Although Arsenal enjoyed more great success in the FA Cup, their inability to mount a serious title challenge in the Premier League showed that more additions are needed over the summer.
Arsene Wenger has the foundations of an excellent squad but when injuries crept in it really stretched them so some shrewd signings are certainly needed if we are to give champions Chelsea a sterner test next time around.
The 2014/15 campaign did still produce some big positives, most notably the performances of new-boy Alexis Sanchez and the emergence of Hector Bellerin and Francis Coquelin, who deserve huge credit for how they seized their opportunities. So let's look back at how the players faired this season.
GOALKEEPERS
DAVID OPSINA - The Colombian international, who joined from Nice last summer, initially found chances hard to come by following his return from injury. Ospina was finally given his chance after regular number one Wojciech Szczesny was dropped in January and he took it with both hands. Ospina is a calm, collected and very talented goalkeeper and the defence seem to play more confidently with him behind them. Ospina also has one of the highest win ratios of any player in Premier League history. There are rumours we are interested in signing Petr Cech from Chelsea but, whatever happens, I'd like to see Ospina remain between the sticks.
WOJCIECH SZCZESNY - I can't remember many players in our squad over the years where my opinion has changed as much as it has with the Polish shot-stopper. I used to think he was among the best, if not the best, goalkeeper in the English top flight but his usual confident style appears to have been replaced with a more erratic one. Credit to him for being a key player in our run to FA Cup success but he still worries me. On his day he can still be a top class goalkeeper, but other times he panics me when he frantically rushes out and I now can't make up my mind about him. Although I feel he still has something to offer us, I sadly wouldn't give him the number one jersey any more. Decent performances at times but needs to be more consistent.
EMILIANO MARTINEZ - It is hard to really judge the 22-year-old when he hasn't had much game time and he could yet develop into a future star. Martinez played six times for the first-team this season, including two Champions League victories over Anderlecht and Borussia Dortmund, before being loaned out to Rotherham. I will reserve judgement on the young goalkeeper until he has had more first-team action but from what I have seen of him he seems decent.
DEFENCE
LAURENT KOSCIELNY - The Frenchman is the boss and key man of our back four. His development from the lower leagues of France to the Premier League has been remarkable and he has already proven his ability against top opponents including Lionel Messi. This season has been somewhat mixed for the centre-back. Our defence has seemed a lot tighter this season and he has played a key role in this but there have been times where they have looked suspect, which is why some still question his ability. Personally I think he is a great defender and very under-rated but buying another centre-back also wouldn't hurt.
PER MERTESACKER - The big German has captained us on the field for most of the season due to Mikel Arteta's injury and is a great player to have around. Whether he should be a regular starter is another question and one I am still unsure of the answer to. At times this season his experience has shone through but his lack of pace still worries me. He can be a great leader and I think he is a very good squad player to have around. Part of the time I am happy with him being first-choice alongside Koscielny but then, after seeing him in other games this season, I think adding a top quality centre-back with more pace would be a good idea too.
GABRIEL PAULISTA - The Brazilian joined in the January transfer window and has had a mixed start to his Gunners' career. The first time I saw him he had some worrying touches but then he went onto redeem himself with some excellent defending so I will reserve judgement on him until after next season.
KIERAN GIBBS - The pacey left-back still has a lot to offer and is a decent defender on his day but it is hard to argue with him losing his place when Nacho Monreal has been performing as well as he has. I still rate Gibbs highly and up until recent months would have said there is no way anyway else in the current squad could take his place but it is good to see more competition for places.
NACHO MONREAL - Monreal is arguably the most improved player in our squad. I'm sure I wouldn't be the only Arsenal fan to admit that after his first season with us I wanted us to sign another left-back to take his place. Initially I thought he was average but I am so glad he has proved me wrong. This season he has become a more regular starter and he really has earned his place in the side. He has certainly improved the defensive side of his game and his goal to help us beat Manchester United at Old Trafford will never be forgotten.
