The unsavoury part of the footballing calendar has begun: transfer season.

Here we go again folks. Here we go with the attention seekers, looking to provide a ‘scoop’ simply by making things up from their mobiles on public transport somewhere.

Here we go with the fighting amongst Twitter accounts as people label other people as frauds.

Here we go with the rage tweets as people get mad when other teams announce signings and we keep our powder invariably dry. Well, whatever powder we actually have left after Özil and Mkhitaryan have taking their bit.

Here we go with the hope that slowly evaporated as the summer wears on; the realisation – as we’ve now come to get used to – of the club not quite doing enough to make us believe we’re in with a decent shout of competing on multiple fronts for the big competitions.

Here we go with the list of all the players we want gone from the club this season; the Özil’s, the Mkhitaryan’s, the Mustafi’s, The Elneny’s, the Iwobi’s, the Montreal’s and possibly even the Koscielny’s. All before the realisation sets in that the club simply won’t just bin off that many players and start next season with a practically new squad.

Here we go with the noises from the club about how we have no cash to spend, despite being one of the richest footballing entities, all because we have a pathetic absent owner who cares more about the Rams than he does The Arsenal. I get that it might be a sport he loves but why he has to get involved with us and just leave us to decline is both maddening and depressing. Just get him out of the club someone. Anyone.

Here we go with the questions over the manager. This will be his team come August. He’ll have had three transfer windows and despite the fact the club failed so miserably in January, if he doesn’t get the players in he wants, we can expect another season of treading water at best in 2019/20. Should he even be backed though? Is he ‘the one’? At this stage and after the collapse at the end of the season I’m not so sure. I think he probably needs another year but unless he gets some backing to improve the team then we are heading in the direction of West Ham and Leicester City, rather than Liverpool and Man City.

Here we go with player sound bites of how they “feel good” in pre season. Of people reading waaaaaay too much in to a performance against half fit MLS ‘all stars’.

Here we go with what will probably be a summer of speculation around our two biggest assets in Lacazette and Aubameyang. Two players on decent contract lengths but despite that if they are subject to bids, of being low-balled by someone like Barca because a player expresses a desire to move. And if you’re in their position why wouldn’t you? They look to be loving life at Arsenal but if Barca come knocking then of course you’re going to look at it and think about the opportunity to be winning leagues in Spain. We just have to hope that those bids don’t come in.

Here’s to hope. So much hope. Hope that Raul knows what he’s doing, that the Technical Director role gets filled, that when we hit August I have excitement back again. I’m not there just yet. But I could be. Because I’m a crazy football fan.