Arsenal's season hangs in the balance as season nears end

With eight games left to go in the Premier League and an FA Cup semi-final looming, Arsenal's season hangs in the balance.

Matches against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are still to come, as is a trip to Wembley to face Reading.

Arsene Wenger is in his element during the final months of the season, but a number of issues need addressing between now and the summer.

 

1. Can the Gunners repeat their Old Trafford heroics?

The race for third place in the Premier League will likely come down to the penultimate game of the season when Arsenal travel north to face Manchester United.

Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter-final triumph earlier this month was their first win at Old Trafford since September 2006.

Is it too much of an ask to expect the Gunners to win there twice in three months? United have been poor in both matches against Arsenal this season - it’s unlikely Louis van Gaal will make the same mistakes again.

 

2. Should Gabriel keep his spot in the starting lineup?

Arsenal have conceded three goals in the five games that Gabriel has played in and there is a genuine possibility he could oust Per Mertesacker from the starting XI on a permanent basis.

Gabriel’s pace offers Arsenal the opportunity to play a high defensive line - something Arsene Wenger has favoured in the past - and he has impressed in his few appearances.

Mertesacker’s form has been below par in recent months and Wenger must now decide whether to show faith in the Brazilian or opt for the experience of his vice captain.

 

3. Is time running out for Jack Wilshere?

Of all Arsenal’s academy graduates and young stars, it’s fair to say that only Cesc Fabregas has carried higher expectations than Jack Wilshere.

The 2010/11 season saw him play, and impress in, 49 games for Arsenal. He has managed just 68 appearances in the four seasons since - that works out at just 17 per campaign.

Even when fit, Wilshere will now likely find himself on the bench behind Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin. Could this summer be the time to cash in on the 23-year-old?

 

4. Should Mathieu Debuchy go back into the team when he returns from injury?

The rise of Hector Bellerin has been a highlight of Arsenal’s season. Debuchy’s appalling luck with injuries has seen the Spaniard establish himself at right-back.

A shaky start away to Borussia Dortmund and a wobble at the Britannia Stadium aside, Bellerin has looked composed at the back and dangerous pushing forward.

Debuchy is due to return before the end of the season, but can he win back his place from La Masia graduate Bellerin?

 

5. Does Theo Walcott deserve a new contract?

Look back to 2012/13 and Arsenal were sweating over the Theo Walcott’s contract situation. The Gunners had lost Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie to rivals - now they were on the verge of losing top scorer Walcott, too.

The England forward played his hand perfectly. Rejecting numerous offers from the club, he eventually landed a three-and-a-half-year deal worth £100,000-a-week.

Negotiations started in early 2015 for a new deal. The situation, though, is very different. With three goals in 13 appearances, Walcott is struggling to even get off the bench.

The club announced that talks have been postponed until the end of the season, but is Walcott heading for a summer exit?

With Mesut Ozil ill, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain injured and Alexis Sanchez looking exhausted, Walcott still couldn’t manage an appearance against Newcastle on Saturday.

He’s looked one-dimensional when he’s played recently, offering little in defence or build-up play. His display for England against Italy said it all.

If his contract demands are high, his days in north London could be numbered.

Athletics
Kenyan stars ready for World Cross showdown in Belgrade
By Ben Ahenda 2 hrs ago
Motorsport
Safari Rally 2024: Tanak urges Kenyan children to take up motorsports as a career
Rugby
SCHOOLS: From the classroom to the field, Kisumu Girls ready to lift national rugby trophy
Motorsport
Safari Rally 2024: Neuville clinches Kasarani stage as Hyundai makes intention known