Arsenal FC: 20 Things That Have to Happen for the Gunners to Win Trophies Again

While Arsenal are back on track with a 5-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur, the Gunners look set not just for a season without trophies, but for a long period without silverware.

Arsene Wenger's men lost crucial games this term to AC Milan and Sunderland to end hopes of stopping that seven-year trophy drought.

And given their current performances and way the club is functioning at the moment, that barren spell without a major honour looks set to continue.

However, if one, two or all of the 20 things in this article happen, Arsenal's luck could change.

Here are 20 scenarios that have to happen for the North London club to win titles once again.

Not Sign Lukas Podolski

Reports say striker Lukas Podolski has agreed on terms to join Arsenal this summer, despite the fact a fee hasn't been agreed with his club FC Cologne.

It would most likely be the wrong signing for the Gunners, as Podolski has never been prolific for a big club, has only been vaguely prolific for one of his eight seasons in the Bundesliga and has never played, let alone been a success, outside of Germany.

At international level, Podolski is one of the finest strikers in the game. At club level, he's average at best.

Decent Striker Signed to Support Robin van Persie

Robin van Persie needs another up-front teammate to help ease the goal-scoring burden currently placed upon him.

Arsenal need a new forward option also so they don't become over-reliant on Van Persie for goals—the Netherlands international has scored 23 Premier League goals this season, 43 percent of all league goals Arsenal have scored this campaign.

Olivier Giroud, Daniel Sturridge, Burak Yilmaz, Matias Suarez and Luuk de Jong are all prolific strikers linked with the Gunners who would be great attacking options.

Robin van Persie to Stay

Robin van Persie has frequently been linked with a move away from Arsenal, with Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Manchester City all touted as possible transfer destinations.

Given his goal-scoring contribution to the team, and clear importance to the team reminiscent of the impact Thierry Henry had on the side, it's vital the Gunners keep hold of their star striker.

When Henry left for Barcelona, Arsenal became a weaker team without him, and the same will happen again if the flying Dutchman leaves.

Arsenal's Transfer Policy to Change

Arsenal have money to spend, with a reported £55 million transfer kitty.

The Gunners will need to change their transfer policy of signing players with potential to develop and have a great resale value if they are to compete with the Premier League and Europe's elite once more.

After all, the difference between the currently successful sides and Arsenal is the fact that by spending money, the top teams have leaders and experienced winners in their team, whereas the Gunners do not.

Experienced Winner Signed

Arsenal need a player in their team who has won many trophies before, has the desire to win more and can foster that winning mentality throughout the side, telling his teammates not to settle for second.

Thierry Henry was brought back to do exactly that, although the Gunners would need a player like Henry in their dressing room on a consistent basis before they become great again.

The Emirates outfit would need to sign one a player like the ones in this article to get back to the top again.

Jan Vertonghen Signed

Jan Vertonghen is exactly what Arsenal need.

He's a very good defender in terms of technical ability, he's a leader, he's a winner and he brings an air of intimidation the Gunners currently lack in their back line.

Signing players like Per Mertesacker—dubbed the "Friendly Giant"—won't win Arsenal titles in a brutal Premier League. However, bringing in Vertonghen, who at 24 also has great resale value and potential to develop, will bring the Gunners success.

Or Another Defensive Leader Signed

Whilst Jan Vertonghen is the perfect defensive signing for Arsenal, as long as they get a vocal leader in defence they should be fine.

Thomas Vermaelen has led the back line quite well this season, but the Gunners really need two or three defensive leaders—like most top teams have—to be a success.

They missed a trick in not signing Christopher Samba from Blackburn Rovers—he's moved to Anzhi Makhachkala—but they've been linked with the likes of Brede Hangeland (current Norway captain) and Phil Jagielka, both of whom would make great signings.

Deadwood to Leave

Arsenal need to get rid of the deadwood in their side—players who are a waste of wages at the club and are making no impact on the team—before they can progress.

After all, the best teams in the world have strong depth throughout their team, with competitive players across the board consistently making those in the starting lineup work for their place in the setup.

Arsene Wenger has already got the idea sending Andrei Arshavin out to Zenit St. Petersburg, but the likes of Park Chu-Young, Marouane Chamakh, Manuel Almunia, Abou Diaby, Sebastien Squillaci, Johan Djourou and Tomas Rosicky need to leave as well.

Jack Wilshere to Return from Injury

Arsenal need Jack Wilshere to return from his ankle injury ASAP. 

The Gunners aren't the same without the energetic 20-year-old, who has a Patrick Vieira-type of effect on the team when he plays.

Spreading the play well whilst adding steel to the midfield, as well as leadership, Arsenal only have one other player in that mould—Alex Song.

Like all the top teams, they need more than just one of that kind of player to be a successful side.

Manchester United and Manchester City to Fail in Premier League

Manchester United and Manchester City look like two teams who will be front-runners for the Premier League title every season for the foreseeable future.

If Arsenal are to have a chance to breaking the mould and re-entering the title race, they will have to beat these teams and hope they slip up in other matches in order to win the league.

