Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes inconsistency is a problem to face when the squad is full of youngsters, reason why experience is needed to add balance to the side.

With the Gunners about to close yet another season with nothing to show for, the 43-year old explained that experience is needed in the side as one cannot keep on saying how young the squad is forever, in an attempt to justify the lack of silverware.

The former England International added how this season was a golden opportunity for Arsenal to win the title, but they are again left empty-handed with plenty of questions raised ahead of the summer. Keown also explained that the young players have to understand that when they are selected to play in the regular side, they need to show they are up to the job.

According to the club’s official website, manager Arsene Wenger explained that Arsenal “have money to overtake Chelsea” so it will be interesting to see how the Frenchman invests this summer, if he decides to do so.

Keown is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail:

The staff have worked hard for another year and they will go away disillusioned for another summer because this year has been a missed opportunity. The title was there to win this season.

If you look at the age of the team this year then I think they have over-achieved. They are all very young but we can’t keep saying that forever.

Arsenal need to buy in a sprinkling of proven quality players and introduce them alongside the current players, and they will drag them over the line.

It’s very important that you have these people in the squad. They are people who have been there and done it. They are people who you can look up to and rely on to show that quality.

When you have a squad full of youngsters you get inconsistency and you are never quite sure how they’ll perform. All the Arsenal players are now playing for their futures.

They only have a few games to prove that they deserve to play at their club and that they deserve to have a future and that goes with the territory when you are playing for a big club.

The minute you can’t win a trophy then you don’t deserve a place, it’s as simple as that.