Le Boss’s tunnel vision and stubbornness concerning his players have been much chronicled on these pages and now he is starting to be mocked by assorted TV media pundits who frankly, don’t deserve to appear in the same sentence as Arsene Wenger’s name. As Arsenal fans, we all owe Wenger so much but aren’t we too in danger of becoming as myopic as him if we don’t raise our concerns about deteriorating standards amongst those who pull on the sacred red and white shirts?

The intransigent performance of our manager defending affairs on the field and his transfer dealings has become such that he puts me in mind of the Black Knight in the “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” film. He’s the knight who keeps begging to fight on despite being gradually dismembered. I see Wenger as this Black Knight for whom each limb lost is equivalent to dropped league points, lost cup ties or losing a key player on a transfer such as a Fabregas, Flamini, Pires or Gilberto yet still he continues to say he can fight on and overcome his patently superior rivals. With their world class goalkeepers. And their players who can play to and adhere to a tactical gameplan. And who can track back and defend. And who shoot on sight when there is a half chance in a tight, must win match.

I can go on in a similar vein but I’ve got the rest of the week to stay bitter, twisted and cynical.

Lee Dixon stated on MOTD2 after the Chelsea defeat that in 33 games since 2005 and our FA Cup Final Win (gutsed out with a paper thin, injury ravaged squad with ten men v United), Arsenal have only managed to win six times against Chelsea and Man U which left me feeling even more sick. Here is solid proof (assuming Lee’s stats are spot on) that I need to change my nostalgia/Gooner Gold tinted lenses, ignore my heart and start to get realistic about where this current squad is headed.

Our best players are just not good enough to outplay the best players of Barcelona, Chelsea and Man U because we have too few of them. These other sides have genuine playing strength in depth and they all have a solid spine running through the entire side, from a top drawer shotstopper, a pair of hard men at the back, on to a ball carrying midfield enforcer and through to a 30 goal a season net buster. Their managers send their players out to play with a plan according to who the opposition is and those players play to it or they don’t play for the side again.

Sure, Arsenal do not have a divine right to win every match and competition but it is becoming ever more difficult to stomach seeing our best XI being outplayed when the Club refuses to strengthen glaring onfield weaknesses and players are being played who don’t understand the basic art of defending or otherwise being tactically aware.

If Arsene Wenger believes in the next generation of Arsenal players then let’s see them play more and I’ll happily roar them on as plucky underdogs against the Billionaire Playboy XIs. But what I can’t tolerate is continuing with the same assortment of underachievers and neverbeens (regularly named and shamed here and on all manner of other Gooner forums a mere click away via your mouse) and hearing they will win something next year. Or the year after.