Not sure who is the preferred partner of Cesc Fabregas these days – Denilson or Song. But whichever it is, if everyone is available, Arsenal had four first choice starters on the field against Porto. That, however, doesn’t excuse the performance.

A lack of commitment is one thing. Players don’t want to get injured if they consider the prize they are chasing is relatively meaningless. But that shouldn’t mean the basics go out of the window. So defending was very poor throughout the side with the exception of the goalkeeper. And the passing was little better.

It’s the supporters that travelled to Porto I feel sorry for. Of course, it’s not the first time an Arsenal side have stunk a stadium out away in Europe. But this defeat is sadly symbolic of a deeper decline in the team’s fortunes. Indeed the club’s fortunes. Because actually, many of the players out there had something to prove but simply failed to take the opportunity.

Arsenal won’t win the Champions League this season because even with a good deal of luck, they are simply not good enough at preventing opportunities against them. Of course, new players may be brought in during January, but will they be eligible for Europe? It’s more about making the competition next season now to take advantage of what will hopefully be a major rebuild in the summer. And on that level, I hope to God the scouting network is putting in some overtime and looking at some players over 23 years old.

Here is a list of players patently not good enough for Arsenal Football Club: Eboue, Silvestre, Denilson, Song, Diaby and Bendtner. Not that the other players last night were any better, but I know they are capable of much, much better. Not many of the named players are. A side can carry the odd player, but not this many. Unfortunately, there is a patent lack of character in too many of the squad. And that judgment is based on many games this season rather than being a knee-jerk reaction. You wouldn’t want many of this lot lining up with you in the trenches.

Middlesbrough on Saturday lunchtime. You suspect that Sagna, Clichy, Fabregas, Van Persie and Adebayor will return for the game. I’m not expecting great things though. It’s that kind of season. It’s that kind of squad. Lose to Boro and win against Liverpool. That would be true to form.

You can write off the Porto game as an inevitable defeat, nothing of real concern. But a clean sheet would not have done the team any harm at all, even if they had no ambition. Arsenal put in some poor displays in Europe during the 2001-02 double season. But in the context of what else has gone on this season, Porto away was symbolic of a deeper malaise. There is no depth to this squad. The make do and mend approach of Arsene Wenger is coming apart at the seams.