THE Ben Arfa stuff comes from a freelance football reporter who filed the story to a few papers yesterday afternoon.

The Sun have now run it:

Let’s hope this is true.

Increasingly twisted Myles Palmer barely merits the oxygen of publicity - but knocking down his arguments is necessary because a few provocative phrases is enough to turn some heads.

So for a start don’t take lectures on ticket prices from a man who turns down freebies because certain games “don’t do it for me”.

And what of his claim the current side would be annihilated 9-0 by the 1998 double team? That will be the team who finished on 78 points destroying the team that lies on 80 after 37 games.

Myles says: “If I was a Gooner, I’d be terrified.”

You’re not. Which probably explains why you have it so wrong.

Moving on, and Arsenal crisis week has come early this year.

Losing Flamini is disappointing, but to say there is nobody in the world to replace him would seem a little defeatist.

Alex Hleb has had a good season. But bear this in mind: He did not score once in his final 27 games for Arsenal.

If I didn’t write it months ago, I certainly thought it: if we were to win the league we would need our wingers to get the kind of goals Marwood, Limpar, Overmars, Pires and Ljungberg snaffled for our title winning sides.

But with RVP and Eduardo injured and the goals drying up for Cesc and Adebayor, only Theo Walcott’s brace at Brum offered any respite.

When we needed someone to find a goal, there was no answer. Injured Rosicky last scored in January, Hleb in November and Eboue in November 2006.

Although our overall goalscoring record this season is good, at the crucial stage of the season huge pressure was put on the defence when we went nine games without scoring a first half goal.

That was when we needed our midfield to score (interestingly Kolo, Gallas and Sagna all did pop up with one each around that time).

So for all Hleb’s skill, perhaps a change of approach is needed.

Something else to consider is that for everything this team supposedly lacks and the turn of the 21st century team enjoyed, they boast one similarity: both went three years without a trophy.

The wiliness of Adams et al, Bergkamp, Vieira, Henry etc did us little good between 1999 and 2001. In 2001 we finished 10 points adrift on 70 points, in 2002 we finished champions on 87, which offers some perspective to our current position.

In the summer of 2001 Arsene spent big on five players. But only Sol Campbell made any significant contribution to the following season’s double: a big, burly centre-half who would get stuck in.

We could do with one now.

Finally, I leave you with the following sentence from the Sun’s interview with Jermaine Jenas today:

“Jenas lines up against Liverpool at home tomorrow knowing victory against the Reds, coupled with West Ham dropping points against Aston Villa, will ensure a top-10 finish for the North Londoners.”

WORD reaches me the dispute focused around transfer cash, with Arsene WANTING it and Keith denying him it.

Interesting because in the past Edelman has joked in private about not being able to persuade Arsene to spend the money he had.

The suggestion appears to be Arsene is perhaps ready to spend bigger than previously.

There was a disagreement and the board sided with Arsene, so it was adios Edelman from the sounds of it.

Yesterday’s comments about spending were interesting.

Arsene is more or less right that from set-pieces and open play our defending is fine but that on long balls we get undone. The decision to seek someone who can deal with that stuff is good news, if not necessarily for big Phil Senderos. You would think (hope) the player would be a first team regular, spelling the end of the Kolo-Gallas partnership.

No bad thing in my book.

The need for a creative player was interesting. A goal-scoring winger or a replacement for Hleb?

No word on a replacement for Flamini though. I say good luck to the guy. Milan and the money are a genuine lure. Sure, he had a lot to stay for and it would seem a shame to leave a side like Arsenal now.

But he had also hit a standard higher than any of us really thought him capable and when you ask why we did not win silverware this season, little blame can be laid at his door.

Which I don’t think the same can be said of Alex Hleb. Don’t get me wrong - overall he had a very good season, was involved at some crucial moments and played some mesmerising stuff.

But it is whether the likes of Hleb (and Rosicky and Eboue in fairness) really push on in the second half of the season and start netting you crucial goals that has always defined any Arsenal title win I have known.

Two goals in 29 league starts from Hleb, none from Eboue and injuries to Rosicky mean we didn’t get that this year. Hleb, in short, has unfinished business and if he is frustrated by a lack of trophies, he should be looking close to home for the answers.

It is also worth pointing out that since he idiotically bitch slapped a Reading player nearly three weeks ago, the only peeps we have heard from his camp is talk of wanting to leave. No hint of contrition or anything for his stupidity that has cost him a three game ban.

The same, thankfully, can not be said for Gael Clichy, who interviews as well as he plays. Top man.

