I love his now trademark jinking runs from the right side of the box, it fools defenders almost every single time. Cutting onto his left foot fainting the shot then checking onto his right. It was this move that created our first chance of the game.

We failed to take advantage of those around us slipping up on Tuesday afternoon but we were given a second chance to do just that again against QPR on the last day of 2011, and we took it.

The team have lost fluency and creativity right now, I would imagine that a mixture of fatigue and our missing full backs have been the main causes of this.

Queens Park Rangers had men behind the ball and made it difficult for Arsenal to open them up, Robin van Persie looked sharper than in recent weeks but his had misplaced his phenomenal shooting boots for the most part.

I love his now trademark jinking runs from the right side of the box, it fools defenders almost every single time. Cutting onto his left foot fainting the shot then checking onto his right. It was this move that created our first chance of the game. van Persie’s left footed stab across the box was smothered by the keeper.

Most of our chances fell to our skipper but he was not able to convert them, you would have expected him to have buried his right footed half volley that dropped just over his shoulder even if it was on his weaker side.

We looked much stronger when we drove at QPR from the middle but the problem was that there was not many players who did this naturally enough. Johan Djourou made a driving run diagonally from right back and Mikel Arteta also skipped past a few tackles to make the pass. Players like Jack Wilshere and or Abou Diaby would have made a big difference to us yesterday and I think we have missed that drive and ability to beat players from the middle a lot this season, a player like that will have a big impact on the likes of Walcott and Gervinho who will get much more space and service once the opposition push to counter the driving runs.

Aaron Ramsey had a mixed game on his return, he has a fantastic engine but he often slowed down some of our moves by not playing in players quick enough. Theo Walcott was visibly frustrated as he kept trying to make the sprint but then having to check back when Ramsey turned away from his side.

Andrey Arshavin struggled to have a positive impact on the game from the left of the Arsenal attack. His passes sometimes struggled to find their intend targets and he was often absent from the game but his one positive contribution in the second half was absolutely vital and that pretty much sums up his Arsenal career to date.

Shaun Wright-Phillips played a terrible pass straight to the feet of Andrey Arshavin on the left and the Russian played it straight into the stride of van Persie who fired it low into the corner for 1-0.

Thomas Vermaelen had to go off with a calf strain and was replaced by Francis Coquelin. Our full back injury situation has become somewhat ridiculous now. It almost feels like a curse. Anyone who attempts to play that position ends up on the treatment table.

Coquelin did a great job when he came on, stuck to his task very well and I am sure he will become a top quality player but left back is just not his natural position.

Wenger hinted post match that he will look to bring in a left back on loan, which player that is remains to be seen. While the possibility of Wayne Bridge donning the Arsenal shirt fills us with terror defensively, I would probably see our offensive build up play improve and at least we would have an overlapping option as well as some width.

So we end a terrible 2011 in fourth place, above Chelsea and Liverpool. Not many would have foreseen that back in August and early September.

With the transfer window open and important injured players close to returning, it may well be a far more positive 2012.