FC Barcelona or Real Madrid to Fail in Champions League

Just like with Manchester United and Manchester City in the Premier League, if Arsenal want to win the UEFA Champions League, they better hope Real Madrid or FC Barcelona slip up.

They will also most likely have to beat one of those teams themselves if they are to win the world's most prestigious club competition.

Play in Europa League

Arsenal's best shot at a trophy in Europe, and perhaps full stop, is in the Europa League.

They are nowhere near strong enough to win the Champions League, as AC Milan showed them most recently, but they are capable of winning the continent's second-tier club competition.

As Manchester United and Manchester City are showing, it's still a trophy worth winning.

And seeing as Arsenal are likely to be playing in it next season, a run in the Europa League could finally see them end that trophy drought.

Take Carling Cup Seriously

In 2007 and 2011 Arsenal had the chance to take the pressure of their shoulders with victory in the Carling Cup final.

Five years ago, Arsene Wenger played a lot of his youth players against Chelsea and the Gunners ended up losing 2-1.

A year ago, his team underestimated Birmingham City and ended up victims to a calamitous, late Obafemi Martins winner.

If only he had taken the Cup more seriously, this article wouldn't exist.

Follow Liverpool Method

Liverpool are returning to their glory days after ending their own long spell without a trophy.

Kenny Dalglish clearly targeted the cup competitions as titles which his team would go all out to win ahead of securing a Champions League place—which they probably wouldn't get anyway.

Whilst they may lose out on fourth place, the Reds will be in Europe next season, and are favourites to also win the FA Cup.

Their Carling Cup triumph has improved the club's status, lifted the players' morale, given them title-winning experience, made them more determined for further silverware and thus made the side more attractive to prospective signings and more likely to secure a Champions League place next season.

Arsenal should follow this method.

Adapt Playing Style

Arsenal need to become a more adaptable team if they are to win trophies again.

They're clearly no FC Barcelona, so their uptempo tiki-taka approach isn't going to win them games against every single type of opponent.

The Gunners need the physicality to match the strong teams, the counterattacks to break down tight defences, the stretched play to dismantle narrow setups and the occasional long ball to beat a high-line defence.

Like Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Liverpool, they need to adapt their style to beat certain opponents.

New Patrick Vieira to Emerge

Patrick Vieira left Arsenal in 2005 as an FA Cup-winning captain.

It's no coincidence that since he left, the Gunners have still not won a major trophy.

His unrivalled box-to-box ability, stellar tackling, intimidation, robust approach, leadership, organisation of the midfield, the way he drove the team forward—all qualities Arsenal's midfield have lacked since 2005.

A new Vieira—Alex Song, Jack Wilshere, Emmanuel Frimpong maybe—has to emerge if the Gunners are to be successful again.

New Cesc Fabregas to Emerge

Cesc Fabregas didn't win many trophies with Arsenal besides that FA Cup win with Patrick Vieira, but he was the heartbeat of the Gunners team.

He dictated the play, organised the side in attack and really drove the team forward as the playmaker.

Since he's gone Arsenal have done worse than this time last season, despite the signing of Mikel Arteta.

If the Gunners are to become a major force again, they need a player in their side to emerge with the same impact Fabregas had on the team.

Luck

One thing Arsenal certainly need in the future if they want success is luck to go their way.

If there hadn't been a defensive mix-up in that Carling Cup final last season, the Gunners were far more likely to beat Birmingham City.

And in their recent 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Sunderland, the goals they conceded were an own goal and a deflected one. 

That's hard luck on Arsene Wenger. His fortunes need to change for Arsenal to win a trophy again.

Increase Revenue

Arsenal are fifth in the 2012 edition of the Deloitte Football Money League, with overall revenue for the 2010/11 season standing at £226.8 million.

However, especially in the times of UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules, if they want to become great again on the pitch, they probably need to challenge the highest echelon of financial power.

FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich all make more money than Arsenal, and all win far more trophies than the Gunners do right now.

So if they want to be in that category, they could with finding new ways to raise their revenue.

Arsene Wenger to Leave

Sacking Arsene Wenger seems a bit extreme and disrespectful, but overall, allowing Le Professor to be relieved of his duties could be Arsenal's best option to win trophies again.

After all, Arsenal haven't won a trophy for seven years under his guidance, with his and Arsenal's last title success coming in that 2005 FA Cup win.

So having gone that long without a title win, what evidence is there to suggest that trophy drought will end any time soon?

A Few More Things

Those are the 20 main things that have to happen for Arsenal to win a trophy again.

But here are a few more things which will probably also have to happen before the Gunners see success:

Wigan Athletic to win the Premier League

Bournemouth Poppies to win the Premier League

A cure for cancer to be found

A cure for AIDS to be found

Silvio Berlusconi to stop hosting bunga bunga parties

Pigs to fly

Wigan Athletic to announce the signings of Eden Hazard and Mario Goetze

Emile Heskey to score a hat trick

Fernando Torres to score a hat trick