After a second place finish in last season’s Premier League Arsenal fans will be demanding their side goes one further this time around.
Seeing Leicester win the league last year has led to a number of clubs asking why their club wasn’t the team lifting the trophy in May, ensuring a transfer window set for some big money moves. The Gunners are no different after looking like the team to beat they faltered badly and Arsene Wenger has already secured Granit Xhaka in the attempt to add some grit to his midfield.
The Emirates faithful will be hoping this isn’t the only first team addition their French boss makes as they go in search of their first title since 2003/04 and with the right incomings there’s no reason why they shouldn’t win the league.
Here at Football Fan Cast we’ve been looking at where the Gunners could enhance their title bid as well as who should start next season for the side and we think their line up will look something like this…
Petr Cech
Nailed on. Cech won points by himself last season with his saves, showing no signs of slowing down despite his age, and if he can replicate that form again this campaign the Gunners will be right up there come the end of the season. Cech brings a wealth of title winning experience as well as now being the holder of most Premier League clean sheets and will be key to any title push.
Hector Bellerin
Bellerin is fast becoming one of the brightest right backs in the league and deserves to carry on his progression as Arsenal’s main man next year too. The Spaniard gets up and down the pitch easily, offering Arsenal width whilst his defensive positioning is also strong and it’s only going to get better. Wenger will want to keep Bellerin for the forseeable future.
Laurent Koscielny
Koscielny is Arsenal’s best defender and so will definitely start next season for the Gunners. The Frenchman is a good ball playing defender – something increasingly popular in modern football – and also makes a number of important challenges to get his team out of trouble. Koscielny also possesses a decent amount of pace too and this makes him a solid Premier League defender.
Jeison Murillo
The Mirror have reported that the Inter Milan man could be on his way to the Emirates in a deal that would be welcome at the club. Gabriel Paulista has shown himself to be naive when it comes to Premier League defending whilst Per Mertesacker is past his best. Murillo could be the one to help cut out the mistakes the Arsenal defence sometimes makes as they hunt down the title.
Ricardo Rodriguez
Nacho Monreal improved last season but isn’t a top class left back whilst Kieran Gibbs career has stalled. Step forward Ricardo Rodriguez, a left back that can both attack and defend with a great left foot that’ll create chances for the Gunners forward line. The Independent have reported a deal could be on the table recently too and if it was to go through the Swiss international would be a sizable improvement on what the club has.
Granit Xhaka
You can’t think Xhaka was brought in to just sit on the bench. The Swiss player was identified by the Arsenal hierarchy as the man to finally tighten up their midfield and add some bite to it. The men from north London have struggled to shake the tag that they can be rolled over easily when the going gets tough and that they lack mental strength – Xhaka should be the answer.
Santi Cazorla
Cazorla is one of the best midfielders in the league and is integral to Arsenal’s playing style. Everyone knows how well they can pass the ball but they still need the Spaniard orchestrating all of it from the centre of the pitch. He’s natural with either foot too and if he stays fit the team have a real chance of getting their hands on the trophy they crave most of all.
Mesut Ozil
If Ozil carried on how he started last season for the duration of the campaign they would have won the league. The German, however, dropped off towards the end of the year and Arsenal seemed to fall apart. Ozil is world class on his day and will be the main man to make chances again this season and if he can stay consistent this year should be Arsenal’s.
Alexis Sanchez
What went for Ozil can also be said of Sanchez. On his day he’s a world class attacking player. He closes down defenders and doesn’t give them a moment’s rest whilst also being able to score some great goals. He has the potential to fire the Gunners to the title but like Ozil can go missing at key points – if he cuts that out his team will be far more potent.
Olivier Giroud
Giroud looks set to be starting as the main striker once again for the club. The Frenchman has had a good EURO 2016 and the Emirates will be hoping he carries this into next season, whether he does or not is a completely different prospect. The former Montpellier man can look a real handful but then on other days he looks very ordinary, no wonder he divides opinion.
Alexandre Lacazette
Lacazette has been linked with a £34 million move to the club and if that came off it would be a very big statement indeed. Lacazette can play through the middle or down either side and wherever he plays he brings goals. He’s been the leading man for Lyon for a few seasons now but you’d think if Arsenal seriously go after him he’ll want to move on from the French club.