Somerset look to shore up opening combination in push for maiden County Championship

Matt Roller19-Aug-2021Somerset have brought Azhar Ali back to the club in a bid to solve their top-order batting problems and spearhead a push to win their first-ever County Championship title.Somerset have averaged 18.46 for the first wicket in the Championship this season giving them the lowest average opening stand in the country, with Tom Banton and Tom Lammonby both short of runs at the top of the order. Tom Abell has been prolific at No. 3 and has returned to fitness following a hamstring injury but appears unlikely to shuffle up to open.They signed Devon Conway for two Championship games in July during his spell as the club’s second overseas player for the T20 Blast, but he has since returned to New Zealand after suffering a finger injury while playing for Southern Brave in the Hundred.As a result, they have brought Azhar back for a third spell at the club, following stints in 2018 and 2019. They expect him to be available for “at least three” of the final four rounds of Championship games following international duty in the Caribbean, and the Bob Willis Trophy final if Somerset finish in the top two.”I am very excited to be returning to Somerset – it has become like a second home for me,” Azhar said. Andy Hurry, the club’s director of cricket, described him as a “class act… [who] embodies everything that you want an overseas player to be.”Meanwhile, Gloucestershire have brought in Azhar’s Pakistan team-mate Zafar Gohar for their final four Championship fixtures. Gohar, the left-arm spinner, made his Test debut against New Zealand earlier this year and has experience playing in England for Moddershall and Oulton and Warwickshire’s second XI in 2019.Gloucestershire’s defeat in their final game in the first stage of the Championship means that they are in Division Two and playing only for prize money in September. “Gloucestershire are a fantastic club with a rich history, and I’m looking forward to hopefully playing my part in ensuring the season finishes on a high,” Gohar said.

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Arsenal fans have been giving their verdict on Saturday’s huge win over Chelsea, and they’re absolutely delighted with the big-game form of Alexandre Lacazette.

Arsenal stopped the rot on Saturday with a crucial win over the Blues at the Emirates Stadium, beating them 2-0 courtesy of goals from Lacazette and Laurent Koscielny.

The striker sneaked in front of the Chelsea defence as the Gunners worked a training ground corner routine, and he controlled the cross terrifically before firing a powerful finish in at the near post.

Look away Arsenal fans! American Soccer Fan is back to troll more fans at the London Stadium in the video below…

Koscielny then scored a rather peculiar goal, directing a cross from centre-back partner Sokratis Papastathopoulos into the top corner with his shoulder.

While an organised performance earned Unai Emery’s side their fourth home clean sheet of the Premier League season, Lacazette is lapping up the majority of the plaudits.

The 27 year-old took three shots, won one aerial duel and completed three dribbles, and has now scored past all five of Arsenal’s “big six” opponents since arriving in England.

See below how Arsenal fans reacted to Lacazette’s performance on Twitter…

Mesut Ozil’s £42.5million switch to Arsenal in 2013 was met with excitement and enthusiasm from Gunners fans all over the world.

‘At last Arsene Wenger has spent some money on a world class talent,’ they said, as dreams of winning the league were reignited.

Two years later and despite winning a couple of FA Cups, there’s still no title and Mesut Ozil has failed to live up to expectation.

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He hasn’t been a flop as such, but no where near the talent everyone thought he’d be. Yes, he’s got an incredible eye for a pass and sometimes does things humans shouldn’t be able to do, but most of the time he’s got Arsenal fans scratching their heads and wondering why Wenger bought him in the first place.

And it looks as if the Emirates faithful have officially given up on him. They seem to be fuming that Wenger refuses to drop the German, while the likes of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain regularly have to settle for a start on the bench.

Here’s what some Arsenal fans have been saying about Ozil this afternoon…

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Tottenham may not have landed Saido Berahino on transfer deadline day, but the White Hart Lane faithful can console themselves with the addition of two exciting attacking players in the form of Son Heung-min and Clinton N’jie this summer.

Spurs have had issues in wide areas over the last number of seasons, with no real width in the team’s attack proving a burden and meaning the team’s play can be congested centrally at times.

The right of midfield has also been a problem position, with neither Andros Townsend not Erik Lamela fully convincing the White Hart Lane faithful of their worth.

As such, with the two new players in mind, what is the best format for attacking success for Mauricio Pochettino?

The first area to address is that fact that with Berahino not joining, Harry Kane is likely to play the lion’s share, if not all of Spurs games, as the lone striker.