HECTOR BELLERIN - The young Spaniard got his chance following an injury to Mathieu Debuchy and few would've expected him to take it as well as he did. Bellerin showed signs that he could be a great prospect early on and he is already developing into much more than that. I no longer see him as simply cover for Debuchy but, in fact, even with a fully-fit squad I would start him as first-choice right-back.
MATHIEU DEBUCHY - When we first signed him from Newcastle last summer I was genuinely happy with his arrival. But the French full-back suffered an injury in September's clash with Manchester City and didn't return until December. Another injury the following month saw him miss more action and he didn't return again until April in what was a very stop-start first season at the Emirates for Debuchy. I am still convinced that he can become an important player for us but, following the emergence of Bellerin, it is hard to make a case for him being a regular starter.
CALUM CHAMBERS - The youngster's summer move from Southampton is currently being investigated following a charge by the FA. That aside, thet 20-year-old's arrival is a largely positive one. Injuries meant Chambers was very quickly thrust into the first team but he didn't look to out of place and took his chances well. There is some debate as to whether his best position is right-back, centre-back, or even in midfield, but he does look like a star for the future. I see him more as a valuable squad player rather than a regular starter at this moment in time but things can quickly change.
MIDFIELD
FRANCIS COQUELIN - Coquelin has been one of the stand out performers following his return from his loan spell at Charlton. What initially looked to be simply cover for injury very quickly turned into him rising up the ranks to become a key player. I would argue that he is among the most important players in our team now and his development has been truly sensational. This is the season he really grew up and turned into a man. He reads the game very intelligently. He may only be 24 but he plays like someone who has vast experience. He has made me feel more confident about the defence as he sits in front of the back four doing a professional job, making countless interceptions and clever passes. We have been crying out for a top quality defensive midfielder and, while I still agree with many fans who would like us to buy one this summer, I also think we already have one. Even if we do buy Morgan Schneiderlin I think Coquelin should remain in the starting XI. He does so many of the little things right and deserves all the positive praise he has been getting. I didn't expect him to develop into the brilliant player he has become but I hope he is a big part of our plans for years to come.
SANTI CAZORLA - I still get goosebumps when I think about his sublime free-kick that kick-started the comeback in our 3-2 victory over Hull in the 2014 FA Cup Final. The skilful Spaniard has gone on to produce several great performances since then and, when he is played in the right position, he is a joy to watch. Still a key member of the Arsenal midfield and we need to play the right players around him to allow him to hit top gear. The emergence of Coquelin has been a positive asset for Cazorla and I hope the Spanish international stays with us for a long time.
AARON RAMSEY - After a superb 2013/14 campaign, Ramsey never hit quite the same heights last season and this lead to some criticising whether he was good enough. I still think Ramsey has a lot to offer and if he stays injury free is a key player for us. His wonder goal in the Champions League against Galatasaray remains one of my highlights of the season and is proof of just how good the Welshman can be.
MESUT OZIL - The German international got quite a lot of criticism this season and at times it was hard to argue with some of it as he seemed a little too laid back. But in recent months he started to once again prove his worth as he looks to be gradually getting back to his best. He is starting to pull the strings a lot more in midfield and on his day can be top class. He is still frustrating at times but maybe next season can be his chance to really hit the ground running and have a consistently good campaign. When he hits top gear he is remarkable but he'll need to up his game to achieves this.
JACK WILSHERE - The midfield maestro seems to getting back to his best but it is a shame that injuries disrupted him hitting top form on a more consistent basis. There were certainly signs of how good a player he can be in the final months of the campaign, including when he scored what was voted as the Premier League's goal of the season against West Brom. A very talented player that needs to be more consistent and, if he can stay injury free, maybe just maybe next season could be special for him.
ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN - The Ox made a very positive start to the season but injuries meant he missed most of February and all of April to stop him from continuing his good run of form. For all the positives I can say about the midfielder, who loves to run at defenders and has a bags of ability, he needs more game time and to add more goals to his game.
