I managed to get over the disappointment of Paris by the evening of the day after. As a rule of thumb, I try not to let events over which I have no direct influence send me into extreme depression, and have just learnt to be philosophical. I still haven’t had the opportunity to watch the final again on video, but I’ve read the post-match comments of Thierry Henry and Arsène Wenger and I can’t say I approved. Yes, the ref did not have a great game, but I do not think he was biased either. The captain’s most justified complaint was probably about him being kicked by the Barca defenders, but this black art is one that has been perfected by ruthless players over decades to the extent that it is almost impossible for officials to pick up. That such cynicism is presumably less prevalent in this country may have indeed been a factor in Henry finally deciding to remain in North London in the aftermath of the match. There may be beauty in Barcelona’s football, but as with many fondly remembered sides (not least Rijkaard the player’s Milan) there is also an element of beast.

On the upside, bad losers often turn into good winners, so the feeling of injustice, whether reasonable or not, might just put a bit of fire in the belly for next season’s assault on honours. Look what happened after the disappointment of the 2001 FA Cup Final, when Arsenal felt hard done by. The subsequent double season was in no small way a result of the determination forged by the Liverpool victory in the Millennium Stadium.

Henry’s announcement last Friday was the perfect pick-me-up for on the floor Gooners still getting over the Wednesday night trauma. As much as anything, the captain realised (possibly having seen what has happened to Patrick Vieira), that moving to a bigger club is no guarantee that you will win the Champions League. And realistically, that is what is most important to the skipper in what remains of his club career. One assumes that he was given the kind of news he wanted to hear about the club’s transfer targets, and the immediate capture of Tomas Rosicky looks like the board mean business on the field as well as off as the Gunners move to a bigger home.

The events of Friday and Tuesday hopefully also mean the end of the days when Arsenal are regarded as a selling club, nurturing players to a peak before cashing in. It is as much the attitude of the players – wanting to remain - as the board’s financial need, that has brought about this situation. And the message to the football world (especially with Le Boss’ statement that he intends to finish his days as a club manager here), is that Arsenal are going places and this is no short-term strategy.

The stadium move is all about the club seeking to make sure they are amongst the permanent elite of clubs that enjoy habitual success at home and abroad. Always amongst the favourites, regularly winning silverware, never suffering a long-term dip. That band of clubs at the moment consists of Real Madrid, Juventus, Barcelona, Milan, Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Look back over the past decade and the majority of the domestic titles and the Champions League trophies have ended up with these sides. Arsenal, to hang on to the coat-tails of this bunch – enjoying domestic success and a consistent top eight seeding in Europe – have performed a minor miracle. To actually join this elite group (as others such as Chelsea, Inter and Liverpool are trying to do), Wenger’s men have to continue to win domestic honours whilst building on the reputation earned in Europe this season.

Critically, it is my belief that the mentality of the team has changed. They now believe they are winners again after the dip suffered in the 2004-05 season when the unbeaten run ended. It was almost as if they’d given so much to achieve that incredible 49 match run that they’d become a house of cards awaiting their inevitable demise. The lack of spending in the transfer market finally caught up with Arsenal in the autumn of 2004 as the depth of squad proved too shallow. The re-building process has been going on ever since and it’s a testament to the manager’s abilities that it seems to be well ahead of schedule, undoubtedly an influence in both Henry’s remaining and the decision of Rosicky to come to London instead of Atletico Madrid.

As for Rosicky, he is described as a playmaker, and as such is not a direct replacement for Dennis Bergkamp. I think of him as part Bergkamp, part Fabregas in his style. He has often played the ‘in the hole’ role between two strikers and the midfield, but with Wenger’s track record, one cannot be sure how he intends to utilise him. The positive aspect of Rosicky is that he would seem to be very adaptable – a good crosser of the ball, and quite nippy. Assuming Robert Pires does indeed sign for Villarreal, then Rosicky could also play in the wide midfield role Superbob used to do and would be a tremendous asset if Wenger decides to persist with 4-5-1 in Europe. There’s a youtube video of the player you’ve probably already been told about, but just in case, the link is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZptQphoLM8&search=rosicky

Okay, it could have been put together by his agent, but one suspects the relatively modest price tag of this established international is solely down to his buy-out clause and no true reflection of his abilities. At four years younger than Michael Ballack, it must be hoped that Arsène Wenger has bought a player whose hunger and potential will prove a match for Chelsea’s more established purchase.

As for the remainder of the summer, I am rubbing my hands with anticipation. More signings, the World Cup (with a hatful of Arsenal stars to watch), the new stadium awaiting and a return to European action before August is out. Is there anyone out there still feeling miserable about Paris?