Our Gunners fans here in the Transfer Tavern want to see a sustained Premier League title challenge.
Arsenal once again fell short after leading the way around New Year and despite recovering to finish second in the league, they were a fair way off of the eventual champions Leicester City.
The north London side have an array of good players that if they could just find that winning mentality, would become a real force to be reckoned with, but some of the squad are arguably not good enough to help the team win the Premier League and make a real impact in the Champions League.
Arsene Wenger must have an idea of the players he wants to let go to make room for improvements as he aims to win a first title since 2003/04, and our landlord has some suggestions too.
Here are FIVE players that Arsenal should let go of this summer……
[ffc-gallery]
PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FIVE PLAYERS!
[/ffc-gallery]
Kieran Gibbs
The full back was becoming one of Arsenal’s key defenders and looked as though he’d be a mainstay on the left side of the Gunners defence.
However, he’s seen playing time limited behind the Spaniard Nacho Monreal and risks seeing his career stagnate if he stays at the club.
He could still be a Premier League defender somewhere but he needs to leave north London to make that happen.
Wojciech Szczesny
The Polish number one was on loan at Roma last season, and will probably push for a permanently this time around.
The Gunners looked pretty settled with Petr Cech between the sticks and it’s unlikely that, even a goalkeeper of Szczesny’s ability, the Czech will see his position under threat.
The Pole will be a good ‘keeper for a top side but his Arsenal future looks highly in doubt.
Theo Walcott
Walcott looks like he’s running out of time at the club and it seems most of the fans have run out of patience with him.
The former Southampton man had so much expected of him but he hasn’t managed to reach those heights and maybe some time out of the Arsenal spotlight will do him good.
He still has some years at the top to prove himself but it shouldn’t be at Arsenal.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
‘The Ox’ seems to be risking following a similar path to Walcott.
Signed from Southampton as well Oxlade-Chamberlain has been hampered by injury and when you look at the options Arsenal have in their midfield now you can’t really see a place for the Englishman.
He also has time on his hands though and there’d surely be a number of clubs eager to offer him a way out of the Emirates.
Gabriel Paulista
The centre half isn’t what Arsenal need at the back.
The Gunners need a defender that is going to bully strikers and put his head in where it hurts, and Gabriel doesn’t seem like this kind of player.
He tried to stand up to Diego Costa early last season, and got tricked into being sent off and this highlights the need for someone a bit smarter at the back than the former Villarreal man.
