Thoughts on a best starting XI

This is the time of the summer when many of us are trying to figure out what Arsenal’s best starting XI will look like. Last season there was little doubt what our best team would be, with many of the staple players in place already and the new members (Arteta and Mertesacker in particular) seemed to slot in easily, either due to filling an injury spot or replacing an outgoing player. This year there’s some uncertainty that makes this discussion quite an interesting one.
For one, there’s still the single largest unknown in van Persie, who remains at the club, even though rumours still abound about his imminent departure. Obviously, if he stays at Arsenal, he will continue in his capacity as centre forward and main goal scorer. (Whether or not he remains captain is something that’s been hotly debated; I for one believe he should pass on the armband...