What do Arsenal need to change to win the Premier League?

With another Arsenal title challenge effectively over, we look at what they must do to improve next season...

Arsenal's Premier League title hopes were all but ended at the weekend as their 3-3 draw with West Ham on Saturday left them even further behind Leicester and Tottenham, who beat Sunderland and Manchester United respectively on Super Sunday.

Arsene Wenger's side are now 13 points off the top of the table with six games to play, leaving them in a familiar scrap for the Champions League places after another campaign in which they have failed to sustain a serious title challenge.

Premier League table Team Games played Goal difference Points Leicester 33 +26 72 Tottenham 33 +35 65 Arsenal 32 +22 59 Man City 32 +25 57 Man Utd 32 +9 53

With either Leicester or rivals Spurs set to become the fourth different side to win the title since Arsenal's last triumph back in the 2003/04 season, frustration levels at the Emirates Stadium have hit new heights.

Familiar issues have resurfaced once again, and many supporters are now eager to see the back of their long-serving manager. Wenger, though, has made it clear he has no intention of leaving before the end of his contract in 2017.

So what does the Frenchman need to change to spark a change of fortunes next season? Here, we take a look at the main areas in need of attention…

Mentality

Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead against West Ham

Arsenal's brittle mentality was glaringly obvious in Saturday's capitulation at Upton Park. Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez's goals had put them in cruise control in east London, but when Andy Carroll pulled a goal back shortly before half-time, there was a sense of inevitability about what followed.

A tougher side would have held onto their lead and regrouped at half-time, but Carroll capitalised on more Arsenal panic to equalise before completing his hat-trick shortly after the break. Wenger put the goals down to a weakness from crosses - but Arsenal's psychological fragility is a far deeper issue.

"All of Arsenal's problems were highlighted against West Ham and it's not character coming back to salvage a point, it's character to hold on to that lead," says Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas.

When you're 2-0 up and going for the title you must have the ingredients to see it through. Charlie Nicholas

"When you're 2-0 up and going for the title you must have the ingredients to see it through, be it blocking off Andy Carroll or not allowing them to feed him with so many balls into the box."

Only Liverpool (17) and Crystal Palace (15) have lost more points from winning positions than Arsenal (14) this season, and their slide off the top of the table since January indicates they still can't cope when the pressure is cranked up. Wenger has been unable to alter Arsenal's mindset in recent years - but it's an urgent requirement if they are to repeat their former glories.

Finishing

Olivier Giroud has scored 12 goals this season - but missed 13 clear-cut chances, according to Opta

Dismal finishing has been a theme of Arsenal's season, with Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey guilty of repeatedly spurning goal-scoring opportunities.

The problem is particularly frustrating given the sheer number of opportunities they create. According to Opta, Arsenal have fashioned 77 clear-cut chances this season - 15 more than any other side - but they have also missed 61 - 11 more than any of their rivals.

Arsene Wenger was left disappointed by Arsenal's 3-3 draw at West Ham Arsene Wenger was left disappointed by Arsenal's 3-3 draw at West Ham

Only Southampton, Sunderland, Aston Villa and Swansea have inferior clear-cut chance conversion rates than Arsenal (35.79 per cent), and the result is that they have only scored three more goals (55) than sixth-placed West Ham and struggling Everton.

Danny Welbeck has brought fresh impetus since his return from injury, but Arsenal still lack a natural goalscorer. In recent years, Wenger has been unwilling to break the bank for Luis Suarez and Gonzalo Higuain, but their prolific form for Barcelona and Napoli shows the value of a world-class striker.

Transfers

Petr Cech was Arsenal's only summer signing ahead of 2015/16

That brings us to Arsenal's transfer strategy. Wenger showed he is willing to spend big with the signings of Ozil and Sanchez, but the Gunners were the only club in Europe's top-five leagues not to sign an outfield player last summer, and it wasn't the first time they have dragged their heels in the transfer market.

That needs to change. Wenger has made a habit of revealing the players he nearly signed, but this summer they must work proactively to secure their targets early in the window and give their squad as much time as possible to work together in pre-season.

Reports that they have already submitted an opening bid for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka suggest lessons might have been learned, but Arsenal's hunt for reinforcements should not end there - and there is certainly no shortage of money to spend.

"I actually felt more confident in the summer than for a long time because we signed Petr Cech and that was exactly what we needed without spending much, but clearly that wasn't enough," says Nicholas. "The way I look at it right now is we lack a top quality centre-half and a top striker. I think they spoke to Karim Benzema and got a negative response. Was there another top striker available? To be honest I don't know if they went for Gonzalo Higuain or not.

"In terms of defenders, I'd take Raphael Varane in a heartbeat, who is for some reason behind Pepe and Sergio Ramos in Real Madrid's pecking order, and I'd like to think Arsene would be in his agent's ear. He's quick, strong, and as a young Frenchman fits the Wenger idealism.

"However, Wenger doesn't have a knack of turning young defenders into great ones."

Defence

Per Mertesacker has come in for criticism this season

Saturday's draw with West Ham was the eighth time this season Arsenal have conceded three or more goals in a single game, and it also showed they are still vulnerable to a physical, aerial approach.

Their widespread defensive failings at Upton Park reflected the scale of the issue. Not only did Arsenal's back four fail to stand up to Carroll, but wingers Alexis Sanchez and Alex Iwobi failed to provide adequate cover on the flanks, with all three of the Hammers' goals coming from crosses.

The Gunners have been dogged by complacency at the back throughout the season, and the stats show they have made 28 individual errors leading to opposition shots. No Premier League team have made more. Wenger needs to address the issue as a matter of priority.

Errors leading to opposition shots - Premier League Team Errors leading to shots Arsenal 23 Liverpool 20 West Brom 20

"Mauricio Pochettino has taught Jan Vertonghen how to be a centre-back and Claudio Ranieri has turned Wes Morgan and Robert Huth into a solid defensive unit," says Nicholas. "If Pochettino and Ranieri can make their centre-backs see out games, why hasn't Wenger done that with the talent he's got?

"Gabriel has showed no signs of developing and Laurent Koscielny should be the best defender in the league. Andy Carroll's second goal was absolutely embarrassing."