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There could be potential scope for introducing a youngster or playing a player out of position as a back-up; the option to bring Emmanuel Adebayor back from the wilderness is still there also.

Secondly, the addition of two players capable of operating from wide should mean the reintroduction of Christian Eriksen into the number ten role.

The former Ajax man has been shunted out to the left flank on more occasions than most of the Spurs fans would care to see, and should now be free to play his best position, in the hole behind Kane, going forward.

Son is an exciting addition, with the South Korean showing over the years that he can both score and create goals in German football.

The Asian superstar is versatile enough to play in a number of different positions, but he was utilised more often than not on the left flank by former club Bayer Leverkusen.

If this option is retained by Pochettino, it could well mean the shifting of Nacer Chadli to the right of midfield.

The Belgian is right footed so this should not pose a problem, but the likelihood that Chadli and Son will fill the wide roles looks high.

N’jie is something of a wildcard addition as he only started 15 Ligue 1 games last season for Lyon and as such must still be deemed as a raw talent.

One thing that the Cameroonian does offer however is blistering pace, which would surely be a real asset on the right if the African star is given the nod.

Spurs have not had a winger that stays wide since the days of Aaron Lennon and some of the club’s fans will call for N’jie to be introduced to give the team an out ball and deliver from the byline.

Dele Alli’s early days at the club have been highly impressive, while Alex Pritchard is raring to go after an impressive campaign in the Championship in 2014-15.

As such, Pochettino may not have many options in the striker role, but has a selection headache in picking just who to pick in the three attacking midfield berths.

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England legend Gary Lineker believes that Manchester United will not be able to win the Champions League this season, according to reports from the Mirror.

United were out of Europe’s top tier competition last term for the first time in decades, but Louis van Gaal’s men secured a fourth place finish and beat Club Brugge to qualify for the Champions League group stages.

However, Lineker does not think that the Red Devils will be challenging for the European title as the team are currently in a transitional period.

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Prompted on the chances of Man United captain Wayne Rooney winning the Champions League to add to his 50 England goals, Lineker replied: “Not great, I wouldn’t have thought!

“Manchester United are in a big transition period. I think their fans might have to be patient for a while.”

The former Tottenham Hotspur striker also added that it is United’s noisy neighbours Manchester City that have the biggest shot of an English side winning the Champions League this term, as their manager Manuel Pellegrini has figured out the best system for his squad.

“City have got to prove themselves in Europe because so far they have struggled. But they have started really well, and Manuel Pellegrini seems to have worked out the best way for them to play.

“Most of us have been screaming that you can’t play with two wingers, and two up top, against the good teams. He seems to have worked that out and they look a much better team for it.

“And don’t rule Chelsea out just yet. They have obviously made a very slow start, but I’m sure they will recover.

“Arsenal? I think they will finish in the top three in the Premier League, and they are not far off in Europe, are they?

“They are probably just a great goalscorer short and a little bit more strength defensively.

“They keep qualifying, and I’ve no doubt they will get to the last 16 again – then we’ll see how they go.”

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After experiencing a truly exhilarating 3-1 away victory at Stamford Bridge last weekend, Liverpool fans finally have something to smile about at the moment. It was a game in which several Reds players impressed, with Jose Mourinho’s side looking increasingly unsure of themselves eleven games into the season.

Before Jurgen Klopp’s appointment at Anfield last month, the Merseysiders arguably went down as one of the biggest laughing stocks of the entire Premier League, except for the aforementioned Chelsea of course!

Brendan Rodgers had failed to implement a great deal of balance or cohesion among the Liverpool starting XI, several key players have been struck down with frustrating injuries already this term – and as for the amount of money wasted on ill-fated transfers during the Rodgers reign at Anfield – perhaps the least said about that, the better.

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Either way, Liverpool are currently showing a great deal more togetherness and team spirit under the enigmatic Jurgen Klopp, as has been shown through the German’s undefeated record so far this season.

Admittedly the 2015/16 campaign has only just got underway, but the signs look a lot more promising for the Reds at this stage in the proceedings.

As a handful of significant first teamers happen to be side-lined through injury at the moment, perhaps keeping Reds fans’ expectations afloat this year may prove a task much easier said than done. The Merseysiders simply don’t possess the strongest midfield combination we’ve ever seen among the English top-flight – especially with players like Jordan Henderson currently unavailable for selection.

