The day after a big win (Real Madrid away) it is a great reality check for every doubting Gooner to read feedback and letters from earlier in the season when things weren’t going so well. That doesn’t mean that comments like “We needed to sign two or three world class players in the summer”, “Where is Thierry Henry?” or “Flamini and Fabregas (both way out of their league)” are any less valid, it just puts them in context. Last night Henry put in a Captain’s performance, Flamini did as well as could be expected from anyone playing out of position and Fabregas was highly effective. At the same time Hleb started well but then faded, Ljungberg still needs to recover his goalscoring form and Senderos never looked entirely comfortable.

The current team is a team in transition. On a good day, like last night, you can see why Lehmann, Toure, Eboue, Fabregas, Henry and Reyes could be the core of another great side but you also know that they will have a real battle against Blackburn on Saturday. The win against Madrid will have given the players confidence but it won’t be the same level of confidence that allowed the 2003/2004 side go all season unbeaten in the league. In theory we are now only six games away from winning the Champions League but let’s be honest, we aren’t Champions and we will need shed loads of Scouse style luck if we are to be playing in Paris on 17 May. As for the Premiership, chances are that our race with Spurs to secure fourth place will go right to the wire as both teams lack consistency. What would be very funny would be to come fifth behind Spurs and then win the CL so demoting Spurs to the UEFA Cup under the CL new rules. Can you imagine the reaction of Saint Gary of Lineker, David Pleat and Garth Crooks to that?

Everyone laughed at Wenger when he said that his team was capable of going unbeaten all season. He may have got his timing slightly wrong but his prediction was ultimately correct. Perhaps next season Wenger’s latest prediction will become a reality and his young team will come good. As for summer signings a West Ham fan told me recently that Wenger was an economist rather than a football manager. Partly, a wind up of course but partly true. Our manager loves a bargain and as we help fund his purchases perhaps we should be more understanding if he can’t bring himself to sign a Ballack or a Gerrard.