Cesc Fabregas firmly believes Arsenal can still finish as runners-up in the Barclays Premiership - but admits "there is something missing" from the Gunners at the moment.

In the space of a few weeks, manager Arsene Wenger has seen a season which promised much end without silverware for the second year in succession following defeat in the Carling Cup final and exits from both the FA Cup and Europe.

Even though Arsenal lost at Everton before the international break, they remain in third place in the Premiership, one point ahead of Liverpool and with a game still in hand.

While Fabregas maintains a superb run of form over the remaining eight matches could yet see them overall Chelsea, the Spain international midfielder accepts there is very much a feeling of what might have been within the squad.

"It is strange, not the atmosphere at the training ground - but inside yourself," Fabregas told official website arsenal.com.

"Everyone feels there is something missing.

"When you are out of three cups and you just have the league to fight for, but you are so far behind the leaders, you think it is not the best of seasons.

"When there is still two months to go sometimes you can feel like the season is finished, but it is not.

"We have several games to go and if we win most of them we could finish second. In football you never know."

Despite the obvious disappointment of another barren campaign, Wenger maintains he has full confidence his squad can deliver sooner rather than later.

With so many talented young players pressing for a run in the fist team, Fabregas - himself only 19 - is certain the future is bright at Emirates Stadium.

He said: "No team in the world has young players with this quality and we have improved this year.

"Next season I feel we will definitely be genuine title contenders.

"We have a great squad, we all know each other really well, we have a lot of quality, we have the desire, we are all winners."

Wenger has seen his options limited by injuries this season, particularly in attack.

Leading scorer Robin van Persie, captain Thierry Henry, and now England starlet Theo Walcott are all sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.

Fabregas has found the net just twice this season - and both of those came way back in the Champions League qualifier against Dynamo Zagreb.

"What is missing right now is the goals," accepted the midfielder.

"In the Champions League we did not take our chances and a lot of our games this year have been 0-0, or we lose 1-0, or we draw 1-1, just because we have not taken our opportunities.

"Teams likes Chelsea do not get as many opportunities - but they score and that is what makes the difference."

Wenger will be hoping his players away on international duty this week report back with a clean bill of health.

The future of veteran goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, however, looks no closer to being sorted out with the 37-year-old German admitting there was as yet "no fixed date" for contract talks with the club.