TERRACE TALK: Arsenal - Alexis Sanchez must find form if we’re to trouble Barcelona

With the weather reflecting the mood of far too many apathetic Gooners, who seemed to feel that our FA Cup date was an untimely distraction, the early kick-off against Hull coincided with the heavens opening up. With the much-despised midday start, and the high drama of last weekend’s summit meeting, it was destined to be a damp “after the Lord Mayor’s show” disappointment.

If the positively miserable conditions didn’t augur well, then the prospects of things brightening up certainly weren’t improved when the radio commentary revealed the disturbing stat about us only winning 26% of games with Mike Dean as referee.

As if to reaffirm his disfavour, Dean promptly failed to award a penalty. But it was too soon to start blaming his customary incompetence because everyone else in the stadium missed Bruce Jr’s blatant handball. I would’ve been equally oblivious without my terrace tranny (and the inevitable wind-up text message from my increasingly lairy Spurs mates).