the Pole shouldn't play there. In order to stand the best chance of winning, we need to do what Villa will undoubtedly do: field our strongest XI. It doesn't include Szczesny.

It's really hard to tell what Arsene will do. I won't put it beyond him to play Szczesny in the final and, regardless of his performance and/or outcome of the  game, keep him for next season. I don't think Szczesny's contract runs out in a year, so we are not pressed to sell him and cash in this summer.

I also cannot say a new ruthless Wenger hasn't already made up his mind in that he needs a better number 1. This particular quote may shed some light on what is going on in Arsene's head:

“I hope yes (Szczesny has a future at the Club). But, at the moment, it is very difficult to answer that question.”

"It was then put to him that David Ospina had been the reason for the club’s upturn in form. Wenger, quite rightly, quickly pointed out that the difference in 2015 had been the availability of key outfield players, notably Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny, as well as the emergence of Hector Bellerin and Francis Coquelin." - Jeremy Wilson. You can read the rest of the article here.

Assuming Wenger wants a new goalie, one that would play and Ospina will sit on the bench, who might he bring in? Cech, Begovic, Lloris, Casillas and Handanovic are all possible replacements for Szczesny.

With Cech, the decision will be made by Petr and Roman Abramovich, Mourinho himself confirmed he has no say in the matter. Cech is my personal pick. He's 32, may have 5-7 years left in him. He's a winner, with 9 trophies under his belt, so he has that mentality. Finally, he's a class act who is unlikely to play second fiddle to anyone and he has good reason not to.

Lloris and Begovic are 2nd and 3rd best on my list. Both are great keepers with loads of experience in the Premier League. Both are younger than Cech (28 and 27 respectively). Both aren't playing for big clubs. Lloris even has a £20 buy-out clause in case Spurs don't qualify for the CL (which they haven't already). His ambitions may well match his ability and this ability is far greater than Europa League. Begovic, meanwhile, didn't play for Stoke in their last game, something that may hint he's on his way out.

Finally, Casillas and Handanovic are 4th and 5th respectively (on my list). Casillas is 33, and can be likened to Cech in many regards: experienced, winner and doesn't want to play back-up to Navas. It may not necessarily be the case, but rumours persist De Gea will be bought and Casillas wants to leave the Galacticos anyway.

However, where both Handanovic and Casillas lose to their counterparts is that they have no PL experience. Something that can be crucial to Wenger when/if the Frenchman makes his decision to buy.

An able replacement

The defense

Expectation: at another great push of my imagination, I can come up with a scenario in which three defenders leave us: Debuchy, Mertesacker and Monreal/Gibbs.

Debuchy as a result of falling behind Bellerin and Jenkinson in the pecking order, Mertesacker because of an inconsistent season, Monreal because he's 30 and has only one year left on his contact and Gibbs as a consequence of losing his place to the Spaniard.

In case Debuchy leaves I don't expect anyone to come in, with Mertesacker I'd demand another CB, though probably back-up to Gabriel and Chambers and with Gibbs/Monreal, I'd demand a quality LB. Like Gaya.

Reality: in reality, I don't think anyone will, or indeed should, leave. We finally sorted out our defense, have depth and competition in every position and we should keep it this way.

No one said AW doesn't view Debuchy as a starter when Mathieu is fit; Mertesacker, despite some weak showings, is our vice-captain (and de-facto captain), someone who is in top three at Arsenal in terms of minutes played this season, which indicates he has the complete trust of the manager; Monreal has been exceptional and should be kept at all costs and there's a case to be made for Gibbs. He's still young for a defender, learning his trade and a couple of indifferent performances do not mean he needs to be sold immediately and not be given another chance. I'll round up my musings on defenders with what Wenger recently said and what should put to bed all rumours linking us to defenders:

“At the moment I have players who have more experience than he (Chambers) has but in pre-season I will play him there (at CB)".

“That means we have enough there. Debuchy can play there, Monreal can play there so you can say we are not out to buy a central defender.

“And Gabriel will be a great central defender, believe me. So we have now sorted out the centre backs.”

By saying Debuchy and Monreal can act as emergency CBs, one can assume both will stay next season.

As our full-backs are in complete order and AW doesn't seem willing to reinforce the central area any further, I'll move on.

Monreal has been exceptional

Midfield

Everything will depend on who and/or how many players will leave. If anyone leaves. If the midfield stays intact, I'd say we might need only another CDM in Coquelin's mould. One player, no more. I don't think we should also be worried if Flamini, Diaby and Rosicky are the only ones to leave (and let's face it, all of them are unlikely to be here come September). We'll still have Coq, Ramsey, Wilshere, Arteta, Cazorla and Ozil. Difficulties (and the need to act) will arise if this trio is followed out of the door by Arteta and/or Cazorla. Should one (or both) leave, AW will need to get his chequebook out.

Expectation: in which case I'd expect someone like Isco to replace Cazorla. Only he comes to mind as a two-footed capable playmaker from the deep. Also, he's the only one mooted by the press to join us so far.

As for Arteta, I've seen three possible candidates linked: Schneiderlin, Kondogbia and Gündogan.

Morgan has an advantage over Kondogbia in that he's used to the Premier League, while his ability to stay fit will serve as an edge over Gündogan. His other strength is his passing. Coquelin is the best there is at breaking up play, but he's often bypassed by his fellow teammates when Arsenal's quick passing game clicks. Coq is viewed as an obstacle, impediment to our free flowing tika-taka. Arsenal's Column focuses on that particular drawback in greater detail here. Thus, it wouldn't hurt to buy Morgan whatever.

