It seems the position that most pundits think we need to strengthen is the goalkeeper

[Pat Vegas]

That doesn't appear to be the top of the problems imo.

In fact since Ospina has had a run of games we've been on our best run in a long time. Coincidence? Or he has not had much to do? or he adds a certain confidence to our team? I think it's the latter. plus his stats are the best. Maybe there are other keepers out there Wenger could but but I don't see too much that Ospina is doing wrong.

I would like to see another striker though. Not to replace Giroud though. I think Wenger was hoping that Welbeck would have been that player.

Wilshere looked good even though I don't like him. didn't look sluggish at all. Strange for a player coming back from a long break.

Ozil and Sanchez :cloud9: Then you have Cazorla who has been amazing again.

It's tricky to know what positions need strengthening really. I wouldn't drop anybody on current form. And Nacho is one of the under appreciated players in the team he is class.

[PSRB]

Another DM and a world class striker and hope for a season without consistently losing our best players to injury

Wilshere looked very sharp last night

How **** is Lee Mason?, up there with Anthony Taylor

[7evens]

It's OK rolling over sides like Hull in end of season showpieces but we have these flaws that show themselves too often in the big game deciders.
AW doesn't really do the ruthless roadmap, although there were some encouraging signs against City away.
Player wise, we have a very good squad but we still have weaknesses that even our more blinkered followers can identify.
Pers lack of pace and mobility.
Doubts over Ospina.
Is Monreal a proper right back.
Does Bellerin still need a bit more work on his defensive game.
Giroud - Ozil - Carzola's on and off switches..

Fine margins here of course but the difference perhaps between overhauling the methodology and consistencey of Maureens success formula :shrug:

[Pat Vegas]

There were a few blatant fouls he completely ignored. There goal should have never happened.

actually if we managed to have had a better start this current squad could have been up there for the title for sure. Though Coq was not even a thought at that point.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

leetle less bad luck with injuries we'd have been mighty close or we would have won it.

[Pat Vegas]

Excluding a few results obviously.

but we beat City away. Beat United at Old Trafford. That doesn't happen often!

Smashed Liverpool the other week.

Maybe we can say Wenger will never win the league again if Mourinho is still Chelsea manager?

[PSRB]

almost there. Just going to be even harder next season as both Manchester clubs are clearly going to through a lot of money at their problems

[Pat Vegas]

if it's just bad luck we had. Or we've changed something and now it's getting better.

Yesterday for example I though oh here we go Ramsey's out and Giroud but both surprisingly stayed on. Even Per went off injured the other week but was back immediately.

[7evens]

I've just lost faith in Wenger to deliver.. ( which is perhaps born out of a resigned apathy on my part )

Liverpool were shot and have had a terrible season.
Manure were on a real low when we eventually beat them - which is why a win up there in the league is more of a barometer of progress.
City away - The one truly great performance from that clutch.

Luck always plays a big part in both camps and Chelsea have been truly blessed this season. It's really only Costa that's been missing for any length of time and that's been marginal.

Wengers big challenge next season will be where to play them all. I 'm expecting a very quiet transfer window this summer.

[Pat Vegas]

Any other departures? I can't see us selling Wilshere.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

player. I would suggest we sell him abroad.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

[Luis Anaconda]

left back or centre back all season

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

Per's partnership with Koscielny is recognised as one of the strongest in the league.

Have you seen Ospina do much wrong?

Monreal is certainly a proper left back; at right back we have Bellerin, Debuchy and Chambers.

Certainly Bellerin needs to work on his defensive game - he is a young, incredibly exciting prospect who is still learning. You'll notice that since he's been in the team we've beaten just about everyone we've played.

Giroud, Ozil and Cazorla have off switches? In that case Henry, Bergkamp and Pires had off switches as well. No one does it at 100 per cent for 90 minutes in every single game. No one.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

a striker though. Several midfielders are likely to leave, and Walcott.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

but, especially in the case of Manu, that won't disguise an essentially mediocre squad. If we can keep our players fit, maybe add a better keeper and another defensive midfielder I think we're there.

