Let’s go back to last season. Arsenal came extremely close to winning the Premier League, and who knows if the Birmingham game had turned out differently we may well have been crowned champions. The problems after the Brum game were all too evident for Arsenal fans to see. We could always score a goal, but our major problem was at the back. There cannot be many teams that have taken the lead at both Stamford Bridge (post-Abramovich) and Old Trafford in the same season. Indeed the loss against Man Utd summed up our season. We played well, took the lead, but our defensive frailties meant we left with nothing.

No problem, as Arsene knows after all. He identified where the problems lay in the side and we all anticipated a flurry of transfers in the summer. Unfortunately for us the main transactions over the summer were departures rather than arrivals. Flamini, Hleb, Senderos (loan) all left. OK, Nasri’s arrival made up for the loss of Hleb, but where was the centre back that we needed or the defensive midfielder we desperately required? Silvestre’s signing hardly set pulses racing and you do have to worry when we sign players no longer needed by Man Utd.

Due to this complete failure to bring in players we are, in my opinion, struggling to hold on to fourth place. It may be highly patronising to the teams involved, but if you lose to Fulham and Hull then you are simply not going to win the league. Unfortunately we are reaping what Arsene has sowed. I know he is a genius and I’ll always believe in him, but you do have to question his wisdom over the summer. He, along with all of us, knew we had a soft centre and he has done nothing to solve this issue.

Wednesday night was the final straw for me. It highlighted the distinct lack of guts, character, and basic defensive skills of this current side. I’m not a post-Premiership glory hunter. I remember going to school and getting teased mercifully after we lost to York in 1985. I remember a time when Tottenham fans used to take the p**s out of me when I was very young. I think what is bothering me so much is that last season we came so close and with a bit of tinkering we could well have challenged this year. Instead we have to put up with our calamitous defending from set pieces and our complete lack of urgency in closing opposing players down when they are anywhere near the edge of our box.

Look at our current squad. I know the Invincibles were a fine team, but how many of our current team would challenge for a place in that team? Certainly not Almunia, Gallas, Toure (the 2008 version), Silvestre, Denilson, Song, Adebayor. You could make a case for Sagna, Clichy, Fabregas, and at a push van Persie, but the rest would get nowhere near in my opinion. As I say, comparing teams from different years is harsh, so turn it around and if you had to pick a team from the top 4 clubs how many of our players would be picked? Maybe the full backs again and obviously Fabregas but that’s it. If you put our centre backs up against Ferdinand, Vidic, Terry, Carvalho, Carragher, Agger and Skrtel it doesn’t paint a very pretty picture. And don’t get me started on the goalkeeper situation!

Where do we go from here? Well, for one, I’m now going to lower my expectations and just enjoy the football we play. OK I’ll have to put up with leaking silly goals, but I’ll have the joy of watching our sublime passing game. If we can pick up a cup it will be a bonus. People keep saying that we can invest in January but what is the point in splashing the cash then if we are out of the Premiership race by then? Arsene doesn’t make many mistakes and I hope I look back on this one day and realise I’ve been stupid to start doubting him. Unfortunately I’ve seen this coming from the moment the transfer window closed on September 1st. It could be worse though, I could support Tottenham and celebrate a draw like we’d won the Champions League!