(Ed’s note – This was submitted before the weekend, but it’s been a busy time at Gooner Towers, so we’re playing catch up when time allows this week)

I’m writing this the evening after the Fenerbahce game, and what a win. Although the Fenerbehce team isn’t obviously in the best form, it is none the less a very difficult place to go, as shown by Chelski last year - they went there and lost. Apparently our young, frail team was going to collapse in the ‘cauldron of hate’. But no, we went out there and did the complete opposite. Our side, average age of 22 were full of confidence and played Fenerbahce off the park to win 5-2. This just doesn’t happen to Fenerbahce does it?

For me, the main reason we played so well yesterday is that we had balance, a great team performance and no one playing out of position. We no longer had Eboue playing out of position in midfield, Van Persie missing all our chances and having no partnership with Adebayor, Song, who is about as central a player as I have seen, was not playing at right back. It truly was a breath of fresh air, with Diaby showing he can become the player his potential always suggested he could and Adebayor looking like the striker of last year again.

Having said that though, we still looked very shaky in defence. Obviously it had something to do with Song and Silvestre playing at the back together for only the second time (and the first time was only 45minutes). But the main reason for me is the lack of defensive protection given from midfield. Fabregas is our main man, and a player that we need to have the ball in the opposition’s half as much as possible, to get forward into goal scoring positions and play our strikers in.

So his partner needs to be a defensive midfielder with good energy levels and a ball winner (Mathieu Flamini?). Which Denilson needless to say, is not. Diaby is a great player, but more of an attacking player who would be great cover for Fabregas, not a partner. Then we have Song who for my money is a central defender and not a midfielder. He is a good tackler, not a ball winner and is too lazy to be a defensive midfielder. I think people rate him highly as a midfielder for his performances in the African Cup of Nations, and not for anything he has done for Arsenal in the position. He has done nothing but disappoint me when playing in midfield for Arsenal, yet has impressed me when playing at centre-back.

Finally we have the wonder-kid, Aaron Ramsey. What a player he is, eh? He is going to be some talent. But for now, at 17 years of age, is not ready for first team football and to help us push for honours. He should take a similar route to Walcott, who is now looking the player we all wished him to be. So a defensive midfielder should hopefully be on our shopping list for January, but who is the man to fit the bill? Gokhan Inler was obviously a player Wenger wanted but it didn’t happen for whatever reason. Then we were interested in Alonso, but at £16mil, would have been overpriced and he is not the type player we need anyway, another deep-lying playmaker should be at the bottom of our list. The player Arsenal need is Yaya Toure, who would be the perfect foil for Fabregas and give some much needed height. It is well documented we are interested and he is not getting many games for Barca, so hopefully a deal can be done.

We also lack a real quality, central defender. Djourou and Song are still learning their trades as they are both very young for centre-backs and were once central midfielders. Unfortunately, Toure is simply not the player he used to be, yet escapes criticism due to him being a crowd favourite and the sole remaining first teamer of the ‘Untouchables’, he again is also former central midfielder and versatility man. We also have Silvestre who is a solid performer but not of the real quality to be a first teamer, and was a left back. So the only defender we have with natural defensive instincts if you like is Gallas, who I feel comes in for a lot on unnecessary stick. But even he is more of a ‘second centre-back’ who is great at mopping things up but not dominating centre forwards and the long balls which have caused us problems in recent years. We really do lack a genuine old school centre back who is dominant in the air and has genuine defenders instincts, like Sol Campbell. He is the one player I feel we have lost but never replaced in the long term and it needs to be sorted, but who this player is I don’t know. I have been greatly impressed with Turner at Hull, but to call him Arsenal class after only seeing a handful of games would be wrong. Certainly one to watch though.

The other position I think we should invest in is the wide areas of midfield. Walcott and Nasri are absolutely fantastic players, but beyond that we simply don’t have enough. Rosicky is a class player but very unreliable, having him in the squad should be seen as a bonus not an expectation. Then other than those three we have no real quality, and would end up playing players out of their best positions. We have Eboue who I don’t think I need to go into, he is just not a midfielder, that ‘experiment’ should now stop. Diaby can play there but his best position is in the middle of the park, and he should only play on the wing in an emergency. We also have Vela but he has a bright future as a striker and I don’t see him as a winger. Then finally Jack Wilshere, what a player he will be. But don’t forget he is only 16. He should be well looked after and nurtured for a few years, and expectations should not be heaped on his young shoulders. Buying another quality wing man would allow us to rest Walcott and Nasri without giving away a lot in attack, and they would need rests from time to time as they are still only 19 and 21 respectively and could suffer burn-out. I would like this player to be Ibrahim Afellay of PSV, or Antonio Valencia of Wigan. They are two players who I have been very impressed with when I’ve seen them play, and would add great depth to our squad.

Finally I would like to end on my thoughts for the season. I think our highly talented, yet youthful and inexperienced squad will be far too inconsistent and won’t have enough quality in depth to challenge for the Premier League title. Yet I feel very optimistic with us in the cup competitions. Over 90 minutes (or 180 if you like) we can beat anyone, but over 38 games, with every one being of vital importance along with having to play cup competitions around that, I am not so sure.

‘In Wenger we trust’ is a motto I do stand by, and for whatever happens this year in terms of success or transfers, we do have a very bright future (unless the unthinkable happens and we fall out of the top four) and long term success is definitely our goal. However Wenger not buying players so that it doesn’t hinder the youngsters doesn’t wash with me. I think youngsters should thrive with having great players at a club, and if they are good enough they will force themselves in, like Fabregas. You need to succeed in the short term to succeed in the long term. And it is that short term success, that I am worried about…