Arsene Wenger is insisting that there is very little between his current squad and the newly crowned champions Man Utd.

Only that we conceded just 12 more than them. “Just” 12. If you concede two a game and fail to at least match that, then you lose six games. I begin to wonder if Le Boss is finally going round the frigging pipe. He seems to be far too emotionally attached to his young starlets and will do anything to protect them from anything resembling criticism. A severe case of rose tinting.

In championship winning terms, conceding a dozen goals more than your arch rivals is a total disaster, to which no team, no matter how talented, can ever recover over a 38 game season. The Facts.

Man Utd: P 37 A 24
Liverpool: P 37 A 26
Chelsea: P37 A 22
Arsenal: P37 A 36

We have conceded ten more than Liverpool, who in the end came a limp second. Scoring goals is not a problem. Scoring them at the right time is our big problem, but you simply cannot expect to be serious title contenders against the three best teams in England, if not Europe when you are shipping on average, a goal a game.

The need for new defensive additions to the squad is plain to see. Bottom line is, we need a world class goal keeper, central defender and holding midfielder this summer, to have even a hint of a chance of pushing the top three closer next year. Like most Gooners, I fear this requirement will, once again go unaddressed and we will again be left trailing in the wake of our northern and west London rivals.

How much longer must we accept being also rans? Arsene was a master tactician for the first six years of his reign, but the last six have been poor by ours, and his standards. Only he can raise his own bar. As far as Arsene is concerned, it really is next year or never!

Maybe at last some truths are starting to dawn. I speak of Ade-barn-dor. No place at Old Trafford. Only a weak excuse for his absence. Chelski chavs here he comes!!!! £30m for us, and hopefully a striker who understands hard work, team play, and the offside rule…