With 3 and 4 teams getting into the CL from the ‘big’ leagues, it is invariably the case now that some teams, at the business end of the campaign, are out of the running domestically and so can focus all of their attention on the CL.

With games coming thick and fast and the increased risk of injuries, this for me is now a real factor.

Look at last years finalists. Neither AC or Liverpool had any involvement in the title race in their respective leagues and rested players wholesale before the big CL games. It counted!

In contrast, Man Utd and Chelsea were in a dogfight for both the PL and FA Cup. In Spain Barca and Real were head to head right down to the wire.

When Liverpool won it in 2005 they actually finished 5th in the PL. They competed for one trophy and got it.

I don’t think you can discount this as a factor.

Jim, as far as Arsenal’s treble is concerned, I have put all the information into the various formulas I have devized and the answer came out saying, “Bugger all.”

So it might be quite accurate