With the departure of Flamini and recently Gilberto, there seems to be a widening gap in Arsenal's defensive midfield. This will be a huge problem next season. Flamini was a key player last season, and he was dubbed as the Premier League's response to Milan's Gattuso. He scored a few goals, notably against Aston Villa (2-1) Reading (3-1), and Newcastle United (Remember THAT stunner! 3-0). Aside from that, he was that stampeding stallion in the defensive half of our midfield - stopping (almost) anything that came his way. A season before that, our main man was Gilberto. He did his share of captaining the team in what was a season of mixed emotions, (the fight following the Carling Cup final) historic wins,(you can never forget that double over Manchester United), and of course... games we lost (West Ham, Sheffield United) but nonetheless we still held our ground despite Henry's injuries and stayed in the top four thanks to the heroic courage of Gilberto. Where Flamini owned the ground Gilberto owned the air. But now with both of them gone, who can take their place? Seems to me that an Englishman has well established himself in the Premiership, particularly with his performances last season. Gareth Barry of Aston Villa. So the news so far tells us that Arsenal have made an inquiry on Barry upon hearing that the deal with Liverpool has stalled in the asking price. With the extra 12mil that we made today by selling Alexander Hleb, perhaps Wenger should splash some cash on Barry. His presence would be quite welcome and his age isn't much of a worry yet. The 6'0 ft holding midfielder is known for his good passing and strong tackles that could be vital in order for Arsenal to become title contenders next season. So far the most recent news is that Pat Rice called Martin O'Neill and told him to keep up the tabs on Barry. We shall see what goes on in the next few days... With Hleb gone to Barcelona, Arsene Wenger should have his sights on someone soon... and Gareth Barry would be the perfect match for an Arsenal side that will be gunning for many successes this season.