Good riddance 2008 - the Arsenal Annus Horribilis

So the Annus Horribilis of 2008 is almost over – and I don’t think there will be many Gooners who lament its parting.

Rarely can there be such a disappointing year in Arsenal’s history.

Forgotten how much has gone wrong?

• Eduardo’s bone-shattering injury which effectively ended our title challenge

• Dubious penalties awarded 

o Birmingham away PL (Clichy)

o Liverpool away CL (Toure)

• Penalties not given

o Liverpool home CL (Kuyt on Hleb)

• The departure of Mathieu Flamini after arguably proving to be our best performer of the season AND the sale of his most obvious replacement, Gilberto

• The sale of Alexander Hleb to Barcelona - future possible Champions League opponents

• The year-long absence of the experienced and skilful Tomas Rosicky. Will he ever return and play injury-free for us?

• Niggling injuries and medium term absences to key creative players such as Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott

• The collapse in form of Kolo Toure upon his return from the African Nations’ Cup, capped by a bout of malaria which seems to continue to hamper him

• The mental breakdown/diabolical PR by club Captain William Gallas which hampered the already frail confidence of his young team-mates

• The recurring summer soap opera of one of our top players being touted with a move away from the club, and refusing to state outright that he was 100% committed. Thanks for the reassurance, Adebayor

Can you think of any more? Then feel free to share them using our comments function below.

In the meantime, roll on 2009 – let’s hope the club’s fortunes are as good in the year to come as they were indifferent in 2008.

Happy New Year fellow Addicts.

What the papers say: Arsenal target Everton's Arteta as Fabregas deputy

We're all about making your life easier here at Arsenal Addict, where our team of Addicted editors spend every spare second scrutinising news coverage to make sure you're kept up to date with what's going on at our beloved club. So if you don't have the time to trawl through the UK's national newspapers for Arsenal stories, be sure to check back here where we'll do the work for you.

The Sun - Art attack

ARSENAL will bid £12million to sign Mikel Arteta as a stand-in for the injured Cesc Fabregas.

The Daily Mail - Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger eyes Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta as Cesc Fabregas cover

Arsenal are ready to test Everton's resolve to hold on to their top players by offering £10m for midfielder Mikel Arteta when the transfer window re-opens on January 1.

The Daily Express - ARSENAL IN £8M TEMPTER FOR GIVEN

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has tabled an £8million bid for Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given in an effort to steal a march on rivals Tottenham.

The Daily Star - KOLO: I'M A GONNER

KOLO TOURE has demanded a move from Arsenal after a massive bust-up with William Gallas.

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POLL: What position(s) do Arsenal need to target in the transfer window?

The transfer window blows open on Thursday and for once it seems as if Arsene Wenger is ready to splash the cash, so here's your chance to give him an idea of which position we think is a priority. Or should that be positions?!

The Gunners have had a terrible start to the season - by our own high standards - but we're still in with a shout and if injuries hadn't hit the team quite as hard as they have, then our standing in the league might be a little better.

Then again, if injuries hadn't been as bad as they have been, maybe Le Gaffer would be content with the squad that he has.

Personally, I believe we need a tall, experienced centre back - and someone who is a little quicker at chasing some of the league's speedier strikers than messrs Gallas and Silvestre. No offence, they're good defenders and can hold their own in a back line and in the air, but they're don't have the swiftest feet when it comes to dealing with break-away attacks.

So without further ado, get voting by clicking on the 'read more' link to access our poll. I've made the poll multiple choice so if you think we need an entire new team, then click away...

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