So let’s start with the bright side. Another clean sheet and a point on the road. Now that’s out of the way, down to the reality. Villa are rubbish – more committed than the Pompey side that Harry Redknapp fielded at Highbury, granted, but frankly that isn’t saying much. Arsenal should have taken them apart, but the paucity of any fight or quality in the centre of the park meant that possession favoured the home side by 55% to the Gunners’ 45. If Wenger’s team cannot win this type of match, we are in serious trouble. Forget Manchester United and Liverpool. The teams Arsenal have to worry about now are Spurs, Bolton and Wigan.

I’ve just heard Arsene on the radio giving a post match interview and he’s admitted we were poor going forward, but considered the clean sheet a positive to take into Tuesday night’s encounter. He’s not going to condemn his own players any more than that, but I can. Flamini was talked up after his performance against Pompey, but frankly, with the amount of time and space allowed him on the night, anyone in an Arsenal top found it easy to look the part. Put the fella under a little pressure as occurred at Villa Park and it’s patently obvious that this is one youngster who time will not improve enough to grant him the indulgence of allowing the player to develop in Arsenal’s first eleven. If we’ve got to lose points to blood kids, stick in bloody Sebastian Larsson as it’s obvious Flamini isn’t up to it. He is exactly the kind of player we should be loaning out to other sides, instead of brighter prospects that happen to be English.

As for the impending visit of Manchester United, I have no great hopes. Just a fear that Arsenal will be humiliated. Where was Henry today? Okay, the service was crap, but there was little sign of any passion, involvement or even encouragement from the captain. Arsenal look like a rudderless ship in need of a leader. Even if Henry is hardly going to be stripped of the captaincy, the only player who looks like he might be up to the role (Senderos) isn’t even guaranteed a starting position. Boy, are we in trouble.

Champions League football next season matters not only because of the financial windfall, but to attract the top quality players that will be needed in the summer – even if Henry and Ashley Cole do stick around – as seems unlikely. The wins at Charlton and at home to Pompey always looked like a false dawn. Even if Arsenal had won at Villa, I was always waiting for the United match before believing any corner had been turned. Arsenal’s squad is in serious trouble mainly due to the lack of depth in the centre of the park. And everyone could have predicted this at the start of the season. The January transfer window is now critical as Wenger has to buy to strengthen in order to achieve the top four finish the club and its balance books require.

As for this faint and optimistic notion of it being our year in the Champions League… well, Liverpool had some semblance of a midfield last season. That’s something we don’t really bother with at Arsenal these days.