When Arsene Wenger brands Blackburn’s tactics unfair, what does he hope to achieve? Will it undo the previous ninety-odd minutes, appease increasingly disgruntled supporters, or bring about a change in the rules of the game and how referees implement them? As far as I can see it only serves to anger the majority of us even further. Talking about overly physical play after the Ramsey incident is one thing - it needs saying when a boy has his leg snapped - but to moan and moan when everyone knew what was coming suggests either tactical naivety, or arrogant self-entitlement. Neither bode well for the summer or beyond.

Practically no one enjoys the sight of Sam Allardyce and his hackers winning, but it’s even less pleasant when you appreciate that the defeat was handed to them. Arsenal’s shocking, unforgivable collapse is down to a paper-thin and weak-willed squad being robbed of their best players by sub-standard training and/or physical care and possessing none of the drive, grit or determination to do anything about it.

If it is not shaken up and new, better players are not brought in to the first team then it could lead to a revision of Wenger’s entire time at the club. He will still have revolutionised the training regime, extended players careers, spotted and developed fantastic talent, and led us to the E******s, but the titles and trophies, won by the combination of wonderful skill and unflagging competitiveness might be re-evaluated. Did Wenger get lucky with the players at his command?

The manner in which the boss gutted the Invincibles will be pinpointed as the moment the tide shifted. To be honest, it’s not as if things could get much rosier, but there has been an absence of fight in the side ever since. The departures of Campbell, Edu, Vieira, Gilberto, Flamini, Cole, Henry, Bergkamp, Lauren, Parlour, Lehmann, Pires, Ljungberg and Keown to add to Petit, Adams, Dixon, Winterburn, Seaman and Bould’s previously, withdrew from the club the competitive, determined, nasty attitude that had allowed them to play with such panache and incision. There were days when Arsenal could just pass you off the park, score four before half-time and be done with it, but on the days when things weren’t clicking or the opposition was fierce, we were more than capable of kicking and grinding our way to a win. Arsenal under Wenger have always been prone to defeats, and strings of them but at the business end of the season, or when the opportunity for revenge presented itself, the old side would take their opportunities ruthlessly.

Gilberto Silva came in for a lot of flak from fans who could only understand crunching tackles and goals scored, but I remember him in the home leg of the Juventus quarter final. The commitment he showed was immense that night, that entire season and the one that followed in fact, and I am sure I remember seeing him threaten to fight his opposite number that night. Everything about that way he stared at his opponent made it clear it was no hollow threat.

What player among our current squad would you expect similar from? Van Persie , Cesc and Vermaelen are really the only ones you would put on the same level. Gallas’ record for late goals and his titles with Chelsea show he has tremendous heart, but he’s likely to be leaving us and seems now to lack the physicality to match it. Alex Song has been a rock while there have been enough hints from the full backs, Bendtner and Arshavin – admittedly last year – to suggest they could be up to the task of rebuilding Arsenal in its old image. I have high hopes for some, and don’t believe the terrible end to the season shouldn’t see them on the scrapheap, but they shouldn’t be trusted with playing an important role for this great club until they have learnt that fight and determination are even more important than touch and technique.

The question is, does Wenger see that? Can he dissect where things have gone wrong since, and can he make amends in the summer?