TO some Arsenal fans, his words will seem like sour grapes from a player who couldn't get the contract he wanted at the Emirates Stadium.
To most, however, Freddie Ljungberg's assessment of the Gunners' trouble will ring chillingly true going into the new season.
Yes, the 30-year-old midfielder, West Ham's latest signing, was a victim of boss Arsene Wenger's policy of refusing to offer long deals to men who reach his age.
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But Ljungberg - Arsenal's longest-serving player until yesterday - appears to have summed up the increasing fears of Gunners fans that the glory days have long gone in the red half of north London.
Thierry Henry's departure to Barcelona last month was the biggest in an amazing line of stellar talent to have quit since Arsenal's 'Invincibles' last won the title in their incredible, unbeaten season of 2003.
These days, for all Wenger's hype, they look decidedly lightweight compared to Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.
It is an issue over which defender William Gallas has already confronted his gaffer.
In fact, many Arsenal fans fear they should be looking over their shoulders at Tottenham, who are ready to edge them out of the fourth Champions League spot to which the Gunners scrambled last season.
"It was a difficult decision but when Thierry Henry left, it felt like the end," said Ljungberg.
"It's all a bit sad. All the players from the undefeated team have left. Now me. I stayed as I wanted to be loyal, but I felt it was the right time to go.
"I'm not getting involved in the business of how Arsenal want to handle their affairs but I felt that we had let a lot of players go.
"Then when Henry left as well, I thought maybe it was time for me to do some thing different, something challenging.
"I have always stayed loyal, even when some big clubs have tried to buy me. Of course it was hard to leave. I had been at Arsenal for nine, almost 10 years.
"When I started playing football, I stayed at one club until I went to Arsenal. So West Ham is my first club other than that and, of course, it is a big thing for me.
"But at the same time I am happy. I want to go forward and with the people I have around me now I think it will be really good.
"I had great years at Arsenal and won almost everything. Not the Champions League unfortunately. We were so close, but I look back with great memories."
The Sweden skipper joined Arsenal for £3m from Halmstads in 1998 and scored 72 goals in 325 games but injury restricted him to 26 games last term.
Now he reckons Eggert Magnusson's Upton Park millions could threaten Arsenal's status.
He said: "We have a chairman here who is willing to make this club very big.
"It's already big - but I am talking about being at the top of the table."