ARSENAL: WHO DOES ARSENE WENGER NEED TO BUY?

How does a team make the hardest leap of all, from second to best?

It is a problem Arsenal’s supporters, and more importantly its manager, Arsene Wenger, will be contemplating all summer. Last season, though it came runner-up in the English Premier League, was possibly the most painful of all since it was last champion of England in 2004, as Leicester stole in to claim a magnificent triumph.

What moves does Arsenal need to make to finally get over the line? Newsweek takes a look.

Defense

Hector Bellerin is now firmly established as one of the best right-backs in Europe, so unless Barcelona comes knocking, that position is locked down.

Nacho Monreal had a fine season at left-back, while Calum Chambers, whose development stalled last season, can play all the way across the back four if needed.

It’s in the center of defense that Arsene Wenger could make the biggest transformation, if he wants a team forever on the far edge of promise to become a Premier League title-winner.

Leonardo Bonucci, the Juventus and Italy central defender and one of the very best players in the world in his position, has been mooted, and he would be a quantum upgrade on Gabriel Paulista, who finished the season next to Laurent Koscielny.

Predicted line-up : Monreal-Bonucci-Koscielny-Bellerin.

Midfield

Big business has already been done here, with the transfer of Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach.

The Switzerland captain will provide a reassuring, technically astute presence at the base of the midfield, sat alongside either impressive January signing Mohamed Elneny or the more combative Francis Coquelin.

Ahead of them, the picture is a little muddier. If he stays fit, Santi Cazorla is still an essential creative cog. But both Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott have had many years to prove themselves; both could be on their way out of Emirates Stadium.

Wenger would gain cachet with supporters and immediately enhance the quality of his squad were he able to bring in Nolito, the Celta Vigo winger, and Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez to replace the two Englishmen above. Nolito, who impressed for Spain at UEFA Euro 2016, is a possibility; Mahrez more challenging. Alex Iwobi, the 20-year-old Nigerian attacking midfielder, provides exciting back-up.

Predicted line-up : Nolito-Xhaka-Elneny-Cazorla.

Attack

Problems, and possibilities. Alexis Sanchez is the world-class talent; Olivier Giroud the debonair target-man who blows infuriatingly hot and cold.

The suspicion has long been that Giroud is a “B-plus player”—excellent as a replacement, less well-equipped to lead the line for a team gunning for the Premier and Champions Leagues.

Michy Batshuayi would have been perfect as a striker who can drift onto the wings, but the Belgian is off to Chelsea. Jamie Vardy would have been surprising and perhaps delightful, but he is staying at Leicester.

So what is Wenger left with? There is perennial transfer speculation victim Gonzalo Higuain, a proven goalscorer but entirely unproven in the wild, woolly environs of the Premier League. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is going to be too expensive, but perhaps Romelu Lukaku might be easier to prise away from Everton. Whether he would fit Wenger’s system is another, potentially problematic question.

ARSENAL, Calum Chambers about to join Southampton back: the chosen formula

After a very poorly fulfilling second season spent playing for Arsenal, English Under-21 international defensive all-rounder Calum Chambers (21) is nearer and nearer to leave Gunners. As reported in UK media, the 1995-born player is about to join Southampton back, on a two year long loan agreement. Chambers is still on a deal with London side until June 2020.

Five ‘f*** knows what their real position is’ players

Ashley YoungThey say the life of a utility man is a dangerous one to lead: The thrills of filling in at right-back; the excitement of plugging a gap up front; the exhilaration generated by donning the goalkeeper’s gloves for the final five minutes of a match. There are two extremes in the world of the utility man. We know them as the excellent, or the ‘Luis Enrique, and the not-so-excellent, known as the ‘John O’Shea’.

Ashley Young is planted firmly towards the realm of the latter. The Young of ten years ago was a fine striker at Watford, but the Young of a decade later should not be playing as a striker for Manchester United. But Louis van Gaal, Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal, saw fit to play Young as a striker against Tottenham. He left actual, real, genuine striker Anthony Martial stranded on the wing.

Once an explosive forward with lightning pace, the 30-year-old is now a right-back/left-back/right winger/left winger/central midfielder/striker. David de Gea had better beware when United engage in their next penalty shoot-out. Van Gaal has previous in that department.

Calum Chambers

First-team debut aged 17. Impress early on. Receive praise for ‘maturity’ and ‘accomplished’ performances. Make England debut as a teenager. Move to ‘bigger’ club. Play less. Play in different positions. Struggle to live up to potential. Pull funny faces.

