There's not an awful lot I can say about last night's game, watching as I was on an unreliable internet stream from Portugal, but I'll say what I can. Arsenal are now in third and that itself is worthy of a blog, so here goes.

On the 25th February, the gap between Arsenal and Spurs stood at 2 places, 10 points and 11 goals. On the 22nd March, it stands at 1 place, 1 point and 1 goal. The other way around. In the last 6 league games Arsenal have taken 18 points from a possible 18, while Spurs have taken 5. Chelsea have gained 7. Change is afoot.

Last year third place would have felt like failure; if Vermaelen and Van Persie had stayed fit for most of the season we might have sustained our title challenge until the last day, but instead we crumbled and the towel was thrown in a whole lot earlier than was appropriate. So early, in fact, that Man City nicked third place and we had to fight with Udinese to avoid competing at the kids' table of European football. This season third feels like silverware; success is relative.

Such were our losses over the Summer that a champion's league spot next season was as much as we could realistically hope for. Keeping the squad healthy as well as challenging for silverware (and that includes league and FA cups) was simply not feasible, especially when the back four kept imploding in a shower of dodgy ankles and torn ligaments. Liverpool present an excellent case study in terms of what happens when you value domestic competitions too highly. Cardiff's penalty takers gift-wrapped the carling cup in the shootout, and Liverpool will again travel to Wembley for an FA cup final shortly, but in the league they are 12 points adrift of the champions league spots, and only three clear of newly promoted Swansea. All of this after a huge outlay of funds during the last three transfer windows. 'King' Kenny may be beloved by the Kop, but even if he wins the FA cup too it will still be seen as a paltry return given the war chest he has been allowed to command. Also he has a face like a slapped arse. No one figured Arsene would have his team 13 points clear of Dalglish's boys at this point in the season, but here we are.

Success is relative.

6 wins from 6 is a phrase worth savouring, but what lies ahead? Difficult ties remain including fixtures against City, Chelsea and Stoke, but the first two will be in the comfort of North London. If we can win 5 of the next 9, avoiding defeat against Chelsea, then we should have champions league football wrapped up. The smart money's on us crossing the finish line ahead of Spurs and Chelsea, but the last two months are a pretty definitive example of how quickly seasons can be turned on their heads.

I feel like a broken record discussing mental strength as it seems to alternate between our greatest asset and our biggest weakness; we've either got it by the bucket-load, or it's completely drained away. Milan away, classic example of a complete mental collapse; Milan at home, team spirit and resilience out the ying yang. 6 wins on the spin, however, suggests that Wenger's instilled some belief in these players, especially given that 4 of them were come-from-behinds. Everton away was a pretty good example of how things have improved in the last month.

Traditionally this season Arsenal have come limping out of the blocks but last night they were flying. The ball was moved quickly and incisively, opposition players were closed down, and the home team barely had time to compose themselves before they were 1 down, courtesy of a Thomas Vermaelen header. Everton are a good team at home, and have beaten Spurs, Chelsea and City at Goodison in the past couple of months, so inevitably they settled down and started passing the ball. They should have had a goal too, but the linesman incorrectly flagged Royston Drenthe offside when he was clearly on.

If I had a nickel for every time I saw an Arsenal team take the lead in a game like this only to crumble defensively and concede either one or two late goals I'd be a rich man - not last night though. After the break, Everton largely failed to trouble a resilient back four which has only conceded four goals in 8 games when they've all been fit enough to start together. With just 9 games to go the importance of three points last night cannot be stressed enough. All around us teams are feeling the strain of a long and difficult season, but the Gunners seem to have found another gear, and it's looking like the difference between the Champions League and island of misfit teams (sorry, Europa League). This weekend we welcome our brothers from Birmingham, the mighty Aston Villa, to the emirates. Let them feel the righteous lash of Arsene Wenger's hickory switch.