Besides, the problem yesterday wasn’t in Arsenal’s attack it was the utter lack of communication and organization at the back. Sagna gave up on Ibra for the second goal. Vermaelen and Koz had no clue who to cover for the first. Song and Arteta didn’t press in midfield.

Frankly, your tone is dismissive and sanctimonious. You came here and told me not to “succumb to the English mindset” like I’m some kind of nitwit and now you’re here setting it up so that anyone who thought that buying a player when you have injuries to the entire defense is irrational. We can disagree over the particulars but seriously, stop insulting people who disagree with you.

I think I know who you are and you have been reading me for a while. I think you also know that I don’t just say things for effect. I’ve thought through these issues, on my own, and I disagree with you.

This is a team and manager in decline. There are going to be good moments during the rest of the season but if the loss on Wednesday has anywhere near the same effect that the League Cup loss had this could well be the high-water mark for Arsenal’s season.

And worse, whereas teams once feared Arsenal as they would a tiger with our swift attacks, sweeping counter-attacks, and devastating goals, they now look at us as kitten chasing a ball around on the kitchen floor. The sad reality is that Arsenal don’t even play beautiful football any more. Arsenal are now predictable, slow, and frankly, at times boring.

Arsene’s other great strength was always in finding bargains in the transfer market. But lately, I suspect that the manager is somewhat out of touch with the reality of transfer costs and player salaries and as such keeps thinking that he is overpaying when a team asks for a few pounds more for Juan Mata. And he also believes he is getting a bargain when he sells players like Toure and Clichy to Manchester City. Perhaps it is as others have suggested and his hands are tied in that regard. But if his hands are tied it is with golden handcuffs because he is well compensated for the job he is doing.

I’ll even go another step further and say that Arsene Wenger is the greatest manager this club has ever seen and could even go down as the greatest manager this club will ever see. In years we will come to appreciate what he has done and in the greatest compliment ever we will measure other managers by the standards he has set.

Already his footballing legacy is written. He was the first foreign manager to win the League. He is the only manager in the Premier League era to go an entire season unbeaten. Two doubles. Fourteen years in the Champions League. He carved London Colney out of the woods and created a state-of-the-art training facility that is used by the England team and is the envy of all. He has launched more careers in football than I care to count. And, possibly the biggest compliment to him is that teams, managers, and players aspire to play “like Arsenal.”

You’ll note, however, that I left the stadium off that list of accomplishments. That’s because I think we built that stadium. Our money built that stadium. Our money at the turnstiles, at the Arsenal shop, as Red Level members, or even just in passionately following the team and watching games on television. He built us a team that we could love, he gave us a philosophy that we could believe in, and we poured our money and passion into that stadium in return.

We built Ashburton Grove, because we love Arsene Wenger and what he has done to make Arsenal Football Club one of the greatest teams the world has ever seen.

One day, days like today will be all but forgotten. Swept away by the memories of winning the League at Old Trafford, memories of Thierry Henry scoring at White Hart Lane, of Tony Adams’ famous goal, Freddie’s goals in the FA Cup finals, and of the Invincibles season. 49 games unbeaten. 229 goals. 229 is a prime number, only divisible by one and itself. Just like Thierry Henry. Just like Arsene Wenger.

i hate to admit it, but spurs are a cut above us now. without doubt. hopefully the wheels will fall off when redknapp goes, but who knows, that could be a good thing for them if they land mourinho.

looking north to rangers, and you have to be thankfull that we are in a very good position financially. and people will always point to that. but for me, i don’t actually think we need to have spent much, if any more on our squad than we have. i think what we have spent has been spent poorly.

we are still yet to really see park and before we know it, he’ll be off for national service. andre santos cost over 1 million more than jose enrique despite not being anywhere near as good.

if we don’t finish 4th, it’s a long way back. if we do, we need to thank our lucky stars and make a couple of quality signings. i don’t think we need many. but it’s important they are quality. to much second rate stuff has been brought in of late.

as for the management/coaching of the team goes, clearly, this is probably the most important change. a new face is needed somewhere, even if it’s just to help AW.

and as for the injuries, this has gone on long enough, our injury record is appalling, somebody needs to get to the bottom of it. all soft tissue. clearly there is something amiss, but is everyone too stubborn to admit it? getting our injuries down to a ‘normal’ level for a season would be as good as a major signing.

I believe the only way we are going to bring about change is if we go 2 steps back.