Calum Chambers has only recently enrolled onto the seventh module at the University of Phil Jones, where he studies the art of frustrating a fan base. At 21, time is undoubtedly on Chambers’ side, but there is one simple question: What is his favoured position?

“He was educated as a central midfielder and then played with England U19s at centre-back and right-back for Southampton,” said Arsene Wenger upon unveiling his new signing in July 2014. “I think he’ll be a better right-back,” said Ray Parlour four months later. “I still see myself as centre back and maybe a holding central midfielder,” said Chambers himself in January this year. Over three seasons and 83 first-team appearances into his career, we are yet to discover where Chambers actually excels. Poor thing.

James MilnerA tea tray. A garlic press. A potato masher. Travellers cheques. A pencil made of cheese.

James Milner truly puts the ‘utility’ into ‘utility man’. That last one is a bit weird, but the message is clear: Milner can be useful, but only infrequently so. To Jurgen Klopp, the 30-year-old has proven his use this season by playing as a right-back, in defensive midfield, on the right wing and on the left wing. He also played as an emergency striker for Manchester City. If you want a 6.5/10 performance in any position, just put James Milner there.

Tom CleverleyRoberto Martinez has done some silly things before. He said that he was aiming for Champions League football when he was appointed manager of Everton. He once insisted that John Stones accidentally handed in a transfer request. He believes that Gareth Barry is one of the greatest English midfielders ever. He subbed on a striker for a winger on 76 minutes with Everton 2-0 up but one-man down against West Ham in March; the Toffees subsequently lost 3-2.

But has Martinez ever done – or said – something quite this silly? Speaking on Tom Cleverley in February, the Spaniard said: “I think you do not have a better English player. Technically, he is as good as you get. The way he executes, how he reads the game, for me he is one of the most sensational you are going to see in Premier League history.”

Cleverley, a central midfielder by trade, has played more games on the left wing for Everton this season than Kevin Mirallas and Aaron Lennon combined. From Wing’s to the left wing, if you know your Manchester United tabloid coverage.

Steven DavisThree Southampton players have started more Premier League games in defensive midfield. One has started more as a No 10. None have started more on the right wing. One has started more on the left wing. Look up ‘jack of all trades’ in a dictionary, and you will find only a picture of Steven Davis making an interception or preparing for a tackle. He isn’t even the longest-serving Davis at St Mary’s. Bloody Kelvin.

Arsenal news: Arsene Wenger to ring the changes for Hull FA Cup tie

Alex Iwobi to come into the squad, with Calum Chambers, Mathieu Flamini, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud expected to start.

Arsene Wenger is preparing to make significant changes to his Arsenal team for Tuesday’s FA Cup fifth round replay against Hull City amid what has been the congested period of the season.

• Wenger fears that Arsenal fans' unrest could harm his players

Arsenal have just completed a sequence of five matches in 15 days and will play the first of four matches in 12 days at Hull on Tuesday in the FA Cup. Wenger will still take a full squad to Hull but there are also likely to be opportunities for senior squad players who did not start in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham, such as Calum Chambers, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Iwobi, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud.

Alex Iwobi is expected to feature against Hull

Asked if changes were necessary following the Spurs game, Wenger said: "We have to. But I'm not so much concerned about playing one player more than another one. It's more about rotating a little bit and keeping the right balance.

• Arsenal showed character to peg back Tottenham

"We lose [Francis] Coquelin of course through suspension. Everyone else looks quite medically available. We should have the same squad that went to Tottenham plus Iwobi. He will be added to the squad. No matter who plays – David Ospina is an example – I have the same respect and I have exactly the same idea that everyone in my squad can play and win the game. We will play the team with a good chance to qualify.”

Francis Coquelin will miss the match through suspension

Depending on whether they beat Hull, Arsenal will face either Watford in the FA quarter-finals at The Emirates on Sunday or potentially West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday. “The next round is next Saturday and we had to fit it [the replay] in somewhere - ideally it is not the best position for us but I could not see any other solution,” said Wenger.

"You see very well we are in a position, we always have to win the next game. It is always the most important game of our lives because it is treated like that by everyone else. It is the most important game of the season as it is the next one.”

Olivier Giroud will likely start at the KC Stadium

Asked what he saw in Iwobi, who has progressed through Arsenal’s academy, Wenger said: “What I see in him is a creative player with a high level of workrate. He has a good team spirit and develops very well. He has a big passion for the game. Overall he can score a goal as well, he can play on the flanks or down the middle. He's a very interesting player.”

