A Patrick Vieira in his prime would solve Arsenal's problems

Arsene Wenger and his young side saw their title ambitions all but snuffed out by three goals in ten minutes at the DW Stadium last weekend. The Frenchman’s current squad has been criticised for its lack of attacking options in the absence of Robin Van Persie and well-documented problems between the sticks were brought back into focus by last weekend’s capitulation, but Kevin Garside, writing in the Daily Telegraph, believes the one man who could have held the north Londoner’s title challenge together this season will be lining up against them later today.

Were Wenger to hold his blueprint up to the light, the beady eye of scrutiny would not only illuminate technical shortcomings in goal and at centre forward, but also a hole the size of a gloved fist that Vieira used to fill. That visceral quality invoked by the uber competitor when the house goes up in flames is the attribute Arsenal have lacked most this season, not the embroidery of fancy feet.

The want of a fireman of Vieira's standing had Wenger casting through his memory box yesterday to 1996, when the Frenchman arrived from AC Milan to form the Gallic axis with Emmanuel Petit of Wenger's first championship-winning team. This was the start of Wenger's shift from the English template. Arsenal retained their English yoke but Vieira slotted in sweetly, melding continental vision with the hobnail boot. Vieira's Arsenal did not blow two-goal leads with 10 minutes to go in sweet shops like Wigan.