I’m still in shock from our cup exit. I can’t believe how easily we surrendered the match to an average Stoke side. What were we warned about before the game? Long throw-ins. And what do we do 70 seconds in? Concede. Fabianski flapped like a bird, Silvestre doesn’t have enough in the tank to complete a full game and why Wenger made all three subs at once looked to me an act of desperation rather than urgency.

At 1-1 we should have forced the issue a bit more. We knew that we would be bombarded and battered so why does he put the inexperienced Coquelin in defence? Maybe Sol should have done better on the second goal, but you could forgive him for being a bit rusty. Traore is not a defender and we were exposed big time. Why Clichy and Rosicky didn’t start is a mystery. Fabregas might as well have stayed at home.

Looking at the bigger picture if we go on and win either the league or Champions League than this result won’t matter too much. But, with United and Liverpool already out, there’s really only Chavski, Citeh and Villa who are a threat, so this year we would have had a better chance. Unlike Chavski though, we don’t have the luxury of playing teams from the Championship and below until the semis every year.

I read over the weekend that we have been offered Ryan Babel by Liverpool for £9million and Huntelaar from Milan on loan for at least the rest of the season. Either or both would be great signings. They are both "Arsenal players" - they fit in with the systems that Wenger likes to use. Babel has height and pace, as does Huntelaar - who is the fox in the box that we are crying out for. Both he and Babel have been unlucky with injuries and bad form but they both need games during this World Cup year and they will get those if they join us. They may not be eligible for Europe but they can help us push on in the title race.

After we’ve played Villa, United, the Chavs and the Scousers, we only have Citeh at home to worry about and tough trips to Porto, Sh**e Hart Lane, St Andrews and the Britannia to negotiate. Apart from that the rest of our games are certainly winnable, while the rest of the big four have to play each other again. It’s certainly going to be tightest run-in I’ve known for years.

Get the chequebook out Arsene, as you are maybe a signature or two away from winning the title or even better, the Champions League.