TOMAS ROSICKY - The Czech midfielder doesn't get too many chances in the starting line-up and is more often used off the bench. He has found chances hard to come by but when he does get them he plays like he has a point to prove. He brings a lot of positive energy onto the field and, when I went to the Emirates to see us take on Everton, he produced a great display off the bench and scored the winning goal in a 2-0 win.
MIKEL ARTETA - The club captain helped us lift the Community Shield with a 3-0 win over Manchester City but injuries restricted him to just seven performances last season. Although I still rate Arteta, we have an abundance of decent midfielders and if they are all fit I can't see Arteta getting into the starting XI.
MATHIEU FLAMINI - When we re-signed Flamini on a free transfer in the summer of 2013 I remember thinking it was a great piece of business. Fast forward to now and I find him a frustrating player. He can be a solid performer and he isn't afraid of a hard challenge or two but I am not sure how much I rate him anymore. I don't mind him remaining in the squad but I wouldn't choose to start him and he didn't do much to convince me otherwise last season.
FORWARDS
ALEXIS SANCHEZ - Deservedly crowned PFA fan's player of the season after an impressive debut in the Premier League. The Chilean, who joined from Barcelona last summer, was our stand-out player this season. Sanchez dipped at times in the second half of the campaign but still managed to hit 25 goals in all competitions, including a stunner in the FA Cup Final. What impresses me most about Sanchez is his work-rate. Despite being a forward he often tracks back to help out and when he loses the ball my god does he work hard to win it back. His hunger to succeed is second to none and he really is a joy to watch, so we need to make sure we match his ambition and put in a more serious title challenge next season in order to keep him.
OLIVIER GIROUD - Despite all the criticism he has received this season, Giroud's return of 19 goals is impressive considering he missed at least two months of the season out injured. When he is on a good run of goalscoring form he can be unstoppable but he also has days where he can't hit a barn door, so it is unsurprising that opinion is still divided over the French striker. His poor performance in the defeat by Monaco raised a lot of questions but then he has answered those in other games. Some say he can't produce in the big games when it matters yet he scored against Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool. If he stays fit he can be a very good player but I still feel we need another striker to lead the attack and personally that would be my priority for us in the summer transfer window.
THEO WALCOTT - Walcott didn't return to first-team action from his long injury lay-off until November. He didn't feature the following month and didn't make his first start until January. His early performances were frustrating and he missed some seemingly easy chances but then again he had been out of action for a long time so it is understandable. Walcott hit a hat-trick in the final-day victory over West Brom, and grabbed a goal in the FA Cup Final, to at least end the season in style. If he can continue that form into next season who knows what might happen. I am not fully decided on Walcott but am fully prepared to give him a chance.
DANNY WELBECK - Welbeck only scored 8 times in 34 appearances in his debut season for the Gunners. He is a decent striker but will need to up his game to really prove his worth next season. His winning goal in the FA Cup victory at former club Manchester United was undoubtedly the highlight of his season.
OTHERS
Lukas Podolski can be a decent striker on his day and he has one hell of a shot on him but he was unable to prove himself with a lack of game time last season, so was unsurprisingly loaned to Inter Milan. It is hard to gauge how much more he can offer us but maybe next season can be a clean slate for him and he will hit the ground running...here's hoping.
Yaya Sanogo, Carl Jenkinson and Joel Campbell could be decent players for the future but are not yet good enough to replace any of the players in our current first team. I would probably feel the same whether they stayed or left.
17-year-old Krystian Bielik joined from Legia Warsaw in January but has yet to feature for the first team so it is impossible to judge him either way. From things I have heard he has the potential to be a star but let's wait and see.
ABOU DIABY
It was time to say a sad yet inevitable farewell to the French midfielder who was released this summer. Diaby had so much potential and the times I saw him play it was clear he could've become something special. But fitness was a big problem and after nine injury ravaged years, including just one cup appearance in the 2014/15 campaign, it was the right time to bid au revoir.
IN SUMMARY
Sanchez and Coquelin stole the headlines but I feel we need to add a top quality striker and another defensive midfielder if we are to mount a more serious challenge for the Premier League title next season.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
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