Four weeks ago, Arsenal’s title challenge was over. The home defeat to Chelsea had seen everyone and their dog line up to kick Arsene Wenger’s team. While they were still licking their wounds, Manchester City snatched a win against the usual collection of youngsters, sprinkled with experience in the League Cup. Not good enough, not strong enough, need another striker they cried.

Well here we are then, on December 30th, Arsenal are tucked in 3rd, with a game in hand, which is against Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates next week. Win that and they go second in the table. Yet as the Portsmouth fans who have witnessed tonight’s thrashing at the hands of the Gunners said, if they had a predatory striker, they’d have scored 20.

For all the failings that Arsenal are constantly accused off, it’s their lack of that predator in the box that seemingly holds them back from killing teams off that their rivals manage to snuff out. Yet, it feels churlish to criticise a side that have score 51 goals in 19 Premiership games and could be second this time next week. Of course, as my fellow EPL talk writer Eric Altshul wrote earlier this week, Arsenal have a crucial 4 game period coming up from January 27th.

The results against the other big clubs do not determine the Premiership title, you only have to look at Liverpool’s result last season to see how little it effects the Premiership outcome. It is the games that you should win, that slip through your fingers that cost you titles and cups. For every emphatic thrashing of Portsmouth, there’s a defeat at Sunderland or a draw at West Ham United. Those are the games, especially the West Ham match when Arsenal threw away a 2-0 lead that will keep them from going top next week.

Of course, Wenger is one of the best managers at protecting his players and keeping his cards close to his chest. If he thinks he needs a striker, he’s not the type to come out and say it, he usually just goes out and gets his man. Now, with Arsenal having a real chance to get their hands on the Premier League title, having someone who has an ability to scuff the ball in off his backside is exactly what Arsenal need. Financially Wenger could, within reason, land any striker outside of the Premier League to give them that final piece.

For all the doom mongers complaining when he sold Adebayor and Toure, for a combined £41 million, the dissenting voices seem to have grown increasingly quiet. Replacing Toure with the elegant Vermaelen was a masterstroke that has seen the Belgian weigh in with some important goals from the back. With the injuries to van Persie, Bendtner, Walcott, Denilson and Fabregas and the impending African Cup of Nations taking Song, Wenger may be forced into the market whether he likes it or not.

Of course, the one major bonus to the injuries that have blighted Arsenal is the continued presence of Andrei Arshavin, who has continued to rein in his own attacking instincts for the benefit of the team. The lad has given a real team performance over the last few weeks at the expense of personal glory and has re-affirmed his reputation as an excellent footballer.

So Arsenal finish a year which has seen them continue to play beautiful football, but miss out on the big prizes. Perhaps Wenger has already decided what part of the jigsaw is required to complete the beautiful with a little bit of brawn in the box.

The season brought no trophies to Anfield… Manchester United tied the league title record…  The big money summer signing proved a flop… Seven miserable home draws… Mid-season position squandered… Lengthy injuries to the big guns…

And Liverpool still had  an outstanding season. Their best in 19 years.

If Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, they’ll finish no more than four points below United. This would be the closest they’ve come since 1990 when the Reds last won the league. Apart from 2002, when they finished seven points behind Arsenal, the title has generally been far from Liverpool’s sights by season’s end.

The fact they were still in the race two weeks from the end speaks volumes.

82 is Liverpool’s highest premier league points tally before this season. The Reds are already a point ahead of that number. If they can finish with 86, there’s every reason to think title number 19 will be on its way to Anfield in the near future.

Despite the quickness of pundits to jump on Rafael Benitez who has yet to bring the league title back to Anfield, the Spaniard has made substantial improvements to his club each season he’s been in charge.

Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Fernando Torres are all among the outstanding players to have come in under Benitez’s watch. Sure, he’s had his occasional Antonio Nunez, and Robbie Keane’s failure to live up to his price tag won’t soon be forgotten. But on the way to glory, there are always bumps in the road.

The Liverpool side that took to the pitch again and again (the oft criticized rotation policy having been dialed down this season) showed their merit throughout the year. Despite the jaw-dropping draws (how did they finish level with Stoke City… twice???), Liverpool’s dominance over big sides hasn’t been witnessed like this in decades.

