I stood @ Sh*te Hart Lane in absolute horror on Wednesday night. Everything that could go against us did.

To lose a league match to your arch rivals hurts, especially when you haven’t experienced it for over a decade. We started well till Almunia flopped yet again. Yes it was a good strike but it could have been avoided and don’t even get me started on the second goal. That was the killer. I reckon Silvestre is only there because of Johan Djourou's injury, effectively making up the numbers.

We’ve also lost yet another top player in Vermaelen. Now that’s Fabregas, Arshavin, Gibbs, Gallas, Djourou and Song out. I don’t care what anyone says, somebody up there must have it in for us. Injuries in football are an occupational hazard but this is taking the Michael. We’ve done excellently to get to where we are without some key players, before the WHL debacle 22 points out of 24. That’s title winning form at this stage of the season and even that was cocked up by Almunia at Brum, but the boss only now admits - when it’s too late - that our weaknesses have been exposed. Maybe now Wenger will realise that these youngsters need a few more older heads amongst them and that some others simply aren’t good enough and have to go.

Theo Walcott needs to learn to weave his runs. He should watch some DVDs of Overmars, Hleb, Giggs, Figo, Lennon etc. Failing that, play him as a centre forward and he might get a bit better. If not, it’s time for him to move on as it’s too late in his career to loan him out. Campbell should be skipper from now till the end of the season. He was one of the few who had the stomach for the fight and it’s a shame he ended up on the losing side. RVP's late cameo showed us exactly what we’ve been lacking and but for Gomes, who in sod’s law had a good night, we might have nicked a point and maybe all three.

Then we would be saying this morning that we are bona fide title contenders. If anything, we looked like the side who played extra-time on Sunday. We now have four games to finish as high as possible and even if the Spuds do finish fourth, they still have to win the qualifying match. So apart from the result last night they ain’t got much to gloat about. Back in October at the Emirates Cesc walked through their entire team. The other consolation for us this year will be second or third so we don’t have to play a qualifier in early August. But major investment is needed in the summer, this year more than ever. Out with the old and in with the new.