Stan Kroenke is claimed to have persuaded Arsene Wenger to sign a new contract with the club, with the idea of rehauling the squad over the next two years, but which current stars deserve to be more important?
I don’t think I’m alone in giving up on any prospect of Alexis Sanchez staying beyond the summer, and Mesut Ozil may well be following the Chilean through the exit door.
The above pair are both entering the final 12 months of their contracts in the coming months, and neither appear ready to extend those deals, which leaves us no choice but to consider their departures, at risk of losing the pair for free a year later.
With these two out the door, and more likely to follow as part of a possible rehaul, it’s most important to concentrate on which players deserve to be crucial in the future of the club.
Olivier Giroud has showcased his talents this season in leading the line when given the chance, and I think he would relish a change in personnel, with the current system not accommodating his ability to its maximum. The biggest problem in evolving our new system to centralise the Frenchman is that he turns 31 at the start of next season, and he doesn’t have many years at the top of the game unfortunately.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has stood out as having made the biggest improvement this season, impressing in a newfound central midfield role, and could well be a good start to build a team around, although he does lack the leadership qualities be central in all things Arsenal.
A complete rehaul of the squad could also mean looking at changing the system and formation we currently rely on, which may well change the dynamic of the role in which the Ox currently occupies in, although he has done well in a more advanced role this term also.
It may make more sense to consider the direction in which Wenger may go, and I would not be surprised to see Conte’s Chelsea formation adopted, so we could look at our strongest XI in that system.
Current players to fill 3-4-3 formation:
Cech
Koscielny Mustafi Gabriel
Bellerin Ramsey OX Iwobi
Walcott Giroud Welbeck
This team has obvious weaknesses, with Walcott, Welbeck and Giroud not looking enough going forward to frighten defences the way that Willian/Pedro, Hazard and Diego Costa have done this year. Two of those would have to be replaced as a priority, as well as a more defensive DM to play alongside the Ox, or Oxlade could well relish in a wing-back role similarly to the way that Victor Moses has.
Ramsey has also failed to assert himself into a consistent role in our team, and may well struggle to find a role in the above set-up also.
Which players should be central in our plans to change and rejuvenate our team in a rehaul? Should we look at playing a similar formation to the league leaders?
Pat J