Development and new signings mean Arsenal have strength in depth

It has become evident that getting rid of Cole and Reyes has had a very positive impact on the current squad.

Reyes and Cole were clearly not good for team moral. Now we have Gallas and Baptista, 2 experienced players that add steel to the team and are keen to prove a point.

We have looked focused and determined in the last 2 games, which have yielded 2 away wins, 2 confident performances and 6 much needed points.

The nature of the victories ensures confidence will be improved and the belief in the squad is back. Arsene will be telling the players 'Chelsea are not as strong as last season, they will drop more points, they won't take 6 points off of us for a start, we have already beaten Utd, Liverpool are still short of goals and so if we stay focused we can win this.'

We have an excellent young squad and with the signings of Baptista, Gallas, Rosicky and Denilson we have added quality to the squad. The more games they play the better they will become. Rosicky is already looking an important player.

Losing Dennis Bergkamp if you include last season as he didn't play many games, had a far bigger impact than losing Vieira. Bergkamp made Arsenal tick, he embodied how Arsene wanted us to play.

Arsene has tried to replace Bergkamp but not directly, he has done it with Rosicky and Fabregas. Both are able to dictate the tempo just as Bergkamp did in his prime.

It will take at least 2 months for Arsenal to start firing. By that time Lauren, Clichy, Diaby and Senderos will be nearing full fitness and Walcott will be that much fitter. Thats 4 experienced, potential first team players and a raw talent, an unknown quantity, to integrate back into the squad.

Baptista is another good signing. I think he will eventually replace Gilberto, we will line up with Fabregas and Baptista in the middle, Baptistas' sheer physical power, directness and dynamism balanced with Fabregas' quality on the ball, passing ability and unique football brain.

Add into this the development of the younger players in the squad such as Djourou who has impressed me for a 19 year old centre half, Diaby, Clichy, Adebayor, Eboue, Flamini who all have the necessary quality to improve and we suddenly have strength in depth and 2 quality players for each position.

If you think about the unbeaten season the team can develop to function as well, not to go unbeaten itself as a large amount of sustained fortune is required, but to constantly challenge for the Championship.

The nucleus is there, development is key.