Let me start by saying that I have supported The Arsenal since 1970 and have experienced many highs and lows during the ensuing 40 years. At the moment, I think it is fair to say, that a low has set in. Now as low periods go it is not too bad, we are not talking about the likes of Walford and Ceasar at the back, or a strikeforce of Hawley and Hankin (in fact at the moment it would appear that a proper striker is superfluous - but that is beside the point). Arsenal are not flirting with relegation as they were in the mid seventies, it is not 18 f-ing years, to quote Colin Firth's character in Fever Pitch, since the last title win, and we have a manager that has previously given us arguably the greatest Arsenal sides ever. On the flip side however, we also now do not possess players of the calibre of Seaman, Adams, Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp and Henry to name just a few. Arsenal now exist in a kind of Limbo Land where serious (or any) silverware is very unlikely but spectacular failure is just as unlikely too.

How long is this status quo going to last? Unfortunately, my guess is a long time if the team continues in the same manner. As long as a Champions League berth is secured and a half decent run in Europe in achieved I think we will be served up more of the same. Perhaps I have become greedy and some of you fellow Gooners will say that it is a great deal better than supporters of the likes of Spurs, Everton, City and Villa have endured for many years now. Of course that is true, but having seen Arsenal taken to the top of the tree by Wenger, and experienced being the best, with real expectation of winning the top trophies, it is now very difficult to adjust back to the current lack of ambition at Arsenal.

A great puzzle to me is that it is the same manager at the helm that experienced great success. How has Wenger gone from producing the 'Invincibles' to morph into the current version of himself, tolerating so many performances, particularly against Chavski and Manure, that have plumbed the depths.

Of course my ardent wish to see Arsenal back at the very top is not helped by the financial prudence the club is adhering to. If I was a businessman or a shareholder I would applaud the efforts to run the club on a sound financial footing, and would not like what is happening to football in general with many clubs in financial peril. But as a supporter can I really not look with envy at Citeh, Manure and Chavski and wish Arsenal would join them and compete for the top players in the game? Unless and until legislation is put in place to force clubs to operate within their turnover, which may never happen, Arsenal will face an uphill battle to even stay where they are. David Dein alluded to this not so long ago, before he was forced out.

The thought of continuing to bump along in third or fourth spot with no genuine hope of winning the Premiership is very depressing. Equally depressing is the fruitless pursuit of Champions League glory and the throwing away of the FA Cup. The current team might just win the FA Cup one year (providing someone does us a favour and eliminates Manure and the Chavs) but the Champions League? I just don't think so.

The time has come for this team to either prove the doubters wrong and make the step up required to become winners, or fail badly and force the issue in this way. Of course I have no real wish to see Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League, as this may be a prelude to a disastrous freefall, but what else is going to shake the board and manager out of their apparent indifference to Arsenal languishing in Limbo Land?