By Tony Attwood
Attempted backtracking is never very pleasant to see or read, and that is what the media is giving us big time. No one actually says, “I thought Arsenal would get it all along,” or “the rest of the media screwed up,” but that is what they imply. We see it year after year when the team universally backed by the media fails to deliver, and it is always an unedifying sight, but still, the journalists do not learn how to admit they were wrong.
So there is talk about two of England’s European finalists meeting, and the success of Aston Villa as a way of suggesting that English football is better than any other. There is also a spot of recognition of the fact that the clubs say farewell to mosts of their supporters, and how both managers will give a chance to players who are waiting, either to show their skills to watching scouts, or book a place in the team for the next season.
Of course, Palace have the easier task playing Rayo Vallecano in the Conference Finale. And there are suggestions that the Arsenal squad celebrated too hard and so won’t be ready to play at all this week. Maybe Christian Nørgaard will get a start – you never know. Either way, we will win the League.
I won’t try and start guessing who is going to buy whom this summer, but I suspect Tottenham will do quite a bit of mucking about with the squad, not least because they simply don’t seem to know what the hell they are doing. Or if they do, they are covering up their approach under a load of camouflage. And a new manager – as they seem to do every few months.
But here is a thought, for the last time we were champions before the end of the season was the unbeaten season. This time, well you know what happened this season
The question will soon be, will Arsenal buy lots of players in the summer, and I don’t think they will. That will lead the media to consider Arsenal as slip-shod or lazy or disorganised – all the attributes that are better placed at the feet of the journalists who write about Arsenal. But the news is written by journalists so onwards they will go.
Arsenal’s injury includes Ben White who we hope might be back next season, Jurrian Timber, who is rated as jusst 25% which would seem too much of a risk for this game if that is right. David Raya suggests he might be fit, but that in the end will be up to the medical team to decide. Mikel Merino is starting to train again, but I cant believe he will be risked in a game on no consequence.
But more to the point we have nothing to play for so we can use the game to try out new combinations, maybe even one or two of the youngsters. After all the transfer window opens soon.
Thus, in such a scenario, Arsenal will rest as many players as they can while still providing a coherent side, knowing that the big match is still just around the corner. Palace likewise won’t care too much – they are safe and have a Cup Final to look forward to.
Of course, we know that the clubs have to play the game to complete the schedule, but no one has ever said that they have to take the match seriously. Yes, back in 2004, we did take the last game seriously because it gave us the one and only unbeaten season since the opening campaign of football. But now, no, that is not needed. We need to keep everyone safe and well for the Champions League. Bring on the reserves.
But remember, it should be a great game to cheer and have fun at, and a great game to watch on TV, because the result doesn’t matter at all. We won the league, and next up is the Champions League final. Isn’t this how life is supposed to be? OK ther was the Unbeaten Season, but leaving that aside, I’d say this is as good as it gets. Although it would be fun to see Tottenham go down.