Klopp will also face problems up-top this season, despite his decision to play without a recognised striker working relatively well against Chelsea last weekend. Such a bold tactic won’t prove successful for long, thought, and even with Christian Benteke establishing himself back among the his manager’s starting XI, Liverpool will seemingly always look short of scoring goals without a certain Daniel Sturridge fit and firing.

However, although Brendan Rodgers may have left the Reds’ squad in somewhat disjointed form upon departing the gates of Anfield, a coach of Jurgen Klopp’s glowing reputation should surely be able to get more out of the current squad at Anfield, than his predecessor ever quite managed. The likes of Adam Lallana, Jordan Ibe and Roberto Firmino could well blossom under the newly installed German – whose distinct composure behind the scenes will likely create a much better atmosphere for the flair players to thrive on.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss has also addressed Liverpool’s defensive woes rather dramatically, as his side look a great deal more dependable at the back than the Anfield faithful have witnessed in a long time. The team have developed a real sense of organisation amongst themselves, proving harder to break down and more purposeful with the ball at their feet in many a season.

The current crop of Liverpool stars simply seem to be displaying a great deal more respect and admiration towards their new manager, which can only signal positive signs for the club out on the pitch. Each player looks to be working as a collective unit for a change, leaving individual egos and warped agendas behind them as they work their problems out together as a team.

Yes, the Reds obviously have a long way to go – and one single win certainly doesn’t mean a great deal within the grand scheme of things, especially given the notorious ‘honey-moon period’ many top-flight managers seem to enjoy – but Liverpool fans can nonetheless feel assured that their club are at least heading in the right direction for once.

The rest of the current season will ultimately remain a transitional one for Klopp as he adjusts to his new surroundings in the Premier League and gets to know each of his players inside out. But once the German tactician is given a chance to build his own squad via the January/summer transfer windows – and perhaps even involve a little bit of good old fashioned youth development at Anfield – the future remains bright for Liverpool.

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Southampton remain one of the most competitive teams in the Premier League, despite their largely frustrating season. Despite famous wins, in which the Saints steamrolled their opponents, over Chelsea and Arsenal, the club are lingering in 13th and any notion of a European push looks farfetched.

However, what we know about the South Coast outfit, is that they are more than capable of springing a surprise. They are one of the few teams in the league who are able to beat truly anyone when at their best.

Perhaps things have gone a little stale at St. Mary’s recently. After dealing with such upheaval for two consecutive summers, perhaps players need that constant air of change in order to truly motivate themselves.

If that’s the case, luckily for them, the January transfer market is set to roll right around. With some well thought out additions, Ronald Koeman has every chance of making a late push for the top six in this most unpredictable of seasons.

Who might they be? Well, any of these FIVE might help…

JERMAIN DEFOE

You’ll more than likely associate Southampton with a young and exciting team, and rightly so. In that case, suggesting Jermain Defoe as a potential signing may strike you as a little odd.

However, the 33-year old has never truly settled in at Sunderland it seems, though he remains a wonderful goalscorer at this level. The former England international all but guarantees goals, no matter his age.

While he’s never likely to be the long term option, adding him to the squad to supplement Graziano Pelle could prove a masterstroke. At times, the team risk an over reliance on the suave Italian, burning the player out. When he’s not in the goals Koeman’s side can often look bereft of ideas in the final third.

With no guarantees over Jay Rodriguez returning to form, or Sadio Mane’s long term plans, perhaps adding Defoe as a backup in the short-term is a wise idea.

IGNACIO CAMACHO

Victor Wanyama hasn’t really been the same since the failed move to Spurs over the summer, and while he’s not pulling a Dejan Lovren just yet, could certainly use competition.

Oriol Romeu has lost his place to the returning Jordy Clasie and Steven Davis continues to be used in a variety of different positions across the engine room. With all that in mind, perhaps the Saints could use some strengthening in defensive midfield areas.

Malaga’s Ignacio Camacho has been linked with a move to the South Coast after emerging as a highly rated talent in La Liga. At 25 years of age, he has already played over 150 top flight games in Spain, as well as capped at international level by La Roja.

As you might expect from a Spaniard, he’s a fine passer of the ball and more than capable of starting attacks from deep. His ability to read the game is excellent, making him an ideal deep-lying playmaker.

CALUM CHAMBERS

The career of Calum Chambers seems to have somewhat stalled since his £16m to Arsenal in the summer of 2014 and the 20-year old has been linked with a return to the South Coast.

