These last few games which are fresh in the memories of many will say that Abou Diaby has been below par, when we have needed a big performance, we haven’t got it. This is true, he could have been better but let us not forget the positive displays which far outweigh the bad ones

I must say the feelings of the Wigan match and the end to our league race has all but subsided, the frustration has started to blend into the air, instead of the thick smoke that I was inhaling on the final whistle.

I have been reading all the after match thoughts and reaction from Gooners and many are understandably angry at what had happened, many wanting mass changes to the squad in order for Arsenal to compete with the very best. Well from where I am standing we do not need to be talking about which players should be leaving the club, the huge injury list that we carried around with us for so long should tell you that we need as many bodies in the squad as possible. The likes of Eduardo, Rosicky, Denilson, Vela and Diaby have been consigned to the scrap heap by many and I have to completely disagree with this.

If we should sell Carlos Vela then why shouldn’t we sell Jack Wilshere? What is the difference? Had Vela of been on loan at Portsmouth and played every week, scoring 18 goals then we would have been screaming for him to come back to Arsenal and play as the loan forward in the absence of Van Persie and Bendtner earlier in the season. Vela hasn’t set the world alight at Arsenal but he has also not been given the run of games that is needed for a young player to grow in the team that he is playing for.

We have been screaming out for experience added to a relatively young squad so selling two of our most experienced internationals in Eduardo and Rosicky would seem a little strange. Eduardo clearly isn’t the same player as he was 6 months into his first full season at Arsenal but I also remember him looking way short of the required level in his first 6 months. He has had countless set backs when he returned from the horrific leg break and I am sure Arsene is waiting for a summer break along with pre season and hopefully a return to his confidence then we can judge Eduardo. Writing him off without taking into consideration his obvious problems is a little like putting your hands over your ears and shouting blah ‘blah blah I can’t hear you’

Tomas Rosicky hasn’t been at his best in recent weeks, he had a decent game against Wigan and was one of those who worked hard throughout the game. We know about his history and this is the first time in years that he has been able to string a few games together. He, like Eduardo has had set back after set back. Any professional sportsman will tell you that it takes time to regain form, fitness and sharpness consistently.

We are not talking of a Mikel Silvestre here, we are talking about quality, proven international quality. The Czech international captain no less. I imagine that Wenger sees him as a big part of the squad in future. We know what injuries have done to this squad so not having players like Rosicky around is just suicide.

I have saved Abou Diaby until last, a player that has taken the largest share of the flack. I do not deny that he was a big contributor to the defeat at Wigan. He should have been closer to Watson before he struck past Fabianski, but I have to disagree with the notion that he couldn’t be bothered to track back. He indeed tracked Watson but his crime was not laziness, it was concentration. He got caught ball watching, he lost where he should have been.

These last few games which are fresh in the memories of many will say that Abou Diaby has been below par, when we have needed a big performance, we haven’t got it. This is true, he could have been better but let us not forget the positive displays which far outweigh the bad ones. Our season took a dive for the worse at Birmingham (again) Cesc Fabregas for one reason or another could not influence the game as he wanted and the player who drove us on was Abou Diaby. Without doubt the best player on the pitch. Those were not rare performances, it became the norm. Both defensively and offensively Abou Diaby was very important to Arsenal. In big games at Old Trafford, Porto at home and at Stamford bridge he was a big presence. Is Diaby the big leader that Vieira was or that Cesc is? no, that seems abundantly clear but his ability and power cannot be denied.

It is frustrating that we have not got there just yet, we have looked good in parts and at one time were favourites for the title with the better looking fixtures. Because we haven’t won the title, does it mean that we are a bad side? Do we just pretend that having the worst injury record in the premier league and having our five best players out doesn’t matter and we shouldn’t make excuses? I don’t think I can do that.

I have to agree with Samir Nasri that we do not get the credit we deserve.

Nasri said:

“It is annoying. The work we do is not getting the credit it deserves because we are not winning silverware,”

“It is unfair because I think we have more merit as a club than those who have built their teams with millions of pounds whereas Arsenal have brought in young footballers, who have come here to play a certain kind of football and who have developed. This season had proved that we have everything to compete and we have learnt so much.

“I am hoping that our squad will stay unchanged because we are really good and with a year more experience, we can achieve some great things next season.”

