The departures of Flamini, Gilberto and Hleb have left us a little light in the middle of the park despite the capture of Nasri – and it seems to me that there are two excellent, reliable ENGLISH candidates capable of stepping into the breach. Yes, Gareth Barry and David Bentley.

Let’s start with Barry. He really is just the kind of player we need in the centre of midfield I believe. He can tackle well, he covers a lot of ground, he can score goals but above all he can pass well. Anyone who plays for Arsenal has to know how to move the ball around quickly and he can do that with ease. He’ll also add some much needed English bite to the team which is something I don’t think should be underestimated.

It appears that Liverpool have cooled on the idea of bringing him in following Xabi Alonso’s decision to stay at Anfield – yet he appears to have burned his bridges with Martin O’Neill. Perhaps this is the ideal time to come in with a bargain bid to take the lad off their hands? I’d say a bid of between £12million and £14million would seal it.

I’d be more than happy to seal a midfield pairing of Barry and Fabregas at the Emirates next season.

As for Bentley, well I think he’d be dynamite for us I really do. I know that he left us under a slight cloud after growing frustrated as a youngster but so did Martin Keown 20 years ago. Martin proved that you CAN go back and be a success, and I’d see Bentley as someone in a similar mould.

He’s improved dramatically as a player with Blackburn. He really is their main man and whenever Bentley has pulled on an England shirt he’s looked pretty good too. From what I’ve seen of him over the past couple of years I’d say he’s been far better than Hleb. He scores more goals, makes more goals and plays more consistently.

I’m flabbergasted that Aston Villa and Spurs are the favourites to sign Bentley I really am. He’d do a great job for a top four club, and I think he’d suit our current team down to the ground.

I know it will take some pride swallowing on Wenger’s part to spend £18million or so, on a player he sold for £3million but I don’t think it would be bad business.

All that matters is that Gareth Barry and David Bentley would improve Arsenal’s side. If they cost around £30million between them, it could turn out to be money well spent…..

The irony of Alex Hleb’s ludicrous quotes, describing Cesc Fabregas as ‘selfish’ are nothing short of hilarious. How many times has the entire Emirates screamed at Hleb in unison for him to actually shoot himself for once! It’s laughable that he’s come out with that kind of comment it really is.

I’d take players who have the bottle to shoot themselves over midfielders who try to walk the ball in like Hleb any day. Fabregas is twice the player that Hleb is anyway. The Belarusian is no mug, don’t get me wrong but he’s not the world beater he thinks he is. He doesn’t score enough goals, his personality is bland, and he is injured too much. And what has he helped us win? Nothing.

When he’s inspired Arsenal to a major trophy having contributed as much as Pires, Ljungberg and Limpar did from the wing then I might listen to what he has to say but in the meantime I’m not interested. If you want to leave us, fine bugger off, but do it with some dignity please.

Arsene Wenger has made the career of Alex Hleb. Before he joined us who had heard of him and who cared? OK, he wasn’t a complete unknown but he has a lot to thank Wenger for. So what’s his gripe with the gaffer? What is there to disagree about? It’s not as if he was played out of position at full-back last season.

Alex Hleb should be left to rot in Arsenal’s reserves as far as I’m concerned. I’ve had to listen to more than enough nonsense from him over the last couple of months than I can tolerate. Let’s make a stand. Rather than flog him to Barcelona (as is his blatant wish) I’d like to see the club punish him internally and let him contemplate the things he’s said while training with the kids for a while. Keep him there until January and then let him go. See who wants him then.

This guy is ungrateful and greedy in equal measure and doesn’t deserve to wear the Arsenal shirt. I hope he never does again…..

The Emmanuel Adebayor ‘is he, isn’t he’ transfer saga regarding AC Milan has got right on my nerves this summer. As far as I can tell it’s all a lot of hot air about nothing – and the team it is going to cost most in end is Arsenal - financially.

Let’s be frank, AC Milan were never going to stump up enough cash to tempt us to sell Adebayor were they? As big a club as they are, I don’t think they are exactly swimming in cash right now, especially now that they haven’t qualified for the Champions League. You just have to look at their other targets – old boys Shevchenko and Ronaldinho who will both be available at knockdown prices to get an indication of their current wealth.

