I agree Sotek. Sure we can do with strengthening in certain areas and we could also do with clearing out a few who have gone stale (yes Walnut I'm looking at you). But all in all I think we have a pretty decent bunch, a team who were well capable of winning the league this year, if they were in the right hands.

We also continue to waste money on under performing players wages in particular. How much is Feo on for instance? £120,000 per week? I'm not sure how much Kane or Vardy are on, but I can't be anywhere near that much? Also, how long did we hang onto players when they should have been shipped out, Diaby, Denilson and the other names we could add to that list.

Yes I think that too. Especially the defence.

Sanogo is also technically still an Arsenal player however much Wenger might try and distance himself from that deal. I wonder if we're still picking up any of his wages as he is continually moved from club to club around Europe.

I do worry if AW goes what the board will replace him with. They are content with 4th place and plenty of cash. Are they really going to go out and get someone ambitious?

Sadly I dont think so.
Given City's result yesterday, the opportunity is there to leapfrog them again but I wouldnt say its guaranteed

Tr
This squad may have been good this season. In a normal season where everyone who is back to their best, than no. If Jose or Pep were in charge last summer we would have seen major changes in and out. Wenger just builds squads to try and challenge not to win leagues.

That's the thing. You never get the feeling the club is heading anywhere. It's flat, stale and there's absolutely nothing to suggest it will change any time soon..

With the increasing funds available to Premier League clubs there's no reason to think that the transfer budget won't, at the very least, be similar to that given to Arsene.

An ambitious manager can do an awful lot with £150m in under three years. I have no idea but I suspect the Spurs squad cost a fraction of ours.

I'd agree there but what will be interesting will be to see how much is spent assuming we appoint someone who wants to spend it! It would at least show us how much it’s been a case of AW refusing to spend versus the board not making the funds available. I’m just worried they will appoint another yes man. Do the board have any ambition?

I have a feeling the board are just waiting out the end of Wenger's contract as a gesture of respect for past successes as currently he is falling below expectations. This is conjecture for the most part.

If Wenger is handed a new contract after his current one expires it suggests the club are happy with fourth place, not winning big trophies and fleecing the fans to make as much money as possible.

The signal of ambition from the board will only come if Wenger is shown the door at the end of this season and we get a manager in the likes of Mourinho or Simeone. Mourinho will definately spend mega bucks whereas Simeone can operate on a smaller budget.

You know what, I was thinking along the same lines. The board is content with a steady stream of cash coming in and therefore happy to keep the current status quo with ODL.

The good thing in the long term (if there is one) for us the fans may well be that due to his frugal transfer policy, the kitty will be full and then some for whoever takes over. I don't think that the 1st team needs a major overhaul, although I certainly wouldn't be against it. A fresh approach and a fit squad should be able to challenge for at least a while with a few tweaks in the right areas.

Teams news:

on the latest team news…
Everybody is available from our last game against Crystal Palace. We have no big injuries. We will have a final test today. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is the only one not practising now.

on Santi Cazorla…
He has joined normal training and he looks okay, of course still a bit short on the competitiveness front.

on whether he could play in U-21 play-off…
We will try to get him maybe more training, and then join us directly maybe.

on Wilshere…
He has absorbed well his first obstacle of getting games. That means he has finally got 90 minutes and he has had no setbacks and the positives are that in every game he was sharper. That means he has a good fitness basis. Overall, the progression should be normal. I don’t think he will be available for selection [against West Brom], but from then it is whether I select him or not.

No.

And that's it in a nutshell!

Wenger and the board are perfectly happy with how things are. Regular fourth place, CL qualification money, profits rolling in etc. Why would they care about trophies when their coffers are continually filled up.

I'm quite indifferent to it all now tbh. No point expending emotions either way when I know Wenger will leave only when Wenger decides to.

Is it possible to find someone who is both a 'yes man' and able to keep the club top four though? I see those as completely incompatible objectives. If we assume that the board want top four then they HAVE to find someone ambitious and capable.

I don't see Wenger as a yes man. Just a stubborn, proud, out of touch manager who listens to nobody and who is determined to win the league his way. It's just blind luck 'his way' is making the board / club so much money.

If Wenger picks his successor, we're in even more trouble as he wouldn't ever pick anyone who might show him up. I take Ozil and Sanchez's refusal to sign on for longer as a sign they are waiting to see what happens next season.
Just been watching Liverpool. The enthusiasm that Klopp has brought to quite 'ordinary' players is such a contrast with the stale atmosphere at the Arsenal.

No doubt West Brom will set out to frustrate us tonight. They beat us in November at their place.

It'll probably be a very tight game. Our odds of 2/7 with the bookies is not good value for money at all on current form. Although I do think we will win by a short margin.

Come on Arsenal. Let's have everything for the last few games.

Ozil misses out in PL Team of the Year with Alli getting picked ahead of him. As good a player Alli is, Ozil has had a better season imo.

Bellerin the only Arsenal player representing a team dominated by Leicester and Spurs players.

https://twitter.com/pfa/status/723183929499348992

Get ready to boo the glory hunters at the 75th minute

Perhaps Usmanov as Chairman?

We're bound to win tonight, fourth place is getting a little tight. Good news for Sunderland too, as a win tonight may set up another rest match.

I wouldn't have Ozil anywhere near it. Since December I wouldn't even have him in the best Arsenal 11 never mind Premier League. For all the assists, you struggle to think of any great Ozil moments this season, compared to Mahrez, Payet and the others who would be in double figures.

I was unsure Bellerin would be in it, but pleased he has and deserves to be. I thought that we may have had both full backs. There have been a few left backs better than Rose.

Sanchez is back to his best

Nice to see Alexis get a brace of goals - he's back

I dont agree with the commentary team on Sky though, who seemed to be implying everything is rosy again just because we won one game. It eases the pressure a bit on us to have a slight cushion in 3rd. Nothing more. We've only done what we absolutely had to do.

Is it true that when Aaron Ramsey scores a famous person passes away

Should have had a hattrick tonight then.