Mesut Ozil

The man everyone has been talking about. After a sensational start to his Arsenal career his performances have looked slack over the last few months and his missed penalty against Bayern Munich seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back for a lot of supporters.

He is a player flooded with talent, but similarly to a lot of other Arsenal players he looks to have burned out.

He is one of the most effective playmakers in European football, we saw that last season at Real Madrid, and the importance of his performances over the next few months will be crucial to whether or not the north London side finally win a trophy.

In his 22 Premier League appearances this season Ozil has eight assists and four goals, while in the Champions League the has another two assists and a goal, which came against Napoli in the group stages. 

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Jack Wilshere

The England international has had a mixed bag this season which has also been broken up by injury. He has continued to try and rally his team-mates on the pitch and in the press, but when your performances are as inconsistent as his it's hard to keep him seriously, I would have thought.

Wilshere is a player who struggles to make an impact when his team is losing but can make it difficult for opponents to dominate the midfield when the Gunners are holding a lead.

He has chipped in with three goals this season and has three assists to his name, too, but for me I think he is a bit of a liability in the middle. His tackling is poor and he often gives away niggly fouls, while he isn't very good at taking players on.

If Arsenal are serious about winning the league then the 22-year-old will have to follow his words up with some stronger performances. 

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Yaya Sanogo

The young Frenchman was handed his debut against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last month and did a good job, all things considered. A baptism of fire if ever there was one, the lanky striker added energy and a sense of urgency in the frontline but was unable to get a strong foothold of the game because of the strength of opposition.

Since though he has had a chance to show what he can do against a mix of opposition and his finishing has left a lot to be desired.

It's incredibly important that the youngster steps up his game over the next few months for a couple of reasons. The first is for his own future. He's not made a huge impact at the club but looks like a promising player who could become a big part of the club's future, though he needs to work hard.

The second is because of Olivier Giroud. The France international has been burnt out on occasions this season and the Gunners have lacked firepower, so for Sanogo to come in and make a stamp is crucial.

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Shinji Kagawa

The little Japan international hasn't had much luck at Old Trafford this season. After impressing under Sir Alex Ferguson last time out he was pushed into a wide role by David Moyes and it's somewhat ruined his performances.

He's at his best when drifting between the lines in a central spot and sliding balls through to the forwards, but he has struggled to that this year and he has hardly featured.

There is no doubt in my mind that the playmaker is good enough to play at the very highest level, but if those in charge at Old Trafford aren't going to play him in his best position or even at all, then I think it's time to move him on and use the money on someone who the current team rate highly.

Last season he played 20 games, created 19 chances and scored six goals, though this time round he has made nine appearances and hasn't done anything to shout about.

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Robin van Persie

Yes, I said it. Last season's Premier League top scorer is on my list. The Dutchman has proved to us all that he can score a shed-load of goals given the right service and in the right team, but I can't see him ever matching last season's tally.

He's 31 on his next birthday and is experiencing injury problems again, something which he has been plagued with through his career, and naturally that has taken a toll on his goal return. He has done well to get his 12 this season but I think it's time to build around Rooney again, as the money the club are supposedly spending on him needs warranting.

With Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck also at the club, with the latter being fancied as a future star, I would probably look to offload van Persie in order to recoup some of the money they spent on him and concentrate on the others.

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Nani

What a waste of time Nani has turned out to be. The Portuguese forward came into the club fancied to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo, but as one went onto win the Ballon d'Or twice and break all sorts of records, which he is still doing, the other is rotting in the Manchester United background.

He has pace and a lethal shot on him, but that's about as good as it gets. His link up play with the forwards is dismal and despite being urged to get back in and help with the defensive side of the game he fails to do so.

For me I would look to get rid and keep Adnan Januzaj the main man as well as signing a player who is a wide midfielder, rather than an out and out winger as players like Nani go missing a lot of the time. Although few go missing as much as the Portugal international.

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Ashley Young

Young is another player who frustrates me massively. His game is all about getting the ball to feet, turning towards goal and running at defenders. His quick feet used to be major strong points for the winger, yet these days he trips over them more times than he beats his man.

The confidence he used to carry in his game seems to have dissolved due to his poor form and he looks reluctant to try and beat a player with skill. His crossing is poor and compared to the wingers at the clubs in the top four, Young is average at best.

He has 21 appearances to his name this season in the Premier League and Champions League and has failed to claim an assist, which tells you all you need to know about the player. He has scored two goals, though they have come against weak opposition and the best thing I can say about him is he wins a lot of free kicks. 

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Rio Ferdinand

In his prime, Ferdinand was one of the most impressive centre-backs in European football. He had the physique to muscle people off the ball and was a domineering presence in the air, but it was what he did with the ball that made him a standout player.

His composure was second to none and he was the silky player installed next to the bustling Serb Nemanja Vidic and together they balanced the United defence perfectly.

However, with the speed escaping from Ferdinand's legs and his body rusting up that composure has now turned into what looks like desperation.

He is constantly caught out of possession and is unable to make up the ground, which in turn causes the full-back to come across to cover or Ferdinand himself making a rash challenge to halt the opposition.

Now approaching 36 I would look to get rid and base my defence around the younger players in the squad such as Phil Jones.

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Tom Cleverley

How Cleverley is still a Manchester United player is beyond me. No longer is he a young, exciting prospect expected to run rings around Premier League opposition, nor is he the player that everyone had hoped for. Instead he takes up valuable space in the United midfield and does nothing with it, in my eyes.

He can pass the ball, as long as it is to someone next to him, and he can get in opponents faces, but other than that he doesn't offer much.

The 24-year-old slows down the play when he receives the ball and he never threatens to push forward either. It is left up to the likes of Carrick to spray the balls out to the wings or Rooney to drop deep to come and make something happen.

For me this is the summer where he has to be offloaded if Moyes is serious about changing his fortunes at the club. 

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Sanogo impresses

Prior to the game, when the team-sheets were announced, there was one man who was the centre of attention. Out of nowhere, Arsenal handed Yaya Sanogo a start in the side in place of Olivier Giroud, much to the surprise of almost everybody.

He soon showed why Wenger had faith in him though, displaying quick footwork, a desire to run at players and an impressive turn of pace.

The big French striker struggled to get a foothold in the second half but was a highlight of the first. He tried his luck at goal on three occasions, he won nine of the 13 headers he went up for and showed a hunger to get back and defend, too, as he made three interceptions and two clearances.

For a player with such little experience in the side, to come in and play the way he did was brilliant to watch, and if the game was on level terms on numbers then things could have player out differently.

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