Calum Chambers on the mentality he must have at Arsenal

Arsenal defender Calum Chambers says he must keep looing to improve if he wants to be an Arsenal regular, in comments to the club’s official website.

The defender has found game time hard to come by at the Emirates this season, having made just ten appearances in the Premier League so far.

That has arguably been a disappointing return for him especially given he was a regular in the side last season, making 23 appearances in the league across the campaign.

He is still one of the future though and he says he must be looking to continuously improve if he is to be a first team regular in future.

“I have to keep striving to want more, wanting to improve,” he told arsenal.com.

“The level of the games now means you have to keep at your game every week. My mindset is on improving massively.”

“You have to want to be a better player so I think from a young age you have to have a good attitude and want to learn and improve.”

The problem for Chambers is breaking into a Gunners defence that has been highly impressive in the Premier League this season.

They are currently the joint second best in the division, having only conceded 22 so far, with Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny forming a solid defensive partnership so far.

Hector Bellerin has also made the right back spot his further reducing Chambers’ chances of becoming a regular in the Arsenal first team.

Arsene Wenger is likely to rotate his squad as they fight on three fronts though, and the defender will be hoping he is given his chance to impress between now and the end of the season.

Arsenal news: Calum Chambers primed to fill midfield role in crucial Champions League game with Olympiakos

Calum Chambers has been undergoing an intense programme of preparation in the past week to familiarise himself with playing central midfield ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League decider against Olympiakos on Wednesday.

• How can United, Arsenal and Chelsea qualify?

Although Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini are almost certain to start in Athens, Arsène Wenger has lost four other central midfielders to injury. The Arsenal manager now regards Chambers as his main back-up and a player who will need to feature in that position during a sequence of six matches in less than four weeks.

Aaron Ramsey is expected to start in Greece on Wednesday

Chambers has started only once in midfield since joining Arsenal 17 months ago when he struggled in a 2-0 defeat against Southampton on New Year’s Day, but Wenger and his staff have been specifically coaching him in that role since Santi Cazorla ruptured his knee ligaments against Norwich City nine days ago. As well as working on the training ground, Chambers played in midfield for the Under-21 team last Tuesday and also came on as a substitute during the last 10 ­minutes of the 3-1 win against Sunderland on Saturday.

• Arsenal may have to sacrifice Europe to win Premier League

Wenger had previously always started Chambers, 20, as a centre-back this season – and the player feels most comfortable in that ­position – but he does believe that he has the technical attributes to fill in until either Mikel Arteta or Jack Wilshere return from injury or the club recruit in January.

Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, knows his side must beat Olympiakos

Francis Coquelin, another long-term absentee, and Cazorla are unlikely to return much before the spring but Wilshere is due back in January. A major question mark also con­tinues to hang over ­whether Arteta can again play at full inten­sity amid a series of calf injuries. Although Wenger has money an dan interest in the Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho, the club’s scouts are focused on loan solutions in January.

Wenger is likely to make few changes on Wednesday from the team that defeated Sunderland although Theo Walcott is expected to start in one of the front three positions in place of Joel Campbell, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Olivier Giroud.

Olivier Giroud scored for both sides on Saturday, but is expected to start in Athens

Arsenal must win either by two clear goals or score at least three times in a one-goal victory to ­pro­gress to the last 16 of the Champions League for what would be a 16th successive year.

Olympiakos have a perfect record of 12 consecutive wins domestically but Bayern Munich did come to Athens and win 3-0 in September.

Koscielny is the best defender in the Premier League, insists Ferdinand

The former England and Manchester United star has been impressed with the Frenchman's performances at the heart of the Arsenal defence this season

Laurent Koscielny has developed into the best central defender in the Permier League, according to Rio Ferdinand.

The France international was at his commanding best alongside Per Mertesacker on Wednesday night as Arsenal secured a 3-0 win over Olympiacos that booked their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

The 29-year-old has added a level of consistency to his game that has been missing in previous seasons and his form has caught the eye of former Champions League winner Ferdinand. 
"Laurent Koscielny, when he's on form, he's the best defender in the league for me,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.

"He's one of those you don't want to play against – he's quick, he's aggressive."

Koscielny and Mertesacker aside, Ferdinand still feels Arsenal’s defence needs adding to in January when the transfer window reopens with Calum Chambers and Gabriel not yet up to the mark required.

"I think they need some more cover in the central defensive area,” he added.