On Sunday, it will be exactly a year since Arsenal played their first game at Emirates Stadium. Our reflection on the past 12 months continues here with the thoughts of Arsène Wenger.

The Arsenal manager gives his verdict on the first season at Emirates Stadium on and off the pitch, and examines his squad's strengths and weaknesses ahead of the 2007/08 campaign.

"This time last year we were preparing for our first season at Emirates Stadium. We had a difficult start because at first it was a bit like playing at a neutral ground, but now we feel much more at home. We have that sense of comfort and strength.

"A number of issues affected the way we played in our first year at the stadium. The pitch is bigger so we needed to show more patience. We were used to getting from one end of the pitch to the other very quickly at Highbury so we had to adapt. In previous years we scored a lot of counter-attacking, direct goals, but at Emirates teams have more time to regroup behind the ball. Because of that we scored a lot of different types of goals last season.

"Another lesson we had to learn was to use the width of the pitch more effectively and get more crosses into the box. You could see that we were getting there last season. We became more dangerous with our crosses and more patient in our build-up. We became more efficient in closing our opponents down too. I felt we allowed them too much space early in the season but that has changed.

"The negative history which afflicted some teams at Highbury did not exist last season. Instead, visiting teams were motivated to win their first game at Emirates Stadium and were not dragged down by bad memories at the ground. An element of that will have gone in the new season but, most importantly, we have found an efficient way of playing and can rely on our own strengths.

"The other thing to mention is that we have got the stadium looking the way we want it. The history is all around us now, with pictures in the players' area for example, and now it's up to us to make that history on the pitch too. We live with the legends of the Club and that makes us feel at home.

"I don't think any team in the world could be efficient in a new stadium as soon as they move in. But of course I don’t believe that was the only difference between us and Manchester United last season.

"Indeed, I think there are two things that summed up last season. First, if you make a table of the results against the other teams in the top four, then we are top. Then if you make a table against the teams in the top half, Manchester United have 43 points, we have 40, so do Chelsea, and Liverpool have 33.

"That shows that we lost the championship against teams in the bottom half of the table. So that is where we will have to be much more efficient this season. We have to be consistent in our mental preparation, in our ruthlessness as well.

"There are plenty of positives to take from last season. The mental strengths of my team are clear: we were behind in more games than anyone else but kept coming back. We lost only one game when we were leading - and that was against Chelsea in the Carling Cup Final.

"We scored 21 goals in the final 15 minutes of league games. The next highest was 15 or 16 so we are by far the most efficient team in the last 15 minutes. All of that tells you that we have a mixture of mental strengths, of potential, but that there is also a naivety, and sometimes we have not been ruthless enough when we could have killed games off. It is these two ingredients which have to be improved.

"My squad has outstanding qualities, there are factors in the team which tell you that this side can be absolutely outstanding. But to win trophies you have to be a killer. You have to have everything together and that is what we are aiming for.

"I want us to start the new season well. We were seven points behind after three games last year and had to chase the leaders all season, so a win against Fulham in our opening game is important. But I have to say I am really looking forward to the new season because we are used to playing at Emirates Stadium now and that will make a difference. Hopefully we won't drop many points there because we no longer have to adapt to our surroundings.

"The stadium itself is incredible. I went to the Diamond Club for a function and I could not believe how good it was. The food was amazing, it is like being in a two-star Michelin restaurant. It's only when you look out of the window that you realise you are also in a top-class football stadium.

"I found it amazing and I imagine it must be a dream to be up there for lunch on a matchday, then follow it by watching high-quality football. If you like to eat good food, and like to watch good football, well, there is no better place to be in the world. Emirates Stadium is where you have to be.

"Thanks for your support."

Prof has been doing his homework o, see the analysis.
See how he tracked with what teams we dropped the most points, hopefully we'll see a much improved and lethal Arsenal. Most of last season was played without Igwe so if most of these mistakes from last season are eradicated then we will definetly have a decent shout on the title, lets hope Eduado or Adebayor becomes a lethal finisher this season,

Amen @ chuckdee