Ranking Arsenal's Wingers Ahead of Next Season

Arsene Wenger's 4-2-3-1 formation is built so that the two wingers, who sandwich the lone striker, must play a key role.

Whether combining with the fullbacks, who have a habit of marauding up the flanks to help out in the attack, or linking up play with the center forward (nearly a given that it will be Robin van Persie at this moment), or taking on defenders to either get to the end line or work their way into the penalty area, good wing play often dictates games for the Gunners.

Wingers have oscillated in terms of rank and file all season. Gervinho, an incontrovertible starter to start the campaign, has seen his playing time, and subsequently his importance, diminish since going to the African Cup of Nations. He simply has not seemed right since he returned to the field as a substitute for Arsenal on Feb. 26 against Tottenham.

The Ivorian, signed from Lille last summer, provided a slew of vital assists to the Dutchman, most of which came in October. (Many an Arsenal fan will remember his well-worked destruction of the Chelsea defense in the Oct. 29 game at the Bridge before dumping off to van Persie, who made no mistake with his finish to open the Arsenal scoring.)

There was also his fantastic match against Stoke one week before Chelsea, where Gervinho had played a role in all three goals on the day (Arsenal won 3-1).

But his sojourn in Africa coincided rather importunately with 18-year-old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's meteoric rise in both notoriety and performance (sometimes in that order).

Stunning in snippets during the first months of the season, where his first-team playing time was severely limited, the former Southampton winger enjoyed scintillating displays during January and February.

In those months he went from potential fringe option for England's 23-man squad for the European Championships to near sure-fire choice.

But the Ox has also seen his playing time slowly decrease in recent weeks. Most times now, he is a substitute brought on in the last 10 minutes to try to turn a match's tide.

That leaves, then, Theo Walcott as the one man who has never really seen his status as a first-team starter called into question this season.

A Southampton product like Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott's form has oscillated just like Arsenal's season as a whole. But he has shown up when his team needed him most.

And his play since February, until his recent injury, had been excellent.

Obviously, should a certain German be signed, that left wing position may well be wrapped up.

But at this juncture, it's easiest to guess given the players currently booked to be at Ashburton Grove. (Hence, with Yossi Benayoun's future currently undecided—he is on a season-long loan, and officially a Chelsea player—he will not feature.)

I also left out Carlos Vela, who even if he does not leave next season, has made a striking case to be played as a central forward (he has 11 goals so far for Real Sociedad in 2011-12.)

Here's some more options who will give Wenger some pause while devising his lineups in 2012-13.

They are ranked in terms of where I predict them to be in the depth chart.

1. Theo Walcott

He is tied with Robin van Persie for most appearances this season (all competitions), coming in with a cool 44.

While the Dutchman will pass Walcott in the coming weeks (Arsenal have three games remaining), with the English winger set to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury picked up during Saturday's encounter with Chelsea, it speaks to Wenger's trust in his 23-year-old charge that he has been picked that many times.

You might also say that, Van Persie excluded, few Gunners have been as vital to the club's success as Walcott.

His form has certainly impacted his confidence, as well it should.

Speaking to Arsenal.com, Walcott said that he "feels completely fearless" now, bubbling with confidence after managing to remain injury-free.

Clearly the top option on the wings at the moment, there's no reason to think that Walcott will suffer some severe crisis of faith and form before the end of the season.

Expect to see him starting on the right wing for Arsenal in 2012-13.

2. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

He has come back to earth somewhat after that incredible run of form during the first two months of 2012, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still looks likely to play a critical role for Arsenal next season.

At present, it appears that Wenger prefers him to Gervinho—Oxlade-Chamberlain started ahead of the Ivorian against Chelsea last weekend.

That could obviously change as soon as the final few games of the season, or given what happens during the summer months.

But the fact that the Ox, though only 18 and thus six years Gervinho's junior, has his schooling as a footballer in the English game, he gets the nod.

It took him little time to show just how dangerous he could be, no matter how talented the opposing side.

3. Gervinho

It's a fitting image of Gervinho, this. His season has been a bit unbalanced.

He got off to a cracking start, scoring a brace in Arsenal's preseason match against FC Cologne, and he enjoyed a fine start to the actual season (that red card against Newcastle obviously not included).

The African Cup of Nations, which took a sizable chunk out of his season and likely attributed some unneeded fatigue to the 24-year-old, could not have come at a more inopportune time for a player in his first season of English football. Gervinho needed games, and lots of them, to better acclimate himself to the style of play in the Premiership.

Since he came back from the ACN, he has appeared just nine times (beginning with an appearance against Tottenham on Feb. 26), and he has started just twice, providing one assist for all that time.

He made a good appearance against Chelsea—a match in which Oxlade-Chamberlain was frequently frustrated by the Blues' defense. That could bode well for him going forward into summer.

He could easily overtake the Ox with some impressive performances.

4. Ryo Miyaichi

Miyaichi was a revelation for Bolton during February, earning the club's fan-voted Player of the Month in February.

He scored in his first ever start for Wanderers, taking a goal superbly on the trot against Millwall in the FA Cup, and drew praise from manager Owen Coyle for his impressive displays in that first month.

Slowly but surely, however, his age started to show. It's easy to forget that Miyaichi is just 19 years of age sometimes, and still far from a finished product.

His shoulder injury, first picked up against Swansea City on April 21 and then reaggravated against Aston Villa three days later, may rule him out for a couple games.

It's a good summary of where the young lad's at development-wise. The talent is unmistakable, but he has a ways to go in terms of getting stronger.

He's not yet ready for EPL football on a match-in, match-out basis.

5. Andrei Arshavin

This is more a credit to the Russian's time spent at Arsenal—more than three years now—than his form of late.

It seems unlikely that Arshavin will find himself in the Arsenal red next season—the most recent move has him packing his bags for Moscow following the season—and with new signings likely to be coming in, not to mention the development of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Miyaichi an absolute must, Arshavin's time in north London looks to be at an end.

He has two goals so far in his loan spell with former club Zenit St. Petersburg—did Wenger think a move back "home" would do the Russian dynamo some good?—including one spectacular volleyed effort.

But it doesn't look likely that he'll be scoring goals like that at the Emirates any time soon. His form simply was not sufficient for the first half of the season.

6. Benik Afobe

Seen here (on the right) with Reading FC, who have secured promotion to the top flight next season, Benik Afobe is considered one of the most talented players in the Arsenal youth system.

Still just 19 years of age, the London-born attacker would likely find himself playing out on the wing with Arsenal at present. (That darned Dutchman just won't give up his spot manning the forward position!)

His pace is perhaps his most dangerous attribute, but he has a power to his game that might come in handy on the wing.

Unfortunately, Afobe will likely find his path to the first team blocked yet again by more senior members or, in the case of Oxlade-Chamberlain, more proven first-teamers.

Still, if we're going by terms of upside, no one has more of it than Afobe. Keep an eye on him during preseason—he was excellent during last year's Emirates Cup (which will not be played this July because of the London Olympics).

7. Joel Campbell

Campbell's talent is undeniable, but is he still too green to be counted upon to play a consistent role for the first team?

That's the question that will likely be answered by the time next season's kickoff rolls around.

Campbell has enjoyed some fine spells while on loan with French outfit FC Lorient, including a superb goal two weekends ago, but his inconsistency has been maddening.

Still only a teenager, he has some time to develop, and may be sent out on loan next season.