Finally, the winner of the Cesc TV show tickets was… Antler.

PLAYA RATINGS

FABIANSKI
One good save with his legs and looked cool on the ball. Good performance.8

TOURE

Fine, if still not greatly comfortable at right-back.7

GALLAS

Looked fairly sharp and dealt with most Everton attacks easily.7

SONG
A strong game, but while he did well in the air, bear in mind Andy Johnson is smaller than him. For me does not offer what Kolo and Gallas lack.7.5

CLICHY

Made a couple mistakes than usual. But you what, it’s easily forgiven when you charge around like mad, run out to the right-wing from left-back and drag your team-mates towards eventual victory.7.5

DENILSON

Some nice play at times but at others there was a lack of oomph to drive us on. Cesc was missed.6

GILBERTO
Like Denilson, struggled to make any great impression.6

EBOUE
See comments on left.2

WALCOTT
Fleeting good moments. Struggled to provide much spark as the game lulled.6

BENDTNER
Like RVP at a similar age there is real talent and produce but a lot of flab to be trimmed from his game. But overall, a decent first season. Summed up by a poor pass for Traore, but a thumping header from the ensuing cross.6.5

ADEBAYOR
Honest opinion? Woeful. And it was nothing to do with some of the usual criticisms unfairly leveled at him over his control or finishing. The problem was a return to the defeatist Adebayor of the four draws on the spin - the one where every footstep looks a slog, every high ball unwinable and every opportunity to chase a forlorn hope. Don’t get me wrong - he’s been great. But this wasn’t.5

SUB: JENS
Not a single bust-up involving the mad one on his Emirates farewell.7

SUB: TRAORE
Excellent. Boundless energy and good crosses. Another player who is better than Eboue on the wing.7.5

SUB: SENDEROS
NA

Arsenal 1 Everton 0
From Goodplaya at the Emirates, melancholy

HOW grim.

We came so near and yet we leave with nothing. I for one never envisaged exceeding all expectations could ever taste so bitter.

In the all but final reckoning, we have come up just short. Eighty points chalked up and going into the final game of the season just four points off top.

It’s not that I doubted we could get this many, I just never saw us doing it in such a heartbreaking fashion.

I’m writing this now on Sunday night consumed by that horrible end of season yuckiness. I’m filled with a deep lack of fulfillment over how it has all turned out while also being ready for a break from the stresses and strains of Arsenal. I for one can never remember investing so much emotionally in one year.

Truth be told, today’s game was pretty awful. Our midfield was very second string and too many players failed to rouse themselves for the occasion. Unlike Reading, there was no Cesc and it really showed.

It’s hard to learn too much about formations from games like these. But you can learn a little more about individual players.

We saw the unwelcome return of the forlorn, defeatist Adebayor (see playa ratings). We also saw the usual from Gael Clichy.

While others around him wallowed in an end of season nothingness, the Clich threw himself into every challenge, sprinted forward and spearheaded the slight all round upping in tempo that saw us win the game.

The goal was nice, with Bendtner’s slightly overhit pass forcing Traore to take a touch before standing it up beautifully for the Dane, who headed emphatically home.

It was not Traore’s first very decent cross and frankly, it’s a habit he’d do well to lose fast if he’s going to make it at the club. (joke)

I’d better deal with Emmanuel Eboue. Wretched performances I can forgive, but when it is compounded by such laziness, I can’t. And nor could many of the other supporters.

While most players grow in to a new position, he has somehow grown out of it as the season has worn on.

When suffering yet another of his complete non-injuries, there were numerous shouts of “off, off, off, off, off” from the crowd. It was that bad.

I could go on, but I can’t even be bothered to waste anger on him.

After Arsene’s very botched attempt at a Jens farewell for the Reading game, the boss made amends by giving the mad one 25 minutes at the end.

The guy has, at times, grown old fairly disgracefully this season. But none of it was out of keeping with being one of the maddest players ever to pull on an Arsenal shirt. And the way he has clearly kept himself sharp can not be faulted. Thanks for all the memories, you lunatic.

We got the usual lap round the pitch at the end. Officially, it’s meant to be the players thanking us for our support. I’d love it if one year we just stood there silent and they had to applaud us and sing Arsenal songs.

Not that they did not merit our appreciation. As one friend put it: “I couldn’t bring myself to stay for it last year, but this year I will.”

Cesc, Flamini, Hleb and Rosicky (no, really), were all immaculately turned out in their bright red tracksuits with their hair combed. At one point they tried the old hilarious falling over trick, with Rosicky the pusher. No doubt he dislocated his shoulder doing so.

