Mikel Arteta has been told that he should focus on signing a defensive midfielder in the summer transfer window to bolster his ranks at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners secured a major scalp after beating Premier League champions Liverpool on Wednesday, providing a significant boost ahead of this weekend's FA Cup semi-final and the season's finale.
New additions are expected in the summer transfer window and many have called for a defensive shake-up but, according to John Barnes, the focus should be in midfield.
"Arsenal have problems with David Luiz, but it’s more to do with the way they defend as a team," Barnes told BonusBetCodes.
"When Arsene Wenger first joined the club and created this way of playing, they were fine with Martin Keown, Tony Adams and other good defenders, as well as Patrick Viera and Emmanuel Petit in front of them, who were defensively hard-working midfielders.
"Now, because of this new way of playing, as the team developed, they gained players who could go forwards with the same attacking philosophy but who couldn’t protect the back four.
"The main problem is that they have a creative midfield who don’t protect the defence, with no holding-midfielder type players.
"Of course, they can always get better players, but the bigger problem is how they defend and play as a team.
"For example, Matteo Guendouzi is nice player, but they need more defensive steel in the midfield. People who are not quite as good on the ball but can defend.
"Or you look for a defender like Adams, Bould, Keown and Dixon.
"You don’t need anyone protecting them because although they may not be as good on the ball, they can defend. Arteta will have to decide how he wants to play this."
