Apologies for the lack of post yesterday but when I wrote Saturday’s I forgot that I had promised Sunday would be a day-off with me reaching twenty-one again today. No transfer rumours today, just a look back at the last nine months.

Take yourself back to July 2007. The new season was upon us, Henry had departed and debate raged about whether or not Arsenal could remain in the top four. If someone had said to you that Arsenal would finish third, four points behind the eventual champions and register the fewest Premier League defeats as well as being the highest scorers away from home, how would you have reacted? At that point in time and given how the 2006-07 season had turned out, it would have been an acceptable conclusion; proof that the rebuilding that Arsene had been talking of was well on its way to a successful future.

The trouble is that reviewing 2007-08 is not that straightforward. The boxes that are ticked in respect of pre-season expectations are clouded by the level of aspirations that were raised during the campaign. It is however a season that should be remembered with pride; a squad written-off as incapable of even achieving a Champions League berth comfortably did that and more.

Not that there was any indication of that in the opening weeks of the Premier League season. Two uncharacteristically sloppy goals were gifted to Fulham and Blackburn, signalling a changing of the guard in the Arsenal goal. Jens Lehmann may have been consistent in shot stopping previously but for some reason he lost concentration in consecutive games. His replacement, Manuel Almunia, was not a universally popular choice to replace the German but he seized his chance to prove the critics wrong.

Indeed he was at his most unconvincing when talking of taking up British citizenship following the failure of England to qualify for Euro2008. All Arsene asked was that he did his job, which is exactly what Almunia proceeded to do. There are still doubts in some minds about him and whether Arsenal can win the League with him in situ. Remember 1988-89? John Lukic was not a ‘Great’ goalkeeper but a capable one, in many respects similar to Almunia. It did not stop that team from winning the League that season.

Defensively there were inconsistencies at the end but the full backs were more than impressive. Gael Clichy started the season like a house on fire, providing ample attacking support on the left whilst Bacary Sagna had nothing short of a phenomenal season on the right. It was the epitome of consistency. It was no coincidence that the campaign tailed off dramatically following the injury he sustained at Stamford Bridge.

The centre of the defence proved to be the teams Achilles Heel in the end. The African Cup of Nations disrupted the Toure / Gallas partnership, never recovering upon the former’s return from Ghana. Senderos filled in and grew in confidence during January but the Champions League exit destroyed him and he was omitted for the rest of the season. Whether he can return from that is going to be a true test of his character.

For William Gallas, it was a tale of two dropped points. When the team were playing well, his captaincy was never questioned. Indeed, he was praised for the manner in which he filled the role. A visit to St. Andrews changed all of that. There is little question that what was an emotionally testing afternoon for the whole of the squad with Eduardo’s injury and a poor refereeing decision brought about an explosion of temper to the surface. Ordinarily, it would have passed but Gallas found himself at the centre of a media witch-hunt. The storm would not pass taking centre stage ahead of what was one of the worst tackles seen in Premier League history.

In hindsight, the events of that afternoon should have been used to promote a siege mentality, to inspire the squad, rallying around their captain. Perhaps it is a sign of their youth that such a reaction was not forthcoming; it seemed more that Gallas had lost their support more than anything else. Certainly, there were reports that this had happened although I suspect we will have to wait until someone’s memoirs are forthcoming to get to the truth – or at least a version of it – of the matter.

The media like to portray that afternoon as the day the title swept northwards. Statistically this theory is backed up. I am not convinced that this interpretation is correct, or at least attributing the eventual failure on Gallas’ reaction. More importantly, the shock that was tangible on the faces of the rest of the players took sometime to be shaken totally off. Martin Taylor emerged as the victim, principally because he was viewed as ‘a nice bloke who would not hurt a fly’. Eduardo was not a fly and Taylor set out to give him a ‘getting to know you’ challenge, one that he should forever be ashamed of.

Much overreaction blamed it on the English players, conveniently forgetting that Dirk Kuyt was guilty of an equally appalling challenge on Phil Neville during the Merseyside derby earlier in the season. The real culprits, outside of Taylor, were the Football Association and the Referees. Had Kuyt been given the straight red he deserved, a clear message to the rest of the game that such challenges were unacceptable. The FA could have overruled the referee’s decision post-match by pointing out that he had been technically incorrect in cautioning Kuyt and replaced that with a red and three-match ban. Instead, they took the cowardly way out and hid behind the flaccid argument that the official had seen the incident, supposedly meaning that they could not take any further action.

For Eduardo the injury curtailed his season at a time when he was showing the form that had enticed Arsene to sign him as Henry’s replacement. He had started to find the net and looked as if he would provide the spark to the attack in Robin van Persie’s absence, the Dutchman injured on international duty. All one can hope is that Eduardo makes a full recovery for he has the potential to be held in high regard as an Arsenal forward.

