Arsenal's evolution: six years on, have they found a winning formula?

Since winning the FA Cup in 2005, Arsène Wenger has struggled to find the players to emulate his last successful side

Goalkeeper
Jens Lehmann's finest two hours for Arsenal came during their last trophy win. Impenetrable in the 2005 FA Cup final against Manchester United, he saved the decisive penalty from Paul Scholes in the shoot-out. It felt like a cathartic moment for him at the end of a season when his pride was pierced by the ignominy of being dropped for Manuel Almunia. The German refused to accept that the reserve he barely deigned to talk to could ever be a better keeper than him. As it turned out, over the past few seasons Almunia has strained to cope with the responsibility of being No 1.

It is bizarre that a club of Arsenal's stature should muddle through in such a critical position for so long, with Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski taking turns to have the jitters for the most part. This season has seen the cream rise to the top. Circumstances have elevated Wojciech Szczesny and Emirates regulars are still enjoying the novelty of seeing a cocksure, authoritative goalkeeper between the posts. The 20-year-old has made a vital difference.

Defence
Having proved that he can construct a miserly defence in the undefeated league season of 2003-04, Wenger has found it enormously tricky to replicate the feat. In 2005 the back four contained experienced players who have always taken it as an affront to concede a goal: Lauren, Sol Campbell, Kolo Touré, Ashley Cole. But there was a hint of problems to come with the lack of reliable cover at centre-back. Philippe Senderos never quite won the faith of the manager, while Pascal Cygan always looked like something of an aberration in the Wenger masterplan.

It has not been easy to unearth quality in that position. The manager once mused that you don't just pick up a great centre-back at the supermarket. Indeed. Even seasoned internationals couldn't quite fit the bill. Mikaël Silvestre was unconvincing, William Gallas suffered when he was given the captaincy, Campbell returned for a cameo and Sébastien Squillaci has been error-prone. Wenger has been more successful with slightly more expensive shopping. Thomas Vermaelen was the new bedrock until injury removed him for the bulk of this campaign. Laurent Koscielny shows promise. The key to recent solidity, though, has been a youth product who is flourishing at last in Johan Djourou.

Midfield
In reaching the 2006 Champions League final Wenger found a fine balance in the heart of his Arsenal team: Gilberto Silva anchored diligently, Freddie Ljungberg and Alexander Hleb probed energetically, a young Cesc Fábregas provided the vision, Mathieu Flamini the crackle, and Robert Pires was on hand to lend finesse. The premature departures of Gilberto and Flamini were a problem for a while, exacerbated when Lassana Diarra came and went with unseemly haste, but the emergence of Alex Song has fixed that.

Samir Nasri has grown into a worthy successor to Pires, Fábregas has become ever more influential, and together with Andrey Arshavin the midfield is a rich source of goals as well as pretty possession once more. Hleb was a rarity anywhere near the scoresheet. And then there is Jack Wilshere. The prodigy has fast become a thrilling member of the establishment, and he has his place for keeps at the expense of older players who have had to move to the fringe in Abou Diaby and Denílson. People forget that Diaby suffered the same kind of injury as Aaron Ramsey at a similar age. He has never quite been the player he was expected to blossom into, and must wait to see how fully Ramsey can overcome his setback.

Attack
The tactical curiosity of the 2005 FA Cup final is that the veteran Dennis Bergkamp foraged up front as a lone striker. The strategy was quirkily unusual for Wenger's Arsenal. It was a sign of how desperate they were to avoid defeat to Manchester United. Thierry Henry was out injured, and the manager was not confident of outscoring opponents who had the beating of them that season. Of course, the issue of a long-term replacement for Henry had been rumbling along, as each summer the heavyweight suitors flashed their cash around Highbury.
Robin van Persie and José Antonio Reyes were the main contenders brought in young with a view to taking over up front eventually. Reyes was an expensive disappointment, while Van Persie's career has been punctuated by such repetitive injuries he has earned the soubriquet "glass ankles". This season, having recovered from his latest spell in the treatment room, Van Persie has come back in fine style. For very different reasons Eduardo and Emmanuel Adebayor came and went but ended up cult hero and cult villain respectively. Van Persie now has two big men (Nicklas Bendtner and Marouane Chamakh) and a speed merchant (Theo Walcott) for company, who have 27 goals between them this season. Van Persie has 12 from 12 starts.

Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 26 Feb 11