Steven Caulker and Maya Yoshida are not adequate cover for Virgil van Djk and Jose Fonte, considering the immense gulf in class between the pairings. Despite his recent struggles, the England international remains a defender of immense ability and potential.

He is equally adept at right-back, something which may be useful for Koeman. Though summer signing Cedric Soares has helped replace Nathaniel Clyne in an attacking sense, the Portuguese is still suspect when tracking back towards his own goal.

Perhaps a move could be beneficial for all those involved. Saints could bring back a graduate of their famed academy, while Chambers has a better chance of landing regular starting berths as he looks to force his way back into the England squad.

LOIC REMY

Should decision makers on the South Coast deem the aforementioned Defoe too old to make a move, perhaps Chelsea’s Loic Remy would represent a good alternative.

It seems the Frenchman is proverbially destined to be a backup for the Blues, no matter how great the incompetence of his peers may be. If the Frenchman couldn’t breach Diego Costa’s starting berth earlier this season, he’s got little hope of doing so now he’s back in the goals.

The former QPR and Newcastle possesses the poacher’s instinct desperately required at St. Mary’s at times, as Koeman’s outfit look to convert their usually pretty high possession stats into goals. More agile than Defoe, the 27-year old could even form an effective partnership with Pelle at times.

SOLLY MARCH

Though neighbours Brighton are looking like a decent bet to join the Saints in the top tier of the Premier League next term, one of their star players is still being linked with a move away.

England Under-21 star Solly March is reported to have been scouted by the club over recent weeks after a series of impressive performances for the Championship pace setters.

Understood to be valued at around £7.5m by the Seagulls, Southampton’s impressive record of nurturing young English talent could play a major role in the making of this deal. The club currently lack natural wide options and the addition of an exciting home grown prospect would be something suited to the Saints.

Louis van Gaal still finds himself employed at Manchester United, though the Dutchman appears to be teetering on the verge of all out mutiny. Club favourites such as Paul Scholes are tearing into the style of play deployed by the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach and fans ironically cheer when there is an effort on goal.

While key players, Wayne Rooney amongst others, have so far failed to shine, the blame ultimately rests at the feet of van Gaal. A whopping £250m spent has yielded an early exit from the Champions League, a dreadful style of play and dropping out of the top four.

Chelsea’s decision to sack Jose Mourinho in mid-December has cast a shadow over managers all over the world, though the Old Trafford post appears to be his most likely destination. While his arrival is never likely to yield another dynasty comparable to that of Sir Alex Ferguson’s, the Portuguese no doubt brings obvious qualities.

With that in mind here are FIVE reasons Manchester United NEED to land Jose Mourinho.

SHORT-TERM GAINS

One of the major criticisms levelled at the 52-year old is the fact he never sticks around for much longer than three years. While that is certainly a fair point, as clubs the size of the Red Devils should obviously have some degree of long-term planning, it perhaps isn’t wholly necessary right now.

The succession of Sir Alex was handed so badly that perhaps Ed Woodward and company should switch their attentions to damage limitation, rather than looking to usher in a new era right away.

When Mourinho arrived at Stamford Bridge for the second time, he managed to guide the club into third place with a squad only a bit better than the one currently at Old Trafford. The league may currently be a step too far this season, but few would bet against him finishing in the top four.

After all, nothing van Gaal has done so far fills onlookers with universal confidence he is capable of outmanoeuvring the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Jurgen Klopp or Claudio Ranieri in the race to finish in the Champions League spots.

Another season out of Europe’s top competition would undo all of the work undertaken by van Gaal since his appointment, rendering his time at the club largely useless.

Mourinho may well the be ultimate ‘gun for hire’, but he would at the very least steady the ship while movers, shakers and decision makers at Old Trafford search for their next long-term man.

IN GAME MANAGEMENT

On the more technical side of things, the former Inter Milan and Real Madrid manager would sort out one of the longest running problems under van Gaal’s tutelage. While the style of play is often the most criticised aspect of the 64-year old’s reign, he does have a tendency to make some baffling decisions during games.

Those who support him may point to the fact key players such as Rooney really aren’t stepping up to the mark, and should share the blame, but van Gaal is solely responsible for his ineffective substitutions.

Too often he is not reactive enough, making strange choices such as hauling Juan Mata off for Nick Powell, or swapping Bastian Schweinsteiger for Michael Carrick against Newcastle when the game was crying out for a more attacking presence.

