Oh dear. The wonders of timing. Quotes emerged from the boss last week that perhaps don’t quite chime with the feelings of many at the moment. “This year I feel we have appeased our fans a lot. We have always shown great attitude, a great response when needed.” What odds the interview that begat those words took place before the Spurs and Wigan games? Since then the wheels have come off a tad, haven’t they? Actually, to continue the car analogy, we’re left feeling we’ve been sold a bit of a lemon: it looks sleek and has excellent poke, but the exhaust can fall off when you go over a speed hump.

Personally, I still love the car. And I don’t see why a few tweaks won’t see it running like a dream for the foreseeable.

I do not share the same anger or desolation as many of the people contributing to this site and others. I don’t think the entire squad should be taken out back and shot. I find it hard to believe that people still bemoan Nicklas Bendtner as if he were the second coming of Chris Kiwomya; the fella has 9 goals in 12, many coming in high pressure situations. He produced a peach of a ball to set up an excellent Walcott finish v Barcelona. Yes, a Walcott finish. Anyone who was surprised that Theo could do that is either not watching or is desperately looking to scapegoat someone. His decision making leaves a lot to be desired, his crossing is pants, but the boy can run and the boy can finish, and those abilities are reason enough not to discard him. Alex Song, Thomas Vermaelen and Cesc Fabregas have been sensational. Gallas was superb when available.

The rest of the squad produced in fits and bursts, and it needs adding to in a serious way – this is no time for 19 year old projects or sub-£1 million cast-offs – but the way some of you lot have been going on you’d think we were Liverpool, or any of the other 88 clubs sitting beneath us in the league.

While many of you might not want to accept it, the club has achieved something that could be more vital to us than a trophy. While Manchester United operate with a staggering debt looming over them that seemingly requires perennial success, Liverpool writhe about like a slapper on a Saturday night looking for someone to buy her a drink, and Chelsea and City live or die on the whim of benefactors, our club managed to maintain a level of competition that has given us Champions’ League football and two title challenges while also building a massive cash cow called the Emirates Stadium. They paid off over a third of their debt in one year. They are beginning to make huge amounts of money. I agree that it’s a total waste if it’s not used making the club as strong as possible and giving the fans what they want, but give them a chance. Damn them for not doing so already if you like, but at least accept that they would have done it while damaging the club’s long-term financial position. Acknowledge the bigger picture even if you want to be critical.

Watching the disgrace at Wigan was painful viewing and I would not suggest that it was in any way good enough. Nor, I am sure would the manager. In the last few weeks he has been as forward in talking about the need to change things and bring in new players as I can remember him being. If he fails to bring in a keeper, or resolve the ridiculous injury problems we have then fine, he is fair game, but right now, a lot of you sound like United fans biting the hand that feeds them.

Five years without a trophy is a long time for a club like ours. But there are two caveats to that point. First, it’s not like this club hasn’t moved forward massively in other departments. Second, we’re in an age where other clubs with similar histories, like Villa, Spurs and Everton, have been feeding off scraps thrown from the table we have sat squarely at for a decade. The anger over the long arduous wait (approximately a quarter of the time Liverpool fans have had) is based on the period of excellence that preceded it. That wasn’t down to Bruce Rioch, George Graham, David Dein, Peter Hill Wood or Joe Bloggs ten rows back. The way some of us whine suggests we’re unaware of the club’s history pre-Wenger. Before Anfield in 1989, we had to wait 18 years to win the league!

I truly want to see this club strengthened, for the cracks to be filled, the days of projects and development above all else to be brought to an end. But I am not so blind as to suggest this club does not possess a very strong hand, or has the heritage of excellence that some, many, appear to believe. We all have reasons to be bitterly disappointed, but vitriolic? Leave it for the rest, this club’s a little too classy for it.