Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey insists the current squad is more than capable of winning the Premier League title next season.
It has been yet another mixed bag of a season for Ramsey and the Gunners, with the FA Cup Final again looking like the decisive game between a successful season and a disappointing one.
A disappointing start to the campaign has seen Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea run away with the title, but Arsenal’s Welshman insists they can challenge in the coming season. However an impressive 2015 has seen a turnaround in their season, securing third place and an all-important UEFA Champions League spot.
Ramsey though feels that the side are edging ever closer to their first Premier League trophy since 2004 and that the North London club’s good form this year could lead them to the very top next season.
"We were a bit inconsistent the first half of the season, and we couldn’t put a run together," said Ramsey.
"I think maybe injuries had an influence, new players coming in, and maybe the team wasn’t quite settled. We couldn’t find that consistency we were looking for and ultimately we paid the price because Chelsea did it throughout the season. They deserve it. In the second-half we’ve done really well and that’s been really positive. That’s something that we can finish off on and go into the FA Cup and hopefully win that again and go into next season challenging."
Ramsey was a key figure in Arsenal lifting their first trophy for nine years scoring the winner in extra time. If they can repeat the same feat this year and lift the trophy for the second consecutive season, Ramsey feels the season will be viewed as a successful one.
"It would be a dream come true and an amazing achievement for me personally. It would cap of a good season and be one to remember."
The stage is set then for Arsenal and Ramsey to retain the FA Cup for the second time in their history, but a hungry Aston Villa side led by former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood will be eager to spoil the party and end a troubling season on a high.