One year on from Paris 2006, Liverpool suffered exactly the same fate as Arsenal in losing 2 – 1 to a talented European team. Frustratingly, the similarities don’t end with the scoreline; Liverpool (like Arsenal last year) had enough chances to win but (like us) failed to convert those chances and paid the ultimate price.

How different it would have been if Liverpool had gone in one or two goals up at half time, as their play deserved. How different it would have been if Thierry Henry had converted his one on one with about 20 minutes to go. And therein lies the answer to football at the top level – if you don’t take your chances, you don’t win trophies!! (More about that later. . . .)

Liverpool reminded me so much of Arsenal, lots of possession and pretty play in non effective areas and a wonky radar in front of goal. Zenden could have been Hleb, running around aimlessly and giving the ball away. Pennant could have been Rosicky, effective until the final ball sails harmlessly across the area. Seeing Kuyt isolated up front shows that the 4-5-1 formation is no match for a well drilled defensive unit, especially when that unit contains two of the best defenders of all time in Maldini & Nesta.

The decisive difference in Athens was Filippo Inzaghi who scored one through a huge slice of luck (lucky yes but he was well placed) and his second through superb timing and an excellent finish. Inzaghi showed exactly what Arsenal have lacked recently – a talented but ruthlessly clinical goal scorer whose only thought is to get one on the scoreboard, whatever it looks like. (More about that later. . . .)

I’m 100% sure that Arsène Wenger was watching Milan lift their seventh European Cup and I hope that he saw what all Arsenal fans saw – a team containing several over 30’s (Dida, Maldini, Nesta, Inzaghi, Seedorf, Oddo) who are all on more than a 1 year contract; a solid defence who actually defend for 90 minutes and a clinical striker.

We may not need quite so many over 30’s but experience counts on big, high pressure nights. I still question the wisdom of selling the excellent Robert Pires whilst keeping the ineffective Hleb. Our defence could benefit from watching Milan and I don’t understand why Arsenal don’t employ someone like Tony Adams or Martin Keown to get them up to Milan’s standard.

But most of all Arsène - we need a proven goalscorer. A 20 goal a season man who scores for fun. This sort of striker doesn’t come along often and they don’t come cheap but there is one who I’m sure would jump at the chance to join Arsenal. If there is one player I would love to see at The Grove next season it’s Michael Owen; he’s unhappy at Newcastle, one of the best around, still only 27 and longing for Champions League football.

Athens (and this season’s league table) showed us how far Arsenal are from getting back to the very top. Arsène has done it before but each time it was with some established stars. I hope this summer brings two, if not three major new arrivals because the other big teams will be strengthening. The board keep saying money is available but now is the time to prove it. I don’t want to suffer another season like this one and I’m quite sure Arsène doesn’t either.