I’m going to go get it off my chest now and say we lost against Spurs last night because we were shit. Not just any shit, nut the kind where even the owner can’t stand it. I’m not one to get pissed off at our team, but last night really left me fuming.

Losing at Spurs shattered Arsenal's title dreams, but things are looking up.

I’m not angry that it was against Spurs in particular, what galls me is the insipid display of the whole team except for one or two. In my last post I mention the lack of urgency in our general approach to games and last night epitomised that trait. You’d be forgiven if you thought that it was Arsenal who played 120 minutes on the weekend while Spurs had a week’s rest.

However that’s not the tone of this post, there are lots of other places to vent this morning.

Looking at the big picture we’ve done well to be where we are, and with 4 games left we still have a chance albeit a very slim one. However we have a hurdle to overcome, and while we came close this season —yes, past tense, as far as I am concerned the season is over, we’ve been resurrected a few times already this season, there won’t be any more.— we still have not been able to jump that hurdle from potential to winners.

If anything, the rash of injuries we’ve suffered has given the boss an opportunity to take a good look at the second string players. They have been the ones in the spotlight and it has given them the opportunity to show that they deserve to be part of an Arsenal squad that will go on to dominate football in the near future. I am intrigued to see who has made the cut and who’s been cut.

I’ve looked to our friends in Catalonia for comparison you know they spent 5 years without winning a thing. Their wilderness years came between 99 and 05, years when being 2nd in the league was an achievement. Years when Champions league was but a dream, when Iniesta was a child and Xavi was their Denilson. Valdes was in Barca B, Messi was a baby and Guardiola was at the twilight of his career.

Could it be possible that we follow the same path as Barça, there are similarities. Our youth program is bearing fruit, we have a strong first eleven, and we just need one or two more to complete the squad. I doubt we are going to suffer a similar amount of traumatic injuries as we’ve had this season. Here’s what going to happen next season.

In Van Persie, Chamakh, and Bendtner we will have a lot more options upfront to deal with unforeseen circumstances. Van Persie in particular will be the lynchpin for everything, just imagine a fully fit RVP with a fully fit Fabregas working together for a full season.

There is no way that we won’t strengthen at the back. I am willing to bet on a new goalie, retention of Campbell, a fit Djourou, and a new CB. We can also look forward to the blooding of Bartley and maybe one other from the reserves.

The midfield is where I think we have big decisions to make, we have too many players of similar ilk. There’s need for another player like Song, but I’m afraid that Arsene will look to the reserves instead of buying a readymade solution. Unfortunately I don’t see anyone in the youth system that fits the bill.

I know it’s a cop out to blame injuries, but if we just have a little more luck in that department with the addition of reinforcements Arsenal can finally make that step up and become the dominant force in English football for years to come.