It’s good news that Arsenal have all but ended the affair by saying they want 45 million euros for Adebayor, effectively pricing him out of the market. Personally I’d sell him for a lot less than that given the mixed signals he’s been displaying about his ‘love’ for Arsenal. If he’s not happy we should let him go, but not on the cheap obviously.

What’s grated on me most throughout this tedious speculation-fest is the way Adebayor has continually protested that he’s not greedy. He’s from Togo, he plays for love not money, it’s not important to him, happiness is all that counts. Blah, blah, blah.

Well if that’s the case, then why are the Gunners now faced with the prospect of having to quadruple his wages to £120,000 a week in order to show their commitment to him?! Wasn’t his current long term contract faith enough?

OK, we did have him on the cheap at £30,000 a week but why should we give him four times that amount just because AC Milan pretended they wanted him – but only if he was a bargain?! Nothing has changed from the end of last season. He’s still good, he’s still a bit unproven and he’s still a player we don’t want to lose.

He’s not four times as good as we all thought he was just because Carlo Ancelotti fancies him is he……?

It’s been a cracking Euro 2008 and to keep things interesting I’m thrilled that my adopted team Spain have made it all the way to the final. They have been great to watch throughout and totally deserve to smash Germany out of sight and grab the glory in Vienna on Sunday night.

Luis Aragones’ puzzling decision to leave Cesc Fabregas on the bench has been grating on me all tournament but at least he has always given him an early run out. Invariably Cesc has always come on and made a big impact too which is brilliant. Last night against Russia I thought he was sensational. He gives Spain an added cutting edge that it’s lacking without his presence. Two assists speak for themselves last night but it was his general play that was outstanding. He made them tick.

I still haven’t seen a player I would dream of swapping with Fabregas in the world. He’s mega!

Another Spanish player that I’d love to see in an Arsenal shirt next season is Spain’s adopted Brazilian Marcos Senna. I remember seeing him with Villarreal a few years back when we faced them in the Champions League and thinking he looked good, but judging from his displays in this competition he is playing at an ever higher level now.

In my view he’d make the ideal replacement for Flamini. He works his socks off but looks effortless in doing so, and when in possession I have rarely seen him give the ball away at all. Aragones doesn’t like starting Fabregas and Senna but if that was the engine room of Arsenal’s midfield in August I’d be a very happy man.

We really do need to find the right man to replace Flamini. I like Diaby and Denilson but the holding midfield position is crucial these days and we need someone who is a master and not apprentice in that role. Marcos Senna looks like he has mastered it. He’d slot in perfectly to our style of play – which in all honesty looks as if it’s been copied by Luis Aragones!

So come on Arsene what are you waiting for?! Marcos Senna might be 31 but he looks as fit as a fiddle. He won’t have a big price tag and he will be a no risk signing. You can two great seasons out of him at least! It’s time to snap him up before someone else does I reckon…

Wet and windy summers aren’t much fun but it’s even worse if you are an Arsenal fan. I can’t remember the last time my May, June and July wasn’t spoiled by constant reports that my favourite team was about to be dismantled!

Last year it was all about Thierry Henry, which at the time felt sickening but it seems to be even worse this time around. First we lose Flamini to Milan, and now it looks like Adebayor will be joining him, Hleb is bound for Barcelona and this morning I read that Roma and Juventus are chasing Gael Clichy. It’s not good.

Why are Arsenal seen as easy prey? I think there can only be one reason and it has nothing at all to do with football. It’s all about the wages these big clubs are prepared to pay our players. Surely it is time for Arsenal’s board to sit down and decide that their current pay ‘structure’ is in fact jeopardising the team’s success!

It’s all well and good being all moral about these things but we will never win the biggest prizes without spending big money. We’ve come close, but not close enough. Every year we take two steps back before moving three steps forward. It’s soooo frustrating.

So far it looks like Ramsay and Nafti are two incoming players, and I am sure they will do well for us. I’m pleased with those kind of signings. The problem is, additions such as those would have been perfect if that’s what they were – additions. Instead they are replacements, and replacements for players who have been superb for us.