Back to the defence. No sooner had Bacary Sagna fallen to injury than Justin Hoyte did so. Emmanuel Eboue was unconvincing in covering the right back slot for the remainder of the match at Stamford Bridge, necessitating Kolo Toure to move to that position. In came Philippe Senderos until Anfield; Alex Song took over for the visit to Old Trafford the following Sunday and remained there until the end of the season, competent in his first game, more assured by the end to the extent that Arsene rebuffed suggestions that he was a central midfielder by questioning whether he could perform in that position over the course of the season. It should not have been a surprise given the almost imperious form he displayed in the Carling Cup, particularly at Ewood Park.

In midfield, Cesc took his performance levels several notches higher, something that was recognised when he was awarded ‘Young Player of the Year’ at the end of the season. He led the way in ‘assists’ and scored a dozen goals, none more important than the opener in the San Siro. At a time when the team were starting to wobble domestically, that performance was majestic. They were simply superb that night having been held to a goalless draw in the first leg.

Alexander Hleb continued to be a conundrum. He started the season in excellent form but as it flowed was let down by an inability to get shots away, his scoring drying up before Christmas. His contribution is often missed because it does not show in statistics, playing the pass that leads to an assist. Internazionale came knocking and he displayed poor judgement in meeting them on the eve of the second leg in Milan, to the extent that it led to a rare public rebuke from his manager. Whether he will be at the club for the start of the new season remains to be seen but he must improve on goalscoring if he is to take the step up from being an excellent player to a world-class one.

If Bacary Sagna was consistent in defence, Mathieu Flamini was equally so in midfield. Despite being linked with moves away throughout the campaign, he performed to a surprisingly high level. There are some who believe he was made to look good by the form of Cesc next to him and whilst there might be some truth in that, it is also a harsh judgement not recognising that Flamini did make a significant contribution to the team’s rebirth. His eventual departure to Milan came as little surprise when he did not sign the contract offered to him by Arsenal immediately; his claim Milan reach the Champions League final every couple of years was blown out of the water when they failed to qualify for that competition yesterday. Still, he will able to compare notes with Lassana Diarra about the merits of the UEFA Cup over the summer.

Tomas Rosicky proved as injury-prone as before and missed half of the campaign. Hopefully, this will situation will be resolved with the surgery he has undergone recently. He has the potential to provide the goals lacking from everyone in midfield bar Cesc. Another who emerged from the shadows at the end of the season was Theo Walcott. Getting a run of games helped, breaking his Premier League duck for Arsenal with a brace at St Andrews earlier in 2008 had no doubt helped but a mazy run leading to Emmanuel Adebayor’s equaliser at Anfield seemed to be the moment when he clearly believed in himself.

Arsene has indicated that Walcott will be challenging for a starting line-up place in 2008-09. No doubt that is in part due to the inconsistency shown by Emmanuel Eboue. He is the team’s whipping boy, frequently criticised for not scoring last season or creating either. Arsene observed that he brings defensive balance to an attacking side; the truth is somewhere between the two. It should not be forgotten that he is learning the right midfield position. Next season must see the painful lessons of this campaign learned if he is to continue with a regular place in the side.

The departure of Henry left a void that many expected Robin van Persie to fill. Indeed the Dutchman began the season on fire before succumbing to an injury that saw him missing for several months. He would return after a false start but indicative of the lack of goals from elsewhere in the team is the fact that he is one of the teams leading scorers this season’s despite missing half of it.

It meant that Emmanuel Adebayor had to step up to the plate to score the goals, something nobody seemed convinced of before the campaign began. That he broke thirty for the season is something that should be applauded. Instead it still draws derision – ‘he scores when it doesn’t matter’ (incorrect as it happens and what does that mean anyway) and ‘he misses more than he scores’ (do not all strikers) – which is actually offensive when you think about it. What more do people want? If he were not scoring, he would be criticised; when he does, he is criticised. Thankfully, the majority appreciate him. Oh, and apparently he has an ego. Really? Show me a goalscorer who does not.

How the title escaped Arsenal’s clutches is open to debate but when the gap is just four points, putting it down to one reason is impossible. As much as the poor run of form post-Birmingham is to blame is the inability to beat the rest of the top four. Had Liverpool been beaten at home and defeat avoided at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, the points gap is gone. Likewise, the expected six points from Birmingham never materialised, nor did four for that matter. One point from six against Middlesbrough? Failure to win at home against Villa and Middlesbrough. The list is endless.

Quite clearly Arsene has to continue building for 2008-09. He needs a replacement for Flamini; the centre of the defence requires bolstering; more goals from midfield. It is easy to see the negatives whilst overlooking the resounding positives of 2007-08. The trophy cabinet might have been bare in the end but the squad proved that they are capable of challenging, a massive turnaround from the previous season. As Arsene said recently, to not build on these foundations would be criminal.

‘til Tomorrow.

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