Arsenal secure highest points total in six years

76 points for Arsenal now, best total in six years (h/t to Rebecca Lowe on the NBCs)

— The Short Fuse (@TheShortFuse) May 4, 2014

With one match still left to go, Rebecca Lowe dropped a tidbit of knowledge on the NBC Sports broadcast. Arsenal are set to finish with the highest points total in six years after defeating West Brom. Though it seems that the team is resigned to a fourth place finish once again, this is due to the incredible run of wins that saw Arsenal stay on top of the EPL table for 128 days before injuries, the collapse against big teams and lack of squad depth took their toll.

What does this mean? It certainly looks like the squad is improving. Though we have finished in the last Champions League qualification place, we have beaten the teams that we are supposed to be and were it not for untimely injuries to a white-hot Aaron Ramsey and an improving Mesut Ozil, the team could have challenged for the title till the last day.

The attention now turns to the summer. Reinforcements are badly needed in critical areas of the pitch --striker, defensive midfielder, fullback cover-- and with the shaky contract situation of Bacary Sagna, things will have to move fast to ensure stability. With no signs of players departing, one can easily see this team being a title challenger for years to come.