Right now we are looking weak squad-wise. I know I said this last year too and we did very well, but I honestly feel we’ll be too light if Adebayor and Hleb leave too. The only way to combat this problem will be to spend huge money on a striker and a creative midfielder. But will we do it? I very much doubt it.

Hopefully the silly season will prove to be exactly that, and that Messrs Hleb and Adebayor will stay as Gunners but as the weeks go by it’s looking less and less likely.

This summer has been depressing enough without England at Euro 2008, so spare a thought for us Arsenal fans who are feeling the strain!

It was nice to see that we beat Manchester United and Everton in the race to sign Cardiff City’s Aaron Ramsay for £5million. The kid won’t get a better education than he will under Arsene Wenger, so he’s clearly a smart lad. I hope he grabs the opportunity to shine for us.

Is he any good though?

I must confess that I don’t know a whole lot about the boy other than that he’s a creative midfielder that the Cardiff fans took straight to their hearts. His record of two goals in 22 starts doesn’t ‘wow’ me but I guess he must have plenty of other strengths to have such illustrious clubs chasing his signature this summer.

It’s a positive step to gamble £5million on a British teenager. I’m chuffed that Wenger has done it actually because it’s blatantly obvious that we need more of a British core in the dressing room. Poor old Theo Walcott must get lonely sometimes being the only native in the first team. I’m sure all the boys get on well but having a group of Brits together must help. Liverpool, Chelsea and most of all, Manchester United, all have several home-based players and on certain occasions it shows in their play.

That’s why I’m hoping that young Aaron won’t be the only British player to join us this summer. I’m certainly not holding my breath but I’d welcome it with open arms. Maybe we could prise Gareth Barry away from Liverpool’s clutches? Or perhaps Joe Hart, Michael Owen or Ashley Young might be useful additions too?

I doubt that Wenger will bring any of those I’ve suggested in, but it does look like Kolo Toure’s brother Yaya will be joining us from Barcelona. He’ll be the perfect replacement for that traitor Flamini. Big and strong, he should be able to do the donkey work for Cesc and the others without any fuss.

So, what’s Aaron Ramsay going to give us? Is he ready for the team or not? I’d love to know more about him if you do……

I was shocked to see in Deloitte’s recent report on the Premier League that Arsenal were the third highest payers just £2.5million below 2^nd placed Manchester United. I was under the impression that we paid considerably less than Chelsea, Manchester United and even Liverpool – who incidentally were £12million below us in terms of amount spent on wages. That is not the case clearly.

We are always missing out on star names because we refuse to pay crazy money we are told time and time again…..so how can this be I thought?

Then, Danny Fizman explained that Arsenal’s famous ‘wage structure’ means that they have a much lower limit for the top players (eg £80k a week rather than £130k) but that on average the players all earned very good money at similar levels.

In terms of team spirit I can see perfect sense in making sure no individuals are paid ridiculously more than their team-mates. That policy must surely foster better team spirit than at a club where the left back knows he is getting one sixth of the wages his striker is earning – yet is playing considerably better than his richer counterpart. At least Arsenal’s way everyone can forget about what everyone else is earning safe in the knowledge that they aren’t too far apart.

But then it got me thinking…..wouldn’t it be wiser to pay our more average players, more average wages in order to fund the signing of world class talent that could make the difference in big matches?

Surely if an ‘average’ player rejected the chance to move to Arsenal because instead of paying him £45,000 a week they offered ‘just’ £30,000 a week – then it would be a blow but not one a major one. Arsene Wenger would surely not struggle to attract players of that calibre to the club for that kind of money would he?

The same analogy doesn’t really work the other way around. If a world class striker turned Arsenal down on the basis that Chelsea offered him £120,000 and we offered £75,000 then we are missing out on a player that could potentially mean the difference between winning trophies and none at all.

With mo major trophy to celebrate in recent times maybe the answer to my initial question lies in the statistics at hand.

Perhaps it would be wiser to splash out on the big boys and cut the money paid to the rest of the less-talented members of the squad. Would that harm team morale?

Team morale is always high when you’re winning trophies…..

The recent actions of Mathieu Flamini and Alex Hleb have left a bitter taste in the mouths of some Arsenal fans – but I say if you want to leave then good riddance.