Games that could have been won, almost should have been won, have fallen by the wayside due to his poor in-game management.

Appointing Mourinho would usher in the complete opposite. The Portuguese is the master of in-game decisions, changing the course of the occasion with his tinkering. He can sniff out the strength of his opponents before the clash, and snuff them out accordingly.

GETTING THE BEST OUT OF HIS STARS

Suggestions of first-team players becoming disillusioned with the way things are going at the Theatre of Dreams are rife, while some of the stars are truly looking bored. They are not enjoying their football, cutting downcast figures amid the toil of the post Sir Alex period.

Their current boss has clearly enjoyed success with the likes of Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, though he’s not truly renowned for his man management. The latter days of Mourinho at Chelsea may have revolved around problems with his stars, but he’s previously been praised for his ability to instil players with confidence.

Infamous Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic waxed poetic about their time together at the San Siro, revealing the two-time Champions League winning coach made him ‘feel like a lion’.

Despite the acrimonious departure from the Blues, he had also got what could turn out to be the last great season out of John Terry, who had returned to his best last year after a few seasons of relative mediocrity.

Captain Wayne Rooney is likely to be beneficial out of his arrival, instantly giving the Red Devils one of the best strikers in Europe when in top form.

REINSTATING THE FEAR FACTOR

Old Trafford was once a place to strike fear into the hearts of those who dared visit. Under Sir Alex, it almost seemed inevitable that the team would find some way to win, whether they were playing well or not.

Since then, we’ve seen teams like Southampton, Norwich and Newcastle United run out victorious at the Theatre of Dreams. No disrespect to those sides, but it’s a notion that wouldn’t have been entertained while the famous old Scot presided over proceedings.

While he was no doubt helped by being able to field some top class players, opponents would look intimidated by the mere occasion of playing at Old Trafford. Now, the fear factor appears to have evaporated almost all together from the stadium.

He may not be able to call on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, as Ferguson was, but Jose Mourinho would go some way into bringing back such an element of fear. The ‘us against the world’ aura he instils in his teams would at least create a buzz of defiance once more, stopping such losses and going some way into taking the Red Devils up the league.

PLAYER RECRUITMENT

As Ed Woodward desperately scrambles for a ‘Galactico’ signing to lay a marker down for his time at the club, it’s becoming obvious that truly elite players see their futures elsewhere. Gareth Bale has so far rejected all overtures, while Mourinho famously swooped to nab World Cup winner Pedro from United’s clutches while at Chelsea.

With Pep Guardiola all but set to move to Manchester City, their arch rivals are likely to be a hub for some of the best players in the world over the next few years. Perhaps even Lionel Messi. United can simply not afford to fall too far behind their city rivals in the embryonic stages of the Pep plan, or risk severe lasting damage.

The lure of playing for one of the greatest managers in the world, along with sharing in on the titles they are likely to win, naturally attracts top talent. Mourinho, his latter stages in charge of Chelsea notwithstanding, is in the same class as Guardiola, where van Gaal is perhaps a level or two below.

The Portuguese can give Woodward the big names he so craves, helping restore United as major players in world football on and off the field.

The Foxes have had an extraordinary year, as the title is currently theirs to lose.

Many supporters will want to see this club dominate the league for years to come, but unfortunately that is not always the case with champions, just look at what Chelsea have done this year!

There are many valuable players in the Leicester squad and they should look to move some of them this summer while their asking prices are high. With top scorer Jamie Vardy signing a new contract recently, it looks like he will stay at King Power Stadium for at least a few more years.

However, Vardy is not the most sought after player in Leicester’s squad right now. That title belongs to Riyad Mahrez, and Claudio Ranieri may have a tough job keeping him at the King Power Stadium in the summer.

But here are five reasons why Leicester City should sell Riyad Mahrez this summer…

Leicester Can build a team around a big sale

Leicester City could sell Mahrez this summer for upwards of £30million to one of Europe’s top clubs.

They have never sold a player anywhere close to that amount. The effect a sale like that can have on a club is massive. While it will not be of the magnitude of a Gareth Bale sale, Tottenham’s recent success proves that building a successful team after a big transfer sale is possible.

The Foxes can use that money to buy cheaper, younger, players and develop a system more suitable for long-term success.

The Foxes have interest in younger replacements

The Foxes have already been eyeing some of Europe’s young talented midfielders as possible replacements for the Algerian. They have reportedly shown strong interest in Molde attacking winger Mohammad Elyounoussi, who won’t have too high of an asking price.

