Robin Van Persie. Nine goals in consecutive away matches, 19 goals in 24 games this season and equalling the record from Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring 19 goals from January to May. However you juggle those figures they always total phenomenal

So that is it, the season is done and dusted, over, finito.

From jockeying in the pack for the title a few weeks ago to slamming down to fourth with a Champions League qualifier to look forward to, the season certainly couldn’t have ended much worse from the good position that we were in.

After our defeat last week against Aston Villa it meant that third place was no longer in our hands so as long as Manchester City matched or bettered our result then an automatic Champions League place would disappear from our grasp.

Interesting team line up from Arsene. Chamakh started his first game since time began while Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin started from the bench.

I actually thought that Chamakh gave the team another dimension and he showed the high work rate that we saw from him earlier in the season. Van Persie was given the licence to roam and create and link with Samir Nasri.

Gibbs had a header at the far post well saved and a few others including a Nasri header came close but as has been the case in recent weeks, our defence was breathed on and we conceded. Kieran Gibbs was caught way out of position and Zamora had the time and space to waltz inside the Arsenal penalty area and square the ball to former Gunners midfielder Steven Sidwell to fire through the legs of Szczesny from close range.

Three minutes later it was all square and once again it was Robin Van Persie. Nine goals in consecutive away matches, 19 goals in 24 games this season and equalling the record from Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring 19 goals from January to May. However you juggle those figures they always total phenomenal. Abou Diaby’s contribution to the goal must not be overlooked as he turned away from his man played a one-two with Chamakh then found Van Persie’s run with a sharp flat pass. Van Persie’s first touch was sublime, and his finish was clinical.

Unfortunately we haven’t seen our trademark back to front goals enough during this horrible end of season.

It should have been the goal to help us push on in the second half regardless of the City result but we got worse. Before the hour mark Greening crossed to Zamora to head in at the near post sandwiched by Djourou and Vermaelen, neither defender really putting sufficient pressure on the forward.

We continued to miss chances. Nasri had a free kick well saved and Chamakh should have tucked away Mark Schwarzer’s spill but nudged the ball wide.

Arsene made some second half changes, Kieran Gibbs clearly coming from the Abou Diaby school of fitness suffered yet another injury. Eboue, Walcott and Arshavin replaced Gibbs, Ramsey and Diaby.

A minute from time Theo Walcott drove in from the right and dragged a right footed shot into the far corner for a last gasp equaliser.

By that point I was more interested in cheering Birmingham City’s relegation from the top tier. Who knows maybe without Birmingham in our season we can go through a second half of a season without Birmingham pushing the Arsenal self implosion detonator that they have enjoyed over the last few years.

And that is just about that. Our points total and games played goes back to zero, Arsene Wenger has plenty of work to do over the summer. It has been a truly awful end to a promising season.

Let the introspection and rumour milll begin.

Szczesny (6)
Sagna (6)
Djourou (5)
Vermaelen (7)
Gibbs (5)
Diaby (6)
Wilshere (6.5)
Ramsey (5.5)
Chamakh (7)
Van persie (7)
Nasri (6.5)

Please note that ratings are only my interpretations of the game and that others will have differing opinions