Flamini’s desertion to Milan did stun me. I thought that he’d developed the kind of partnership with Cesc Fabregas that he would be loathe to break up and that he was really happy with life at Arsenal. Unfortunately I failed to take cash into account. As soon as Milan waved a great big wad of Euros in his direction he was off!

As in any profession you can’t blame people for accepting a better financial offer but in football it’s slightly different surely? It’s not as if a few grand here or there will make or break the players. Yes, there are big differentials, but in the grand scheme of things Flamini would have been a rich young man at Arsenal or Milan.

This business about leaving so that he could win silverware is annoying too. What did Milan win this year? We might have fallen at the final hurdles but we were closer to winning trophies than Ancellotti’s mob last season.

My main gripe is with Arsenal over this matter as I can’t understand why they allowed Flamini to run down his contract so easily? As soon as players have Bosman status they almost always cash in on it. They should have snapped him up earlier!

As for Alex Hleb, who knows what he is really thinking because his agent is doing all the talking, but if he really does want to leave us for Inter Milan then we are better off without him. I saw them against Liverpool in the Champions League and was thoroughly unimpressed.

It’s old fashioned I know but I only want players playing for Arsenal Football Club if they really want to.

If a player doesn’t fancy it anymore or if he’d rather earn more playing for a different club – then sell them! We only want committed players. If Emmanuel Adebayor wants out too, he can go as well in my book. We will always be able to find quality replacements for these players.

The team is more important than any individuals and that’s why I have faith that we’ll be fine even if we lose some of our best players this summer.

It will be a testing few months by the looks of it but I’m confident we’ll still have a title-chasing team come August….

I don’t understand it. Why have Arsenal seemingly allowed one of our most important players to leave the club for one of our biggest European rivals without appearing to put up much so much as a protest, let alone a fight?

I’m well aware that Mathieu Flamini was free to utilise his Bosman transfer status this summer so in a way how can I be surprised that a modern day footballer has thrown loyalty aside for some extra wedge – but is it only money that’s convinced the Frenchman to trade the Emirates in for life at the San Siro?

I’d like to know what has motivated Flamini to join Milan. He’s established himself as a first choice midfielder, forming a brilliant partnership with Cesc Fabregas in the process. He’s playing for a team that’s regarded as one of the greatest to watch (if not the greatest) in the world. He’s earned his first France call-up and become respected as top Premier League player. Yet despite all these positives Flamini has chosen to join AC Milan, a team that Arsenal dismantled easily earlier this year.

I’ve been racking my brains to work out a reason why he’s gone. I’ve got two.

The first is obviously money. Arsenal are as stubborn as you get when it comes to wage deals so I wouldn’t be surprised if Flamini will be picking up tens of thousands per week more in Italy than he would in London next season.

The second is that he, like me, fears that Arsenal won’t win major silverware for as long as they continue with their prudent transfer policy. Maybe he thinks the same way as I do, and that’s that we will fall further behind United and Chelsea unless we gamble on one or two BIG money signings.

When Arsene Wenger talks about the great debt Arsenal are saddled with and how he won’t break the bank for any individuals it’s difficult to question the sensibleness of the club’s policy – but it still rankles.

Our main rivals don’t seem to have the same fears and are happy to splash serious cash on world class players that can make the difference. If United didn’t have Ronaldo and Rooney, and Chelsea didn’t have Drogba and Essien I doubt they would be higher than us in the league and in the Champions League final at Arsenal’s expense. When they had the chance they paid the money and they are reaping the rewards for it with major trophies.

Flamini’s departure is serious blow. Not just for the team but for the club’s image too. You might as well put up a huge flag at the Emirates proclaiming that we aren’t quite as big a club as we’d like to think we are.

How many players at the peak of their careers have ditched United, Chelsea or Liverpool?

We’ve taken a backward step in losing Flamini and there could be more to follow this summer. The only way we can move forwards now is to buy ready-made world class talent. If they cost £30m then so be it.

If we don’t speculate, I don’t see us accumulating silverware.

I’ve read with interest that Thierry Henry has said the only English club he’d ever consider playing for if he was to leave Barcelona was good old Arsenal.

I’m delighted that we won’t have to face him in a United, Liverpool, Chelsea or dirty Spurs shirt but the notion of him returning to the Emirates leaves me feeling surprisingly cold.

What do you think of the idea?

Henry’s the greatest striker we’ve ever had in my opinion and for a good few years he was virtually untouchable and unstoppable in the Premier League for us. I thought he was sensational. I loved him as a player and when he left us I was gutted and feared the worst.

But that was then and this is now, and I honestly don’t think I’d rejoice one bit if Thierry Henry re-signed for us.

For a start he’s past his peak and will NEVER be able to reproduce the type of magic he once did. The years have taken their toll and because of injuries and an understandable lack of fire in his belly given what he’s achieved in the game already – he’s never going to be the hungry, fearsome player he was. Seven goals in 25 appearances for Barca this season tells its own story I guess.

I was also greatly disappointed with his attitude in his final season with us. The sulking, the posturing, the secret longings to move on, the general big-headedness of his demeanour really wound me up. He thought he was bigger than the club and that annoyed me a lot.

That’s why I can’t feel sorry for him that he isn’t doing well in Spain. He says he’s very happy there and doesn’t want to leave but I get the distinct impression he knows he made a boo-boo quitting us like he did. He is craving for a return big time.

Sorry Thierry…..I just don’t buy this ‘love’ you have for Arsenal. We loved you and we lost you, and although you’ll always be rated by the fans, I am one supporter who doesn’t want you back.

It’s taken me a few days to get over the severe disappointment of the result at Old Trafford on Sunday but I’m ready to look forward now.

I’ve said many times that I think Arsene Wenger has made mistakes this season and I do feel I have been proved right – but I don’t wish to labour the point now. It’s time to look ahead and work out a way for us to do even better next season.

Wenger said his biggest worry is keeping the team together but I don’t see it that way. I’d have a right good clearout!

There are certain players who must stay but these are the boys I’d be looking to offload this summer…..

Jens Lehmann – I can’t stand the bloke. It’s time to let him go and disrupt another team’s spirit.

Phillipe Senderos – He’s never going to be the next Tony Adams. Too often he’s been a liability and I see no good reason to hang on to him. I’d sign a centre back of proven quality to replace him – and someone who can challenge Kolo Toure for his place.

Johann Djourou – His indifferent time on loan at Birmingham showed that he hasn’t quite got enough to be a top four player. No point persisting with him.

Justin Hoyte – Wenger has given him lots of chances but he’s never looked in the same class as Sagna. It would be better for him to play elsewhere.

Alex Song – Has never looked like being a star so no point keeping him on. A good player but he won’t make the difference for us.

Gilberto – He’s been brilliant for us but Gilberto is too slow now. He looks ponderous next to Flamini and Fabregas.

Emmanuel Eboue – After a great debut season he’s been disappointing. Eboue’s a real talent but too headstrong to be an asset. He is no right winger either.

Nicklas Bendtner – He’s a good striker but I hear that he’s very unpopular in the dressing room so I’d rather he left. He’ll never be better than squad player material at Arsenal.

Those are the eight first team players I’d sell this summer. If we’re lucky we’d get £30 million for the lot of them.

So who in their place? That’s too difficult a question for me to answer but targeting a top class centre back, a goalkeeper that’s better than Almunia, two other proven defenders, an experienced central midfielder, a world class winger and a world class striker is what I’d be shopping for.

Thoughts?

There is no way of hiding the fact. I’m devastated at Arsenal’s exit from the Champions League.

I think the nature of our defeat is what makes it so hard to swallow. One minute we were through after some Theo magic set up Adebayor and it was ecstasy. The next after two quick slaps across the face we emerged dizzy and 4-2 behind. We were out and it was horrible. Emotionally draining.

I do understand why Arsene Wenger and the players feel hard done by with regards to the refereeing decisions. Liverpool’s penalty was more than a bit ‘iffy’ while the one we never got at the Emirates certainly seemed a clearer penalty. Decisions affect results and those two didn’t help our cause at all.

But despite their obvious right to protest I’d much rather see Wenger and the boys look in the mirror and ask themselves what they might have done differently if they had their time again. It’s all too easy to blame referees. Even as a mad Gooner I can see when we deserve or don’t deserve victories and over the two legs of that quarter-final I don’t think we really did enough to warrant going through.

In the first leg we did OK, but never really scared the life out of Liverpool. The clear aerial advantage Adebayor had at set pieces worked once but we didn’t utilise that strength enough. Our second half performance was decent and we pressed forward in search of a winner but lacked the creativity to break them down.

Offensively at Anfield we were brilliant for the first 30 minutes and should have been three up. Then, once Walcott came on we again looked threatening but only for five or ten minutes.

Personally I thought Wenger got it wrong defensively. A player like Senderos is always going to make mistakes – and in games of that magnitude they will be punished. Senderos was excellent against Milan, but Wenger should have known that wouldn’t last. Poor old Phillipe was at fault for letting Hyppia get in front of him for the first goal and in the second half he gave Torres far too much room to shoot. He’s just not someone you can rely on.

I’d have stuck Eboue at right-back and kept Kolo Toure next to Gallas. Wenger’s decision disrupted things too much in my view. Eboue is no right winger and it was a waste to play him there with Walcott and Van Persie sitting on the bench.

Aside from the culpability of Senderos I also think the others will all feel they could have performed better over two legs. Fabregas looked tired, as did Clichy, and Hleb was quite ineffective too. No one had a stinker, but none of them rose to the occasion either.

Liverpool can count themselves a bit fortunate to go through, but on the balance they shaded it. I wish them luck and hope they smash Chelsea.

Forget the penalty that we should have been given, even as a Gooner I felt that 1-1 was a fair result last night.

I was lucky enough to be there and even though we had miles more possession than Liverpool it seemed to me to be a pretty even contest. Neither side really did enough to win it I thought. After an excellent first half Rafa Benitez shut up shop and you have to admit that his team did it well. We never created enough good chances to win it.

Tactically we struggled. No matter what changes Arsene Wenger made, they didn’t really seem to have an impact. The Liverpool back four and the hardworking five in midfield ensured there was no way through. It looked at times as if we lacked creativity but I’d rather give credit to their defence for standing up to the test than looking at our own misgivings on the night.

Having been present at Anfield as a neutral for both of their Champions League semi-final victories over Chelsea in 2005 and 2007, I know all too well the difficulty of the task that now lies ahead for us. The atmosphere at the Emirates last night was electric – but the Arsenal players (with the exception of Gallas) won’t have seen anything to compare with what’s in store for them next week. It’s going to be very intimidating indeed.

Fortunately we are not hated anywhere near as much as Chelsea are by Liverpool fans so I don’t expect the ground to be quite as venomous as it was on those two occasions, but I do expect the atmosphere to be incredible once more. It will give the Liverpool players a huge advantage.

That said, I know that we’re a better team than Liverpool, so I don’t think it’s going to be impossible to score the goal we need in the second leg. My fear is that I can’t see us keeping Liverpool out at the other end either. Not with their fans driving them on.

If I were a betting man I’d predict that we have another 1-1 draw in store next Tuesday – just as it was in the league game earlier this season.

It will turn into a real war of attrition. The team that wants it more will win it - and the team who is fittest too.

If they can’t be separated we’re heading for penalties and the problem is Pepe Reina is the king of penalty shoot-outs!

It’s definitely advantage Liverpool – but Arsenal won’t go out lying down. There is plenty more to play for, and it might just come down to a lottery at the end of these two hard fought ties.

If it does I’ll be hoping ‘Lucky Old Arsenal’ will prevail!  

I made the bullish prediction that we’d beat Chelsea on Sunday and push Manchester United all the way for the league title. I’m gutted to say it, but I was wrong.

The truth is Arsenal haven’t got the strength to win the Premier League this season.

Not enough strength in terms of numbers in our squad, not enough strength in terms of mental toughness and not enough strength physically on the pitch too. The facts are there for all to see when you look at our sub’s bench, the form we’ve shown in the run-in, and they way our defence failed to cope with Didier Drogba. There can be no argument against the fact that Arsenal have lacked strength when it has mattered most.

