A win where a loss was a clear possibility. Not that it wasn’t a thrilling match, but anyone watching the first half will know what I mean. Two fantastic goals where the defence was on a walkabout, goals which will make anyone who is watching quickly realise where the fault lines in this team are.

Many will argue that a win is a win and, that is exactly what Wenger said post match. He went so far as to say that he was not concerned about the defence, which to say the least is a bit foolish. From a football management genius such statements are either a reflection of what he thinks the rest of the footballing world is ..stupid, or just a ploy to deflect the focus on what is a frail defence.

The goals we scored were good and showed why Adebayor is vital to this team. Where his more technically gifted and illustrious teammates, huffed and puffed with their aimless runs and pathetic ball-retention, he showed why he is the bane of most defences in football. Granted that he missed a few sitters( he misses four before he scores) but his commitment and strength are vital against robust and compact defensive teams.

While Walcott and Van Persie finally lost patience with each other and started exchanging choice words, he kept at it like he always does. Adebayor was never the most gifted but he has improved his game a lot and will continue to do so. Bendtner came on and showed how a good pre-season can make a big difference to your confidence. He played well and is now learning how much more there is to being a good striker.

Denilson had a good game and Cesc played OK for a first game. But you cannot see Denilson partnering Cesc all season.

While Arsene admits that we are one body short, I will not be surprised if the one body he MIGHT buy, will be a young unknown, unable to fit into our style of play. So we will be stuck with the talented but injury-prone Diaby trying to be our main defensive midlfielder.

Walcott on the wing will be our right or left sided solution depending on well Nasri and Vela do. Walcott keeps showing important deficiencies that are due to a lack of good footballing education at a young age. Compare him to Jack Wilshere who has been with us since nine and you will see how much vision and awareness Theo really lacks.

Walcott has loads of pace but is too predictable and fails to see a pass. I am not talking of long cross or up field balls which another uncultured footballing brain, Aaron Ramsey, seems to think is the way to play. Walcott shows flashes of genius but they are still too few and far in between, and Aaron will learn in due course.

Jack Wilshere is strong strangely for his age and has the game awareness of a Gilberto (he wears the same number incidentally).He will play more than some think this season.

Back to the defence, enough has been said I think. But neither Gallas or Toure have the authority to play all season without costly mistakes. We cannot buy a new centre back because there are so few good ones and those there are too expensive.

I still think Senderos is very authoritative on most days but lacks big match mentality, and Djourou is an enigma.Senderos should play most games with Toure with Gallas playing only the big matches. This might miff Senderos but he is a good lad and will make it if he gets more games.

We do not have a backup for Clichy , and Wenger wont buy anyone. I don’t think Traore is a left back, he is a winger.

The goalkeeper is not a brave or a strong one. He lacks the authority to come and punch the ball, and always plays safe by waiting on his line.And I am yet to see a top goalkeeper who so often gets a hand to the ball and still lets the ball go in!!

I am loathe to say it but what Arsenal needs a new outlook towards football, we have got all the basics right and the history and the culture to bank on. I think we need a new manager, not immediately as the great man still has to win us some more trophies.

But while he is still boss we have to submit to his choices and decisions( even though we don’t like some or most of them).He is too set in his ways like most senior managers, and Arsenal need a new way in a few more years. He wants to build a team starting with youngsters while continuously losing experienced players. It does not work that way, if you cant keep experience, you must buy experience.

This is how it is going to remain till Arsene leaves.I know it may be unthinkable for some(including me, but the best way forward for us is to get a new manager sooner than we will want.Someone with an Arsenal pedigree (Tony Adams anyone??) who will stick to our now famous attacking and beautiful brand of football but will see things differently.   

While I leave you with that thought let us look forward to the new season with our usual hope for trophies and watch the beautiful game we expect and get.

Considering how full of midfielders the team was last year, this year it is beginning to look like an area where we are going to struggle in a bit.

Flamini gone, the scheming w*nker. Raised his game for one year to get a huge pay-rise and use his contract status to engineer a move to a team playing in the UEFA cup! Good luck with that Shylock. We are sharpening our knives for your return.

Hleb left us yesterday, his odious and overzealous badge-kissing is so typical of people have no real loyalty to any club (remember Ade last year?).No tears shed here. I am glad he has left, which may seem rich to say in hindsight. But everyone knows of his goals-to-matches ratio, which is not something to shout about.

Good old Gilberto who has been a model footballer for the club is going to a Greek club, where incidentally he received a saviour’s welcome on landing ( 1500 fans at the airport!!!). Worthy welcome for a great footballer and a true gentleman. Goodbye Gilberto, thanks for all the good times, we are very sad to see you go. You will always be cheered whenever you return.

Now to the jackass Ade-bray-or. Stupid donkey shot his mouth off, now he’s wondering where to go. Milan have got Ron and Barca have got no money. Now no one wants him, like Eto’o.

It will be fun to see him play at Emirates this year, unless we sell him for peanuts, which Wenger won’t do. Oh the taunts, from home AND away fans, I can’t wait. I never hated him; in fact I really admired how he took up the scoring mantle for us all of last season. After Henry left, Eduardo was felled and Robin-Van-Creaky kept falling over, he kept going for us.

All said we still have a very very good team Rosicky and Eduardo are getting fixed. Bendtner and Theo will only get better. Van Creaky will stumble through half a season for us, by then Nasri and Vela will come to terms with our game. Diaby and Song ( remember the African cup of nations) can fill the holding role. And our back four are still intact, we just need one more in centre-back my opinion.

And we’ve got Cesc Fabregas…we’ve got Cesc Fabregas… HE’s OUR NEW CAPTAIN… we’ve got Cesc Fabregas

All together now, ..Arsenal FC we’re by far the best team the world has ever seen...