The 21-year-old has dominated the Norwegian Tippeligaen since 2014. The Foxes will be playing in the Champions League next year and need people who can perform in Europe. Elyounoussi proved he could play on a big European stage with three goals in Champions League Qualifying and three more in seven Europa League outings this term.

This summer is a perfect time to start a bidding war

Clubs currently showing interest in Mahrez are reportedly Barcelona, Real Madrid and Arsenal, and the Catalans have supposedly said that signing Mahrez to bolster their attack is a top priority this summer.

A long summer is the perfect time for the Foxes to start a bidding war between the rich clubs showing interest. This alone could immensely increase his value. Even if clubs like Barcelona are under transfer bans, they usually find ways around restrictions.

His price will decline if he doesn’t perform well next year

This could be best time to sell the 25-year-old. He’s coming off his best season and might not have another like it. If they want to sell him in the future if his play declines, they will not get the same offers that they will get this summer for the Algerian. 

If Europe’s top clubs are calling, let him leave

Often times when the Premier League’s elite players are linked to massive signings to European powerhouses, they will lose interest in their current clubs.

In Gareth Bale’s final weeks at Tottenham, he had no desire to play. You could say the same about Eden Hazard at Chelsea, who recently said it would be hard to turn down a PSG transfer. The Belgian does not seem like he wants to stay with Chelsea and it’s showing on the pitch.

Mahrez recently said he’d always imagine himself playing at Camp Nou as a child. Photos have even surfaced of the midfielder in a Barcelona shirt. If the Catalans starts calling, Leicester should let him leave before he gets restless at the King Power Stadium.

Arsenal’s shock 2-1 defeat to Watford in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Sunday has once again lead to calls for Arsene Wenger to resign as Emirates boss.

The Frenchman has dubbed criticisms a “farce”, perhaps understandably considering this is the Gunners’ first defeat in the tournament since 2013 and he’s lifted the FA Cup a very impressive six times.

Nonetheless, seemingly out of the Premier League title race and facing a 2-0 deficit to Barcelona in the Champions League, Arsenal’s season is now essentially over. It represents yet another campaign in which the Gunners have ultimately come up short domestically and in Europe, despite the rest of their habitual divisional rivals – Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea – failing to deliver. 

Having failed to take advantage, the current campaign must suddenly feel like Groundhog Day for fans of the north London club. With that in mind, here are SIX things that happen at the Emirates almost every season under Arsene Wenger.

Is it time for change, Gunners fans? Let us know by commenting below!

WENGER REFUSES TO BUY A DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER

Arsene Wenger is obsessed with defensive midfield or perhaps more accurately, obsessed with continually ignoring its existence.

Indeed, the last out-and-out defensive midfielder Arsene Wenger actually spent some money on was Lassana Diarra in summer 2007, who he quickly offloaded to Portsmouth at a slight profit just six months down the line.

Instead, Wenger finds himself either promoting youth recruits, making free transfers or converting players from other positions to find protection for his back four.

Mikel Arteta played as a wide midfielder for much of his Everton career, Alex Song started off as a centre-back, Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny are both box-to-boxers asked to play more conservatively and Mathieu Flamini moved to north London on a free transfer TWICE.

There’s nothing wrong with promoting from within or trying to find value for money. But defensive midfield is a crucial position in the modern game that Wenger has continually overlooked, without fail, pretty much since Gilberto Silva left the club in 2008.

Elimination from the Champions League at the round of 16

Despite celebrating their eternal qualification for the tournament like winning the title itself, Arsenal have surpassed the Champions League’s quarter-finals just twice under Arsene Wenger.

Perhaps more disturbingly, they’ve been eliminated at the Round of 16, usually at the hands of Bayern Munich or Barcelona, for five seasons in a row and barring a three-goal miracle at the Nou Camp will suffer the same fate yet again this term.

That’s in no small part due the Gunners continually underestimating the quality of opposition in the Group Stages with weakened team selections, affecting their seeding for the knockout rounds.

They’ve finished second seven times out of their last nine attempts times and some of the sides to claim pole position ahead of the north Londoners are hardly European powerhouses – Sevilla, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Schalke and Dortmund (twice).

Two trends have become abundantly obvious. Firstly, Wenger doesn’t appreciate how the Group Stages can affect the rest of Arsenal’s season and secondly, the Frenchman lacks the tactical nous to outdo heavyweight opposition in the latter stages.