I’ve loved this season and am so proud of the way we’ve performed (and we could still nick the Champions League) but I do believe we’re out of the race for the league now. We’ve left ourselves too much to do and the form book shows we are not playing well enough to do it either.

What’s gone wrong?

It’s not easy to pinpoint why we’ve faded domestically. It could be Adebayor’s hair cut ;-), it could Fabregas’ recent lack of form, it could be the trauma of Eduardo’s injury, it could be the in-fighting between Bendtner and Adebayor, it could be Gallas’ selfish leadership. It’s probably a combination of many things.

I also think Arsene Wenger will look back and have a regret or two.

I was appalled at his decision to forego the FA Cup by allowing our weakened team to get hammered at Old Trafford. At the time we were flying but the psychological damage that game had on us was horrific. If we’d have approached it like a cup final I don’t think we’d have slumped as badly since. It was a poor decision in hindsight.

I also think that Wenger missed a trick by not signing a new player or two in January. His loyalty to the young boys was commendable but I felt it was right for us to make one or two experienced purchases while we were on top to cement our position and give us the back up we’d need if we got injuries. Spurning the opportunity to sign Jonathan Woodgate was a bad move, as was investing in another striker to give Adebayor a hand.

I’m feeling pretty low now I have to admit. My red-tinted spectacles made me believe this would be our year – but I now concede we still have a way to go.

I’m still dreaming of that trip to Moscow but after the weekend, I don’t have confidence that we’ll be there either….

Well, well, well, the title race is really hotting up now isn’t it?

A few weeks ago Arsenal were holding all the aces but as it stands we now have to chase down a Manchester United team that are looking ominously strong. With four straight draws we only have ourselves to blame really. It’s been a shocking sequence of results for us.

I’m beginning to agree with Tony Schneider’s feature claiming that our squad is too thin to win us the title. I said in January that we should have boosted the squad but we didn’t, and now with injuries crippling us, the options are looking a little thin on the ground. Our sub’s bench is embarrassingly poor in comparison to United’s and Chelsea’s.

I’ve never been a fan of rotation but I can see how Manchester United are benefiting from it now. They look fresh, and even when they play a weakened line up they have experienced players to come in that gel with match winners like Ronaldo or Rooney. We don’t have that luxury and we’re looking somewhat jaded as a result.

This weekend we’ll be hoping Liverpool do us a favour, because if they can, I am confident we will be back level on points with United on Monday morning.

Arsenal haven’t got a brilliant record at Stamford Bridge but I do fancy us for some reason to win there this time. Maybe it’s just a hunch, but I believe we are equipped to turn them over.

Avram Grant hasn’t got the best record in big matches, and his defence is showing distinct signs of creaking. To let in four against Tottenham shows just how fallible they have become in recent times.

That 4-4 draw means Chelsea will have to come at us and try to win the game. They don’t have a choice.

I believe that will play into our hands because on the counter attack we are as good as anyone. They won’t be gung-ho (are Chelsea ever that?!) but they will have to take a risk or two to get all three points. I can see Fabregas capitalising on the gaps and finding Adebayor on the break – who is surely due a Premier League goal?!

It’s still a two horse race in my view and after this weekend I imagine that will seem even clearer.

United are strong favourites, but the good old Gunners spirit might come through in the end! I’m pessimistic rather than optimistic right now, but I’d rather be in the Arsenal camp than Chelsea’s at this stage….

Start booking those flights fellow Gooners – we’re going all the way to Russia this year I am telling you!

I am so, so proud of that performance in Milan. Was I expecting it? In all honesty, no I wasn’t. After our recent troubles I had my doubts that we’d be mentally strong enough but more importantly I had major fears that we wouldn’t be TOGETHER enough to pull off a victory at the San Siro. How wrong I was.

That display was nothing short of sensational. To outclass a side of Milan’s quality was mind boggling because make no mistake, they were the team to beat in this year’s Champions League. Forget their ages, they are class – and it gives me great pleasure to revel in the fact that my Arsenal team took them to the cleaners!

