Another Premier League season comes to an end and for a 16th campaign in a row, Arsene Wenger has masterminded qualification to the Champions League.

This season a Top Four place for the Gunners is seen as an achievement given the criticism and problems faced by the club earlier on in the campaign.

Newstalk Breakfast's Oisin Langan spoke to Phil Thompson. The former Liverpool defender believes Arsenal and Wenger deserve some credit for beating Tottenham to a place in the Top Four.

"They do deserve a little bit of credit," said Thompson. "There are flaws in this Arsenal team however. But there are flaws in Chelsea and slight flaws in the Manchester United squad. But I don't think Arsene Wenger should be getting carried away because there is a lot of work to be done. It is their weakest team for a long time."

But is it a question of spending big this summer?

"He could spend a bit more," said Thompson. "It's a case of getting the right players in the right areas. The right back position needs to be sorted out and he does need another centre-back. He also needs some genuine wide players. He hasn't got any of those anymore. Walcott wants to play down the middle and Oxlade-Chamberlain is not a genuine wide player."

Bale

Thompson said he liked striker Olivier Giroud but that the Frenchman is not the player that will score the goals to make Arsenal champions again. Thompson expects Wenger to move early in the transfer window.

Thoughts then turned to the team that lost out on a place in the Top Four. With no Champions League football to look forward to, Gareth Bale's future continues to be clouded by uncertainty.

But Thompson has a hunch that Bale will stay at White Hart Lane in the short-term.

"I think he will stay for another year to be honest," he said. "I think he still owes Tottenham something. He's been a fantastic player and scored some great goals from Christmas-time onwards. I think he'll wait and see what happens next season."

Robin Van Persie did leave the Emirates despite owing Arsenal after they stuck by him through his injury problems, but Thompson feels there is a key difference between RVP and Bale. 

"There is an age difference between the players," he explained. "RVP is pushing 30 and is thinking 'I need to do something about this' but Gareth Bale is 23 and has plenty of time to seek pastures new if that opportunity arises. And that's the one and only reason why I think he will give it another chance."

Jamie Carragher also retired after 17 years at Liverpool and Thompson feels that the Anfield dressing room will miss the defender's presence.

But overall, Thompson thought this was a distinctly average season in the Premier League.

Listen to the full interview below: