Who’s the best team in Europe? Well, probably Barca or Juve but even they haven’t won their first five European games.

Granted, Arsenal haven’t exactly faced the creme de la creme but things are starting to look up. Without being spectacular, we’re looking more solid and confident. The Champion’s League may still be beyond us, but at least we’re winning the kind of games we used to regularly screw up. Obviously, having Henry back helps, even though, now that Vieira’s gone, the need to sell newspapers has meant the speculation has had to move on to the great man.

And, let’s be honest, who could blame him for wanting to go to Barcelona? Hopefully he’ll stay, but if not we’ll send him off with a hearty backslap and a cheese sandwich for the journey. So, the team seems to be getting stronger with every game. The experienced players are finding their best form and what a star Van Persie’s turning into. Having just returned from the Blackburn game, even with the time that my fingers have needed to de-ice enough to type, I still can’t get over his goal.

Cesc is also looking tougher which was required. However, while there are positives, I’m worried about the current lack of a fit left-back. With Cole and Clichy injured, Cygan’s been filling in. A left-back he ain’t (some might say a footballer he ain’t). I’m sure he’s a lovely man but every time he’s on the pitch I’m overcome with dread. In fact, forget Abramovich, I reckon Pascal’s the biggest threat to Gooner success this year.

Haven’t heard too much chest-thumping bravado from up the road in recent weeks, considering all the spouting that was going on about a ‘shift in the balance of power in North London’ not too long ago. I’ll admit Spurs look less crap than usual, what with all their England players, and, hey, everyone knows how good England are.

By the way, those players are: Robinson (rejected by Arsenal), Carrick (rejected), Jenas (rejected), Defoe (rejected), and Ledley (wants to join). Do you see a pattern? If Spurs could scrape into even the UEFA Cup just once, people might stop laughing at them so much. Until they can manage that, they should piss off back to taking the Carling Cup seriously.

Obligatory Tottenham-bashing aside, let’s move onto a worthier subject. The inevitable sadness at the end of Highbury is getting nearer all the time, but, behold, a new dawn is on the horizon. Strange to think that this time next year they’ll be packing ‘em in at The Grove. I can’t get over the size of the new ground and the speed at which it’s appeared. Drayton Park looks like one of those motherships from Independence Day has landed.

The only worry is finding enough players to play, if this really is the last season for Henry, Pires, Bergkamp, Cole et al. Signing Torres and Baptista would help and Wenger is supposedly sitting on a £60 million ‘war chest’ (I hate that term but I suppose it’s more exciting than ‘bank account’).

So, overall assessment? Well, the future is gloomy/bright, depending on which papers you read. I’ll be staying positive until something persuades me otherwise because, above all, Arsene still knows.

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