By the way the quartet posed for a picture and the manner in which Cesc picked up his midfield partner’s hand to wave to the crowd, it looks like we’re a Frenchman short.

The Flamini situation really is a shame. You want us to keep our players but you understand there has to be a wage structure. A week or so ago I warned that life at Milan might not be so easy for the Flamster and I stand by that.

But in fairness to him, if you’re a good player you ignore those warnings and prove the likes of me wrong. You don’t believe that maybe you’re not good enough and so stay in your comfort zone. So good luck to him, if he does indeed go.

He is, also, replaceable. Though whether Arsene can be trusted to invest in the two midfielders we would need if he left (as opposed to the one we need anyway), I don’t know.

On the plus side, the next time Arsenal step out at the Emirates in the league, the optimism will be boundless.

Review of the season to follow soonish.

AFTER what has felt like the longest goodbye ever, we should finally see the back of our lingering title hopes today.

Galvanised by success in Europe, a United splutter appears unlikely and a win against West Ham would finally end it for us.

For what it’s worth, I reckon United for the title and Chelsea for the Champions League. Can’t really see one doing both, though I could easily be wrong.

What is there to say of this week’s football? Well, more and more huge games are being decided by the awarding of penalties for innocuous offences. I’m not saying the referees have got decisions wrong, but it occurs to me the rules were drawn up when the game was a lot slower and the number of offences far fewer.

Our games at OT and Anfield and the two games at Stamford Bridge in the past week have all been decided by what you have to term cheap penalties in that the prospect of a goal was remote on all four occasions.

I’d readily allow far more free-kicks in the box. Referees could use their discretion to decide whether there was a prospect of a goal or goal-scoring chance (in which case penalty) or not (in which case free-kick). Many people will ask how referees can be expected to use that discretion but the truth is they do it all the time anyway with giving fouls outside the area that they would never give inside the area.

Does anyone have any stats on the number of penalties given this season compared to five, 10, 20 and 50 years ago?

What else is there to say? Barcelona resembled an especially blunt version of us and nobody could deny United were worthy winners.

Edelman? Never enjoyed being at every game. Not a football man but it’s hard to argue with a lot of the job he did.

Flamini? Pay deals are messy (think of your own) and look messier when carried out in the public glare. And if there is a genuine disparity in the deals offered, it would be tough to begrudge him the move.

Hope he stays mind, though like any player, life will carry on without them.

Tomorrow is the last game of the season at the Emirates. I suppose that old cliche about the season being a rollercoaster ride is true.

Except rather than constant ups and downs, ours was one where the track just edged up and up and up and up and up and then when it reached the top it plummeted vertically.

Now (barring miracles), we are in those last few calm moments before the ride comes gently to a halt. Oh well.

Now, enough of that because it is competition time and I have a pair of tickets to give away to the live studio filming of the Cesc Fabregas TV show.

As the PR stuff says: “The programme - The Cesc Fabregas Show: Nike Live - will be an hour’s show in front of a studio audience. Cesc will be taking the audience on the journey of his own life to date as a player and person. The programme will feature a host of cameo appearances from other athletes and stars of the game, including Arsene Wenger.” Filming will be on May 13 in London (evening).

You can catch a taster here.

Those of you hoping for a nice easy question to answer to enter the competition are going to be sadly disappointed. I like to think Goodplaya is read by Arsenal connoisseurs (alright, obsessives) and so the question should be suitably geeky.

So, without further ado, to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to the Cesc Fabregas TV show, tell me which team the Spaniard is pictured scoring against to the right.

Answers via email using the contact box on the right. Winner selected randomly. Answers in by Tuesday.

WITH apologies to readers further afield.

I try to keep to football on this blog, but there is a brief politics point I think worth making today because quite a few people may not have picked up on it when deciding whether to bother voting in today’s elections.

I’m not going to tell you who to vote for.

But you may not realise that in the London Assembly elections, some of the seats are allocated according to the proportion of the vote each party gets from voters London wide.

To get a seat, you need a minimum of 5 per cent of the vote. At the last election in 2004, the BNP got 4.8 per cent.

If you like the BNP, fair enough. But if you don’t, did you realise you can actively dent their chances of getting a seat by voting for anyone but them in the Assembly elections?

Every vote for any other candidate would dilute the BNP’s overall share of the vote.

This applies to all voters in London, not just those in particular areas where the BNP is strong.

And yes, you can vote in the Assembly elections without plumping for Boris or Ken as mayor…