So we know that Arsenal have improved since their first season at Ashburton Grove. An extra round in the Champions League and a place better in the Premier League. In all probability a final points tally of 83 (watch them perform now!) – a 15 point improvement on last season and three losses in the 38 matches.

It’s a real glass half full/glass half empty situation. I think the first thing I have concluded in the last seven days, backed up by events at Old Trafford is that it is not the inexperience of Arsenal that has been such a facor, it is the lack of quality in depth. Key errors at Anfield and Old Trafford were made by the likes of Toure, Senderos, Gallas and Gilberto. All these players have played in huge games and have winners’ medals to show for it. Errors are made throughout the team, I am not pinning them on the youth of the side.

But as a unit, defensively, Arsenal have gone to pot. Sagna is about the only player who can hold his head high at the end of this campaign on that front and boy have we missed him since Chelsea away. Whoever he signs this summer, Arsene Wenger must ensure that one new face at the club is a defensive coach. I understand Boro Primorac works with the defence in training. He isn’t doing a very good job.

When Arsenal have achieved major results at Old Trafford since Wenger’s arrival, the scoreline has invariably been 1-0. Yes, there was the 2-0 in the FA Cup, but in 1998 and 2002, Overmars and Wiltord were the only scorers. Even the 0-0 in 2003 played a huge part in that title, psychologically if nothing else. There would certainly have been no Invincibles or 49ers if Van Nistelrooy’s penalty had gone in.

I’m not going to dwell too much on the specifics of the game earlier today. The team did enough to win the match, but a mixture of factors did for them – poor finishing, poor luck, inspired goalkeeping and individual errors all over the shop. United were equally guilty of the latter though. However, the one thing I have gradually grown weary of this season is waste of possession in attack by Gael Clichy. A good, honest lad. Full of heart and the right stuff. But basically incapable of finding a team mate if he is playing the ball across in the attacking third. It’s a huge weakness in our attacking game, and loathe as I am to say it, he ain’t no Ashley Cole.

And that got me thinking about the difference between this team and the last Arsenal one to to win the title. Position by position, let’s face it there’s no comparison. Sagna you could argue is a better right back than Lauren. Fabregas is obviously a dream player, but you know what, the balance was right in the centre of the park in 2004. Vieira was the attacking player out of the first choice duo, with Gilberto holding. But critically, Vieira was immense when Arsenal needed him to be – in possession or trying to win it back. Fabregas and Flamini have attitude aplenty but they lack the sheers physical presence Vieira gave Arsenal. And it’s no coincidence that the last time the Gunners won silverware was on the occasion PV4 struck his last ball in anger for the club.

So the defenders today, individually, are not mugs for the most part. But they don’t enjoy the solidity in front of them that we’ve enjoyed in the past. Patrick Vieira has never been replaced, but there aren’t many like him. Arsenal are much more open now. When they get into a leading position these days, there’s no great confidence they can hold out unless they take the lead in injury time.

Going forward, it’s exciting. But compare Ljungberg, Pires, Bergkamp and Henry to yesterday’s quartet of Eboue, Van Persie, Hleb and Adebayor. There are many good things to say about the latter quartet – well at least three of them, but there is an obvious drop in quality. I watch a game from 2003/04 with these four players now and I can almost weep at how good we had it. F**king legends, if you will excuse my French. And all four of them used to bang in the goals. Where are the goalscorers now? Adebayor needs four chances to get one and the others are simply not players who will ever score enough to justify their positions as part of an Arsenal attack. Hleb could well go to Inter this summer, but I tell you this. We won’t miss his goals.

Sadly, it had to be this way. Money-wise, the Invincibles were for the most part assembled before the financial bullet had to be bit. Ever since the summer of 2001, Wenger’s spending has been prudent. It had to be. The man could have p*ssed of into the sunset at any time since and been welcomed with open arms by pretty much any club on the planet. But he stuck around and attempted to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear, not least since 2005.

There has been a huge element of personal career sacrifice made by the manager. And the reality seems to be that the only time he’s ever really had money he did not spend was in January this year. I think that he might admit to himself, there were errors of judgment in the last transfer market, but he’ll never go public on that. So I am not going to bash Arsene. Frankly, over the last three trophyless seasons, given the circumstances, it is difficult to think of a manager who could have done much better with the resources available.

