Four areas of concern for Arsenal next season

Arsenal finished fourth last season, granting them a shot at playing Champions League football for another year. But that position wasn’t easy to land, especially with rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Everton breathing down their neck. Even on the last day, Arsenal needed a win to ensure a top four finish. There were a lot of brickbats heading Wenger’s way at the start of the season, which mellowed down during the middle, and ended up crying tears of joy as the Gunners scraped through.

The club now has greater funds at its disposal, which has added to the noise of purchases. Holding that line of thought, here are four areas Arsenal need to focus on if they plan to plug the gaps in the squad which reeked of mediocrity last year.

Goalkeeper

Wojciech Szczesny

Wojciech Szczesny is the main man at Arsenal, and Lukasz Fabianski did well to fill his shoes during the fag end of last season. But neither of them looks like they have the mettle to be in command of Arsenal’s backline. A little more experience will certainly do wonders, with Szczesny still just over 20 years of age. A Julio Cesar or a Pepe Reina is ideal, but a Rene Adler will do much better, even in the long term. Their street smart ways will also help avoid PR roadblocks like Szczesny’s dad.

Central Defender

Thomas Vermaelen

Thomas Vermaelen anyone? Already on the sidelines since last season, the defender has hardly helped Wenger pick him over the industrious Koscielny or the technical Mertesacker. Also a club captain, the Verminator hasn’t stepped up to the plaque. Now with Djourou inching towards a German club, Arsenal are even worse in this department. Miquel still doesn’t count as a first team regular, so clearly the depth is negligible. Dipping into the market is necessary, and rumours around Ashley Williams may not be ludicrous after all. But with the defence finally coming together, how quickly a newbie will find his space is questionable.

Defensive Midfielder

Abou Diaby

We know how smooth and tactically strong Wenger wants his team to be. So typically, an Arteta and a Cazorla fit the bill. But when it comes to choosing a defensive midfielder, a lot of emphasis has to be laid on the physicality of the enforcer. Arsenal were never able to replicate Viera and Gilberto Silva, mostly because their successors were never able to take down a rampaging opponent. Victor Wanyama springs to mind, but Diaby was a similar choice and he eventually fizzled out, with the occasional spark.

The numerous midfielders that form the midfield can easily be categorized as attacking, and that makes for a top heavy squad. If the defence really has to cut runs short, a dependable enforcer is imperative this season, and should probably be on the top of the summer shopping list.

Striker

Gonzalo Higuain

So we meet again. Giroud wasn’t the answer, Podolski is more of a supporting striker at best and let’s not even bring up Chamakh. The statistics put Giroud in a favourable position, with 17 goals and 11 assists, but that doesn’t match up with someone like van Persie or even Walcott, who scored 21 in all competitions.

The worst kept secret today is Arsenal’s pursuit of Gonzalo Higuain, which will now become clearer after Ancelotti was confirmed today as manager of Real Madrid. Auxerre player Yaya Sanogo is still only 20 years of age, which is a certain push down the pecking order. David Villa is a closed chapter now and Stevan Jovetic looks inclined towards Juventus. Wayne Rooney is an interesting topic for certain after his current employers took over Arsenal’s most priced asset. Only a star name will do to fill this position, and Higuain looks ideal.