They did an impressive double over Chelsea and Real Madrid and came from behind twice to secure all six league points against Manchester United (including a 1-4 demolition at Old Trafford) and schooled the league’s most promising up-and-comers, Aston Villa, 5-0 at Anfield.

A post-Christmas rut saw Liverpool slip from top place. And many neutrals and outsiders will recall Rafa Benitez’s ‘rant’ against his frustrations with Alex Ferguson’s modus operandi as a marker of the Liverpool turning point. But nothing can distract from the fact that Liverpool have gotten better and better each season under Benitez and from finishing this season on at least 83 points, probably in second place, Liverpool don’t have much farther to climb.

There’s nowhere left to go but the top.

Benitez doesn’t have boundless funds to spend this summer. But if he’s savy in the transfer market. He won’t need them. Liverpool don’t need many changes. The side’s failure to break down ten-men-behind-the-ball sides is what led to the series of draws that cost them the title. But this can be combatted with a change in tactics. There’s no need to overhaul a side that can beat United, Chelsea and Madrid.

Rumors of Xabi Alonso’s departure should turn out to be merely rumors. They better. £18m or whatever the Spanish midfielder is valued at this week is not enough to say goodbye to his vision and prowess. His ability to see the whole pitch and know where to slot that pass to put Gerrard, Torres or whoever in on goal is priceless. And neither Gareth Barry nor David Silva are worth the sacrifice.

Benitez knows his side needs a little tweaking.

And maybe all it will take next season is not drawing twice against Stoke City to finally bring that title home.

Arsenal have just one defeat in the league this season – shoddy solace for a third-place finish.

The Gunners have played four Premier League matches since Feb 11.  Though maintaining their ever crucial unbeaten streak, they have dropped eight points to Manchester United, who are now level on points, ahead on goal difference and have the integral game in hand.

In that four match span, Arsenal lead for just 35 min out of a possible 360 (all against Birmingham on Feb. 23) and have saved themselves twice with late equalizers.  Once is heroic.  Multiple times turns into disturbing deja vu.

Arsenal were unlucky against the Boro.  Adebayor had a legitimate goal ruled offside in the first half.  They missed out on a penalty with Pogatetz hooking Eboue’s arm and pulling him down in the area – acceptable because he waved his arms like a buffoon afterward.   Fabregas had a close shaves with a shot and a header.  Eboue and Clichy also had excellent matches, muted by their inability to capitalize.

The Gunners may have squeaked a win on a different day, but the result stands.  If they were ruthless previously against lesser opposition, this result might have been meaningless.  But, with the profligacy of recent weeks, it may cost Arsenal the title.

The squad is still thin, with a lack of depth and natural width.  Their only consistent scoring threat of late has been Fabregas, which is not ideal.  Robin Van Persie has not returned to an adequate level of fitness.  Adebayor has looked disinterested and off-kilt at best, lazy and languid at worst.  The others lack the conviction to shoot consistently.

The same tactical problems persist.  Walcott has proved far more effective as a center forward, yet continues to be thrust out on the right.  Bendtner cannot play up front with Adebayor because it is pointless having two tall link-up target men who like to drift to the left – not because of their two-man tiff.  Problems which Wenger has failed to solve.

In the words of Tim Gunn, Wenger has “spent too much time in the Monkey House.”  He has an incredible eye for talent, but is sometimes prone to endowing too much faith and responsibility in his coveted harem of young studs.

That was also the easy stretch for Arsenal.  They still must travel to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford.  They also have three grinding fixtures in one week with Liverpool.  United, conversely, play five of their eight remaining fixtures at home, with no tough away matches.  Chelsea as well, three points behind and a game in hand, have a relatively easy schedule and face both Arsenal and United at home.

Four weeks ago Arsenal controlled their fate.  Now they face the prospect of must-win matches away at Manchester United and away at Chelsea.  Even with those victories, they still need a perfect record and a gift from Manchester United to snag the title.  The best chance they have is a long overdue metatarsal injury.

The English media has portrayed the recent run as a display of Arsenal’s mettle, when, in fact, it is mere window-dressing for a drowsy decline.  The fight is far from over, but Arsenal’s slow leak today became a breach – one that may prove fatal.