This season, we can be pleased that improvement was made. And of course, as fans, we are justified in asking the manager to ensure he addresses the reasons why, despite that improvement, we end the season disappointed. The squad will look different in August. It does not require a sage to list the players that won’t be here. But for the record, Lehmann, Hoyte, Senderos and Flamini are near certs to go. Hleb might depart if the price is right. Good as he is, he can’t score goals. Gilberto will remain because he wants British citizenship and Flamini’s off. If he gets a run in the team, the Brazilian’s form might actually return to that of last season. Unfortunately, I am afraid we are saddled with Eboue. We can only hope he spends most of next season on the bench.

Adebayor needs a fit and regular partner who will take the goalscoring onus off him. Eduardo won’t be that player until March 2009, and if he does return to full fitness, he’s really an option for the season after. Please don’t tell me we are going to play the first three quarters of the campaign relying on Robin van Persie and Bendtner to help out Adebayor. We need someone who is both fit 95% of the time and clinical in front of goal. We also need a centre-back with height and presence who can make it a real battle to see which two of three decent centre-backs get the nod.

There are too many players in the comfort zone at Arsenal. And they are not being pushed for their places due to the lack of depth. This situation initially developed through there being so little money to keep the squad strong. But that should not be the case any longer. Over the next four months, Arsene Wenger must ensure that – now he has a transfer war chest – he buys more players of the quality of last summer’s purchases – Sagna and Eduardo. Then, players might realise that a first team spot at Arsenal is never guaranteed. And it should never be. Wenger’s roster should be chomping at the bit to get into the starting eleven, not taking it for granted. Amongst those that performed most creditably at Old Trafford were Jens Lehmann, Gilberto and Alex Song. Looking back at the FA Cup defeat in February, it was Lehmann and Eduardo. Draw your own conclusions.

Finally, a blatant and unabashed plug, if only because ESPN have advertised with us before. Oh and the persistence of emails from their plugger Vicki, a name I’ve always had a weakness for. So I’ll not turn her down if the next communication’s the offer of lunch on expenses. I haven’t got the mental energy to write up their press release as advertorial, so I’ll just copy and paste it below. Stop reading now if you prefer your online editorials advert free.

ESPN CLASSIC CELEBRATE ARSENAL’S GREATEST SEASON

ESPN Classic is delighted to announce it will be celebrating the great achievements of Arsenal Football Club’s 1990-91 season in a never-been-seen documentary at 10.30pm on 14th April 2008. With insights from Alan Smith and a whole host of memorable footage from the 111th competitive season in English football, this is a programme Arsenal fans will not want to miss.

Looking to secure their second league title in three years, the season started off badly for Arsenal with two significant and controversial events threatening to derail their chances of success. Brian McClair reacted badly to a Nigel Winterburn tackle in a league fixture at Old Trafford, and an ensuing twenty-one man brawl led to Arsenal being deducted two points. A few weeks on, and their captain and inspirational leader Tony Adams was given a four month prison sentence for drink driving, a term that was reduced to eight weeks.

Despite this however, Arsenal relentlessly pursued success with a hunger and appetite that overcame most who played them. The indomitable back four of Winterburn, Bould, Adams and Dixon provided stalwart protection in defense, and on the rare occasion they were beaten, opposing strikers would invariably find David Seaman in tremendous form. Ahead of them Davis, Limpar, Thomas, Groves and Rocastle were both solid and creative in midfield while Smith, Merson and Campbell were in fine goalscoring form up front. George Graham’s side were in fact only beaten once all season, being crowned English First Division Champions in spectacular and dominating fashion.

The Season is presented by Gary Imlach, who said ‘Almost the only team capable of beating Arsenal that year was Arsenal. Points deducted for a brawl at Old Trafford, losing their captain Tony Adams to a jail sentence for drink-driving, yet they lost only one game – the best in the league for over a century.’

ESPN Classic will be celebrating Arsenal’s season on Sky Channel 442 at 10.30pm on 14th April, 2008