And actually, even if we don't make top 4 I don't actually see it being the disaster that people think it will. We have a good squad and next year I think we can go for a title challenge because we will have an entire season of AVB without the initial bedding in period that cost of a few games at the start of this season.
Our defence is excellent, and I think matches up to anyone in else's in the league. I understand Walker's been a bit shaky but it can happen to a young player and next season he will improve, because he has potential.
In midfield, we are also really strong. There is a clear lack of the specific type of player that you'd think AVB would want, and therefore there will be space to go and get them into the squad. But Sandro, Dembele, Lennon, Sigurdsson, Holtby etc along with additions is very strong.
Upfront, we obviously need work and I'm convinced we will. I'm certain we will keep Bale, and we will bring a quality striker in. It will be annoying to miss out on CL but in terms of the overall progress of the club, I don't think it will hinder us too much. Because year on year we can keep improving, and there's only so many players the clubs above us can sign before we can catch up. Same reason I think Liverpool will also be a bigger threat next year, they will be able to sign good players and add them to their squad, and there's only so many the likes of us can sign before we simply don't have any more room.
The other thing is that I think AVB, as well as the bedding in period in terms of tactics and match preparation methods, also had to handle the squad transition well to keep the entirety of the members onside. So he hasn't just shifted out the likes of Friedel, Gallas, Defoe etc and has tweaked his ideal system to suit them even. This summer, because he has 'bought' the authority of the squad by carefully implementing his ideas and handling the transition, he will have a lot more freedom to move out the players he doesn't want, and bring in the ones he does.
And let's not forget that even if we don't get top 4, not many people were really expecting it before the start of the year. I was saying I'd be happy with top 6 because this was a season of transition. We've done very well so far, better than expected. And I still don't think the fight with Arsenal is over yet. But if we fall just short, we don't have to be too down-heartened. We will still keep progressing as a club and I think we have the right people in place to make that happen.