I find it difficult to disagree with that. At what point is challenging but not winning the league ‘just not acceptable?’

I have read that some fans are gathering together to protest about our lack of signings. Am I living in a parallel universe? Did we not actually build a stadium? Did we not really buy Arshavin, Vermaelen, Nasri, Rosicky, Eduardo, Sagna etc. Was it a dream that Wenger has managed to get our club in the Champions League every single year. A protest? Voicing their discontent at the management? You have seriously got to be joking.

This isn’t some level playing field that we are coming up short, we are punching way above our weight. Like many I have looked at the spending on http://transferleague.co.uk/ and I am pretty surprised that many can ignore this.

Since the Premier League began we have spent 10 million less than Birmingham City. Birmingham City! We are 11th in the table of spending. Aston Villa, Tottenham, Manchester City, Sunderland, Fulham, Everton and Birmingham have all spent more than Arsenal.

It is no surprise to hear that We have spent the least (net) and made the most from in’s and out’s since 2004/05 until now. That time period happens to run along with the building of the Emirates stadium. Judging by Wenger’s recent comments it appears that he is now able to spend big if he needs to. It is no coincidence that Wenger has balanced the books since the development of the stadium yet that was not always the case at Highbury. If you wish to ignore that to suit a certain position and angle then I cannot change your thinking.

Wenger has pretty much always played down the amount of money that he has had at his disposal and it is the first time that I can remember him saying that the stadium debt is no longer a problem.

Wenger said:

“I think we can overcome [Chelsea], For a while we were not investing maybe because we had built the stadium but I think our financial situation is now becoming much stronger and we will be capable to buy the players we need to buy.”

“No we cannot [compete] on wages with Chelsea. That is simple. I believe what is not normal is not our wage bill but their wage bill because that should not be allowed.

“However they cannot all go to Chelsea, it is as simple as that. There are top players outside of the ones Chelsea want to buy who are good enough for us.”

The proof will be in this summers pudding. It will be a change if we just spend more than we earn.

I challenge anyone who has believed that Arsene has been keeping a safe in his office filled with bundles of £50 notes locked away just to be stubborn to find quotes like that over the last few years.

The notion that Wenger is refusing to bring in new players to prove a point or to feed his ego is laughable and stupid with equal measure. What manager would choose not to do the best job possible for their career and for the club they are working for.

Real Madrid fans will be kicking and screaming if they do not win La Liga. They have spent over £200 million on new players to add to a squad that was already worth much more than our own squad. If someone told me that there would be a demonstration about them not winning the league or champions league then I could understand a little more but we have no divine right to win anything, ever. No team have.

Wenger’s work since our last trophy has been remarkable in my eyes. Running the playing staff on a shoe string, laying down the foundations for the future with some of the most exciting young English and foreign talent in world football, continuing our Champions League football run and making us competitive in the league twice. This with a net spend of roughly half of Birmingham City. If we should be expecting a league win then Birmingham should be expecting to head to Madrid in May.

We have a rather tricky game coming up on the weekend, Manchester City are arguably perfectly set up to hurt us if they defend correctly. We have suffered on the counter attack this season as our side push forward in search of goals. We have to put that right on the weekend. Hopefully we will have Andrey Arshavin who is recovering well after picking up a calf injury.

Hopefully Alex Song will be back but there is no news on that as yet, we will hear more in the next few days.

Going back to the summer for a moment, we know that Wenger will strengthen the squad and many fans want to see new faces come in but I would like to know what thoughts are about which area’s of the pitch those players should fill in. It is easy to say we need 1 goalkeeper, 2 center backs, a holding midfielder and a striker. I would like to know which players should be replaced in the current first team. For example if a defensive midfielder came in then he would surely have to settle for a place on the bench for most of the season as Alex Song will stay as first choice. If that is the case then which world class talent is willing to play back up?

Let us say that the following is our strongest side, for arguments sake let us assume that Gallas is going to sign a new deal. Which players will come into the first team and be a better replacement than the player playing.

I cannot think of many players who can come straight into that side, at least who will be available. So like I said we may need players who are willing to bide their time and fight for a place in the team. It is something that Wenger will be assessing over the summer months.

I am going to guess that many will feel that Almunia may find himself out of the team.

On that note, I am off to grab some much needed dinner.

Back again tomorrow.

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