Reality: I don't think Arsene will buy ANYONE unless an important cog in his well-oiled machine leaves. That is, if Arteta and/or Cazorla decide to seek pastures new. With Cazorla I'm not convinced Wenger will buy a replacement, he may be inclined to give WIlshere a real shot, though it'd be risky having one less midfielder capable of making the difference and placing all the trust in an injury-prone Jack. Don't get me wrong, I love Wilsh, I'm a big believer in his ability and I really, really want him to pin down a regular role next season, but banking on any player staying fit is risky, doing so when a player in question has a long injury record is doubly so.

Arteta, meanwhile, is Arsene's most trusted lieutenant. If he stays, no one will come in. I'm not even sure Coquelin will still be №1 if Arteta is fit and healthy. However, should the Spaniard leave, I'm more than sure Arsene will buy someone to cover for Coq when necessary. It's not secret he was interested in signing the aforementioned Morgan Schneiderlin in the summer, I have a feeling this interest will be renewed even if Arteta stays.

Will he, won't he join Arsenal?

The front three

I was watching the return leg of Bayern vs Barcelona the other day and it struck me that both teams had at least three attackers that could create a moment out of nothing. Bayern had Lewandowski, Mueller and Goetze; Barcelona had the deadly trio of Neymar, Suarez and Messi. Moreover, Bayern also had Ribery and Robben injured, while Barca had Pedro tucked away on the bench.

Mind you, both sides have an abundance of midfielders at their disposal, all of whom are more than capable of conjuring up moments for their attackers. Barca boast a midfield of Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and Rakitic; Bayern have Schweinsteiger and Xavi Martinez. Nonetheless, the creative burden is shared between attack and midfield.

Yes, we are talking about probably two strongest teams in Europe at the moment. Both would likely have made it to the final, had blind fate not pinned them against one another in the semis. And now look at Arsenal.

We have: Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla, Ozil and Rosicky. Five midfielders, all have different qualities, all are capable of producing moments of magic for themselves and for their partners. But do we have attackers capable of doing that? Short answer would be “no”.

Of course, if I elaborate, I can say we have Sanchez and (probably) Oxlade-Chamberlain who can create something out of nothing. The others, though? Giroud, Welbeck, Walcott? They cannot. All of them rely on service. No service, no goals, or very few goals.

The issue is not Giroud’s quality as some would have you believe. It’s the fact he’s almost on a one-man mission. Would Benzema manage to be that good without ample support from the flanks or, indeed, a plan “B”? Because Real have options in attack if things don’t go well. We, realistically speaking, do not have these options. Do not have the personnel up front to create on their own (bar Sanchez and the Ox). So here goes.

Expectation: I really want to see either a creative forward or another creative winger come in this summer. You cannot bank on Sanchez and Oxlade staying fit or in-form all season. For starters, Alexis’s season is more than likely to begin later than ours due to his involvement in Copa America. Oxlade, meanwhile, had another injury-ridden season. If one injury means you have to play a central midfielder wide, well, that’s simply not good enough.

Again, the problem is that I’ve seen very few wingers or strikers linked with us. Which hints that we may not be in the market for one. Reus has renewed his contract and will be hard to get for reasonable money, Goetze has seemingly fallen out of favour with Guardiola, but again it’s unlikely he’ll be allowed to leave for peanuts. Dybala is almost a Juve player, odds are Icardi is not for sale. Bale is not realistic at all, so I don’t even want to mention any possibility of him joining us.

In my opinion, if we can get our hands on another world-class striker/winger it’d be grand. My personal pick would be Reus, closely followed by Goetze. Lacazette is the only realistic option I can envisage us getting to play at CF.

A dream of a winger

Reality: what Arsene chooses to do can vary greatly from what I’d do. And, unlike many others, I’m willing to back the manager, conceding he’s much more qualified in this matter than I am.

What I can say for sure is that Arsene is a fan of Fekir, Lyon’s winger, so his acquisition is not outside the realms of possibility. At a stretch, one can make a case for Lacazette, though I haven’t seen anything to suggest we might be in for him.

Unless it’s a clever ruse, Wenger also seems to be willing to give Theo Walcott a shot at CF:

"Being 26 to 32 is the best age as a striker and I wouldn't like to miss that golden age,"

"He can be transformed. He is naturally gifted to play in this position."

"I work with him in both situations, as a striker and as a wide player but the quality of the runs is so fantastic with the pace he has,

"When he was younger he was rushing his finishing but he is a good finisher now."

On top of all that we know Wenger is an admirer of Olivier Giroud, while Welbeck and Akpom are waiting in the wings. So I’d be really surprised if we DO buy a CF. Of any kind.

However, the situation on the wings is a bit different. I’d even say it’s VERY different. If we view Welbeck and Walcott as strikers, that’s two less wingers. If Wenger comes good on his promise, Oxlade and Gnabry will play in central midfield. That leaves Alexis as our only winger and I vaguely recall Arsene stating he bought the Chilean as a striker.

As you can see, the need for a buy in this area is pretty pressing and I think Arsene also sees it. Unlike the situation with CFs, I’d be hugely surprised should no winger come in.

Arsene's pick - Fekir

Rounding-up

Some business we need to do, don’t we? The summer should be long and interesting. Bloggers, beware of rumours.

Righto, enough said. Hats off if you stuck with me till the end.

Until later