Well let's face it, that's really the question Gooners are asking. Who cares whether we are one of the big four. There's only one team after all as far as Gooners are concerned, but when we look at the Invincibles side, can we get anywhere close to that again. Bored of endless discussions about whether Mr Whippy has actually found a team to buy him and give him the rural idyll he so strongly desires, I took a stroll around some of the Top 5 features on ATVO. Don't know about you, but I had forgotten just how sublime some of that stuff was in the dashed hopes of the last few seasons. But it did me good to see what Wengerball can achieve given the right mix of talent and team play.

Strangely though it is the level of football that we have become used to at the Club that has become a rod for Wenger's back. If we were perennially hoping to get no lower than fourth from bottom, we wouldn't worry whether we had enough cash to buy the latest football agent promotion, we'd just be happy to still be in the Prem. But we're not because we have to win something and four points and a dodgy refereeing decision don't go in the record books, just third place and a quarter final.

So what's it going to take to win something this coming season? Well in true George Graham mode we have to defend better, if we could protect a lead we would be Champions now. OK, so the fat lady hasn't even begun to warm up yet on closing the transfer window, but I have concerns about the back four and even a little about the goalie. I think Almunia is competent, but having seen replays of Old Safe Hands in action (don't mention the long punts he let in), he really is somewhat removed from that level as yet. Don't know if it's instinctive or can be taught, but we need someone the back four can trust and I'm not sure Almunia is it. Similarly it looked like our back four was inclined to panic a tad last season and not play with discipline as a unit. That has to change.

With the signing of Nasri I am a little more confident that the wide attacking play that made Bobby and Freddie so dangerous can be recaptured, he's just going to have to up his goal to game ratio. Looks like Hleb's going at some point so we may be able to counter-attack with a little more speed so long as we can score when we get within sight of the goal, just not so sure of the right side midfield. I'd rather Theo was played through the middle which at the moment seems to leave only one choice. Hmm. Regardless of Gilberto going we need a defensive midfielder, whether we will promote from within or maybe Diaby will fit the bill, though at the moment he's too attack-minded and inaccurate with his tackling. We can't afford to give too many free kicks away especially if we haven't fixed the defence.

Cesc is looking even better after his Euro win and looks set to be a proper Arsenal legend, especially with the things he is saying at the moment. I wish it was catching. But the Euros did show he can play further forward than he necessarily does at Arsenal and yes I know it it so unlikely, but the idea of Cesc and David Villa playing for us.... It's great to see Eduardo doing so well with his recovery and it looks like he is going to come back and still be a great player for us if it continues, and I guess him and Villa playing together would be no bad thing, talk about tricky, still you can dream huh?

I'm always a little careful of reading something a player is supposed to have said unless I see video of it, so I don't really know what to think about Ade. If it's true what he is reported to have said, then he is properly deluded. He is so far from being Henry at the moment, he shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as the great man. Thierry really earned his money over a number of seasons, one good season doth not an Henry make. Get real Ade. Should we sell him? Depends if his heart is in his retirement fund or the club. If the former, we'll not get the running out of him that made up for the offsides and misses, so yes he should go. Unfortunately he does give us the height advantage that we haven't had and only Bendtner can also give us. I wish I was more convinced by Bendtner, I know he's young and all that, but can we afford to wait for him to mature. Strangely it doesn't look like attacking options are going to be hard to find as long as the sick-note waving Rosicky and Van Persie stay healthy. Don't know about Vela, if he lives up to his potential, then we may not miss not being able to buy Villa, which is saying something.

So to answer the question, yes we can match our past, not this coming season, but the next maybe as long as the team stays together and gells. However I do think we will be good enough to win trophies this season. It kinda feels like Le Prof is drawing things together and the team he really wanted all along is taking shape. I don't know if Arsene Knows, but I know he knows more than me.

Oh by the way, if the repetition on NewsNow infuriates you, try www.rockynewsnow.info