[Luis Anaconda]

Should have played that lad in goal rather than Harper

[PSRB]

on Koscielny in build up to their goal. I'm sure Hull could have a few complaints about decisions as well. Mason was f**king terrible

[Pokster]

[Luis Anaconda]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

season in, season out we have these problems where we lose large parts of the squad for long stretches. There has to be something that isn't being done correctly for this to be consistently causing us this particular headache.

[Luis Anaconda]

[PSRB]

Giroud - bad luck, Ozil - bad luck, Debuchy - both injuries due to being fouled, etc

[Pat Vegas]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

luck but the ones you mention (Wilshere too) were all impact injuries. Not really much you can do about those.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

FACT.

[7evens]

Those things I identified are only what I pecieve as the difference.
To take your point - Per and Kos are indeed a great pairing but Per has had an inconsistent season by last years standards. He's not a poor player but his, at times, lack of pace and poor mobility are the differences that give Terry and Cahill an edge.
We're only talking here of the difference between winning and coming in second or third..

[Ben.]

we have seen the difference he has made and if anything happens to him we go back exactly to where we were.
Would also give us an option to play the two together in tough games, we could go to Chelsea and park the bus to get the point that seals the title.

[Pat Vegas]

[Pat Vegas]

I want Pogba but not likely.

[Ben.]

he would replace Ramsey rather than Coquelin.
Schneiderlin is the obvious candidate, I'd like to see us go for Javi Martinez at Bayern, he'd be brilliant with Santi (if he's still here).

[Berni]

I heard a whisper you may have been under the weather. Actually ill or just hors de combat?

[Bergkamp's Brain]

;-)

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

I'd had a cold lurking for a few days and it struck me down on Sunday - but it was a day of pissing rain anyway, so hunkering down next to a roaring fire was no hardship. I was much improved by Monday.

Remarkably, the open prison / holiday camp / municipal leisure centre into which we first checked and then swiftly outchecked refunded half the cost of our stay, which I thought decent of them.

[PSRB]

[Berni]

staying in it?

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

The main issue was that it was populated by fat, tattooed mancunians drinking pints of lager whilst watching snooker on a big screen in the bar, whilst their husbands played pool and shouted at their fat children.

In short, it was the sort of hotel frequented by the working classes. Never have a failed so badly when booking a room.

We were in the place for about 41 minutes before we legged it :hehe:

[Pokster]

they have to fit into the team dynamic, with a aGK it is about saves and dealing with crosses... Cech is better than either of ours so you sign him if you can. :shrug:

[Berni]

I had one of those ludicrously middle-aged weekends. Did a lot of gardening, cooking, napping after lunch and bought an antique standard lamp from a man in red corduroy trousers and a tweed jacket for an ever-so-slightly eye-watering amount of money. http://www.awimb.com/images/smiley_icons/ohwell.gif

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

http://www.nannybrow.co.uk/

Your weekend sounds rather lovely. I take it there was also some engagement with the culinary arts?

[Berni]

I made a cataplana on Saturday, having bought clams from a fishmonger in Hertford who appears to be in the early stages of dementia, given that he asked me how I was four times, asked after 'the kids' (never met the man before) and then proceeded to tell me about his withdrawal symptoms from co-codamol - all while an increasingly irritated queue formed behind me.

Nice clams, though.

[Classic Jorge]

[Luis Anaconda]

the ability to act as a sweeper goalkeeper might just about be covered by the making saves I suppose but still awfully simplistic. I don't think Cech has ever really been tested wholly in this manner and to suggest that he would necessarily adapt to it at this at an advanced age is hardly a (shay) given

[Brentwood]

http://www.awimb.com/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&th=581863 &mid=3996282&rid=164&S=b77051f8a1946bbc378cb4871 eca0144&rev=&reveal= (http://www.awimb.com/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&th=581863&mid=3996282&rid=164&S=b77051f8a1946bbc378cb4871eca0144&rev=&reveal=)