What struck me most was our determination to win that match. Right from kick off you could tell how much it meant to the boys – especially Fabregas who was running around like a man possessed. Adebayor too was just outstanding. In fact every single player ran their legs off whether they had the ball or they didn’t. The desire was incredible.

That kind of display has given me so much optimism for the future. It could be a watershed moment in the development of this new Arsenal side. They have now proved they have what it takes to win at the highest of levels, both ability-wise and mentally too. I no longer have any fears about this group of players.

Can we win the Champions League now? Yes, I really think we can.

The draw will be important now. The only teams I’d not fancy facing would be Barcelona, Manchester United or Real Madrid in the quarters. I’d fancy us to beat them, but if we can avoid them it will be better. Let them knock each other out!

But after what we did to Milan you can bet that no one on Europe will want to be paired with Arsenal now!

We’ve laid down the marker now. If you want to win the European Cup you are going to have to wrestle it from Arsene Wenger’s grasp. No one wants it more than we do by the looks of it….

So near, yet so far away! That’s how I’d sum up the current state of our Champions League campaign.

Last night’s game against AC Milan was absolutely top class I thought. Two excellent teams locking horns with some brilliant pieces of football being played – it was a pleasure to see. There might not have been any goals but I thought it was absorbing to watch from start to finish. A proper football match!

It’s an opportunity wasted though. This was our big chance to ruffle Milan’s feathers and get ourselves a useful first leg lead that we can protect at the San Siro. As well as we played, I fear that 0-0 is a pretty bad result for us. Without the main man Kolo I fear it will be near on impossible to shut the likes of Pato, Kaka and Gilardino out for another 90 minutes.

I’m not a big fan of Senderos but I actually thought he did very well last night. One of the best performances I’ve seen from him actually. I hope he proves me to be monumentally wrong, but I just can’t see him being that solid when we’re up against it on Italian soil. We’re going to need to score at least one in Milan anyway, but I fear we might need two or three.

I just hope Adebayor’s amazing last minute miss doesn’t come back to haunt us. It was a sitter wasn’t it? Still, we can hardly moan at Manny can we?

Milan were so good defensively. They had to be. Our passing and movement would have destroyed most other teams in Europe but they stood firm and used every ounce of their European experience. I’d even go as far as to say that if Arsenal had Milan’s defence and they had ours last night, I believe we’d have won by two or three goals.

But we don’t. And the tie stands at 0-0. I think we are in big trouble.

Our away form hasn’t been brilliant and no English team has ever beaten them there. The odds are stacked well against us. It’s a shame.

I still look back at Sevilla away when Wenger decided to rest half his first choice XI and wonder if that is something he regrets. I certainly regret that he did it.

With a full strength side in Spain we’d have got at least a draw, and the likelihood is that we’d be sitting here today looking forward to a second leg formality against Fenerbahce.

Instead, we are very much staring down the barrel of an early exit from the Champions League.

I just hope our league form holds up or this could turn out to be a surprisingly flat season….

Forget Georgie Graham’s magic hat, it seems as if Arsene Wenger was wearing his all weekend as the Premier League conspired to produce exactly the results he would have wished for.

Now sitting five points clear of the chasing pack, everyone seems to be claiming that the title is now Arsenal’s to throw away. Paul Merson said exactly those words and I can understand why. If we avoid defeat to United and Chelsea away from home and win the rest of our easier looking games we will be champions at a canter.

But life never works out that simply does it? There are bound to plenty of twists and turns to come.

Wheeling away in celebration before anything has crossed the line is a dangerous thing to do. Plenty of good teams have been left with egg on their face in the past. I can’t see Man United or Chelsea playing as badly again all season so nothing should be taken for granted.

United were awful against City. It was hard to imagine a team as good as theirs producing a performance of such poor quality but they did so brilliantly for us! It showed how much they rely on Rooney, and it also proved that if Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t at his best, they don’t have a lot else to fall back on.

Chelsea were just as bad against Liverpool I thought. In a dire match, they passed the ball dreadfully. If Rafa Benitez’s side had had even the slightest shred of self-confidence they would surely have ended Chelsea’s long unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge. If they’d been playing us I have no doubts we’d have won.

I am not kidding myself though. Both United and Chelsea are GOOD. They will probably both go on decent runs now.