Gooners left to speculate on the least catastrophic permutation

I’M no great aficionado of international football.

Under normal circumstances these unwanted interruptions to the Arsenal’s season are a wind up, as we’re left worrying which of our players are going to end up returning fit following their dispersal to all four corners of the planet.

Not to mention our customary disgruntlement with French coach, Raymond Domenech, due to his habitual efforts to do all possible to needle Arsène Wenger, usually by playing Henry for the entire 90 minutes.

However my total indifference towards this international break was merely another regrettable reminder of our, thankfully unfamiliar antipathy, finding ourselves at the end of March, with so little left to play for. If I wasn’t so organisationally challenged, I would’ve sussed that tickets for the England U21 game were only ten quid, as for old time’s sake, I would’ve loved to have travelled that well trodden path around the North Circular to watch the first proper match at the new Wembley.

I guess I should just grateful that the auld enemy won’t be there instead, following last Monday’s quarter-final replay. For most Gooners this was the ultimate definition of a dilemma. A game where really the only acceptable winner would’ve been the referee. In the past Schadenfreude has been the last refuge of the long suffering Spurs fans and it’s taking time for me to come to terms with the shoe being on the other foot.

Meanwhile we learn what it’s like to look to towards the end of the season, whilst trying to calculate the least catastrophic permutation. The consensus of opinion seems to be anyone but Chelsea for the title. But then the insufferable smugness of all those fake Northern monkeys, heaven forbid the Moaners manage a clean sweep, just doesn’t bear thinking about. We can still cling to the romantic notion of a cup win for one of the two no-hopers, but failing that I suppose most of us would prefer to see Chelsea prevent a Mancunian double. In truth it’s like asking us to choose between crucifixion, or being thrown to the lions. Although I imagine there’ll be a good few Gooners seeking solace in these painful couple of months passing straight over their heads, while they settle for getting stoned!

The football might have failed to live up to the occasion but I was also envious of all those at Croke Park, for its historic initiation as a venue for the round ball game, so despised by the establishment as the plague that’s responsible for demise of Gaelic traditions. If Stan Staunton was a doctor diagnosing a problem that required immediate surgery, I imagine the vast majority would be dashing off to seek a second opinion! If Stan’s so patently struggles to inspire confidence in us supporters, surely he hasn’t a hope in hell of commanding respect amongst his star players in the dressing room. Mind you he hasn’t too many of these to choose from, as once again Damien Duff’s cameo displays of quality only served to remind one of the desperate dearth of quality. Leaving Staunton relying on the likes of Douglas — who I’ve to admit, I had to look up online, to remind me that he can hardly be replete with that winning feeling, when international footie must be more like respite from a failing Leeds side.

Those present on Saturday were perturbed about the pitch and its distance from the stands. It remains to be seen on Wednesday night whether its possible to generate an atmosphere and the performance necessary to prove that Croke Park isn’t set to become an oversized graveyard for the qualification aspirations of the Boys in Green. Whatever the outcome against Slovakia, after the drubbing England received in the rugby and having already been embarrassed by Lawrie Sanchez’s unlikely lads, could there be an outrageous triple on the cards out in the Caribbean!

Meanwhile my heart goes out to the Peggy McGarry and all the friends and family of Trish one of my myriad of Arsenal mailing list mates, who was tragically taken after a mere 33 years on this mortal coil. Apparently Trish went out in fine style on Friday, appropriately dressed in her favourite red & white, with her beloved blue Dubs shirt beside her, accompanied by a Gooner guard of honour. I’ve no doubt Trish will have been there in spirit on Hill 16 on Saturday.