WENGER COMPLETELY DISREGARDS THE LEAGUE CUP

No doubt, the Capital One Cup is treated with relative contempt by a number of top clubs, in no small part due to the fact it seriously clogs up fixture scheduling after Christmas – those double-leg semi finals particularly – and isn’t considered a prestigious accolade in the same way as the FA Cup.

Nonetheless, Arsene Wenger has almost completely regarded the tournament throughout his north London tenure. From twenty years in English football, during which he’s been in charge of one of its top clubs, the Frenchman has never lifted the League Cup and reached the tournament’s final just twice.

Gunners fans may not be too concerned, feeling their club has bigger fish to fry such as the ever-alluding Premier League title. But that’s still one trophy per season they’re missing out on, simply because Wenger doesn’t have much time for it.

Maybe if the Gunners had someone else at the helm, less apathetic towards the competition, Arsenal wouldn’t have won just two trophies in the last eleven years.

Injury crises affect Arsenal’s season

Every season, Arsenal find themselves battling a ten-man injury list that eventually corrodes their campaign as key stars miss important games – the obvious examples this year being midfield maestro Santi Cazorla and versatile forward Danny Welbeck.

Some may place that simply on ill fortune, but the Gunners’ horrendous injury streak has gone on for so long now that it can’t be labelled a mere coincidence. In my opinion, there are three underlying causes that trace back to Arsene Wenger.

First of all, the Frenchman’s training methods must be having some sort of effect. He was dubbed a revolutionary when first arriving in the Premier League, especially in terms of diet and short-but-intense training sessions, but almost two decades later, Le Prof’s training ground routines may be causing more damage than he realises.

Secondly, Arsenal don’t recruit athletes. The physical aspects of the Premier League are more demanding than ever, yet the Gunners continue to target diminutive players, usually measuring below 6 foot, almost exclusively in the transfer market.

Thirdly, Wenger rushes young players into the Arsenal first team. Wenger is often praised for his insistence upon giving chances to young players, but they’re coming into a high-intensity league at an incredibly early age. Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Theo Walcott were all playing regularly for Arsenal as teenagers and all have suffered recurring injury problems throughout their careers.

WENGER REFUSES TO SPEND BIG IN JANUARY

Arsene Wenger certainly isn’t alone in his apathy towards the January transfer window. The fact of the matter is that top draw talents aren’t usually available, unless you’re willing to pay over the odds, and most major clubs of Arsenal’s stature end up avoiding it almost completely as a consequence.

Nonetheless, after so many years of falling short in the title race – and after ending so many summer transfer windows a few bodies short of a full senior squad – you’d assume Wenger would decide to take a punt in January and try and bolster his roster with a heavyweight purchase at least on one or two occasions.

Yet, in the last five seasons, Wenger has signed just three first team players in January – Nacho Monreal, Gabriel Paulista and Mohamed Elneny – none of whom were capable of making an instant impact or purchased as anything more than squad additions.

Wenger clearly prioritises long-term gain over short-term success but as a consequence, he’s failed to maximise the momentum Arsenal often carry into the January transfer window.

Arsenal finish either third or fourth but somehow appease the fans

They say you can’t stand still in the Premier League but Arsenal have defied that adage for ten straight seasons.

The Gunners have been stuck in the purgatory of third and fourth place for a decade, rarely proving serious contenders in the title race and rarely looking like dropping out of the Champions League spots, and now eight points behind table-toppers Leicester City, are set to suffer a similar fate yet again this year.

But somehow, Arsenal always do just enough to appease a disillusioned fan base. That has come via their FA Cup triumphs in recent years but the Gunners also have a knack for finishing the season well, which tends to wane the calls for Arsene Wenger to resign just ahead of the summer.

Indeed, Arsenal fans find themselves suddenly renewed with a sense of optimism following an end of season flurry that suggests greater things in the campaign to come. From the last five seasons, for example, the north Londoners have lost just eight of their final 50 league games.

Resultantly, history has continually repeated itself at the Emirates. The fans become starry-eyed, Ivan Gazidis talks up heavy spending during the summer transfer window, Wenger makes a few comments about ‘belief’, everyone renews their season tickets and the issue of the manager’s future is suddenly forgotten.

Eight months down the line, however, Arsenal find themselves once again falling short domestically and in Europe and querying the man in the dugout. Will the north Londoners finally break the cycle this summer? I’m not convinced.