By Tony Attwood
As expected, the media revelled in Arsenal’s defeat yesterday, ignoring the fact that, by and large, we have three more trophies still to play for. Manchester City were better than we have seen them for a very long time, and we were not – hence the difference.
But the real difference is that Manchester City were pummeled to bits by Real Madrid just recently and needed to hang on to the League Cup. For it is certainly not not certain if they will manage to beat Liverpool in the next round of the FA Cup. They are nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League, so it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the League Cup was their one viable trophy of the season.
They certainly played with a view that the effect, while Arsenal to me looked like they were looking over their shoulders at Sporting in the Champions League.
Of course, ideally, Arsenal should not have had thoughts for anything but the game yesterday, and so we have to accept defeat. Such things happen, and we know from the fact that past results have revealed Arsenal underperforming in League Cup finals, that this was possible. Leeds in 1968, Swindon in 1969, Luton Town in 1988, Chelsea in 2007, Birmingham City in 2011, Manchester City in 2018…. looking at that list of defeats we could argue that yesterday was one of our better performances in the League Cup final.
No other club has had seven final defeats, which is not to say it is something to be proud of, but it seems to be what Arsenal does, and it doesn’t mean anything is going wrong with future results.
Our next five games are Southampton away on Saturday next, Sporting CP of Portugal away in the Champions League, Bournemouth at home in the League on 7 April, the home return game against Sporting during the week, and all that before Manchester City away on 19 April. And although there is already talk of the fact that given the League Cup final, the Mancs will easily beat Arsenal on their home pitch, first, I don’t think it will be that easy for them at all, and second, they too are having to play their own games in the run up to that match.
Of course, they have it easier than Arsenal – Arsenal have four matches to play before the next game against the Mancs, while they have just two – Liverpool at home on 4 April, and Chelsea away on the 12th. A benefit of reduced games they get because they got themselves knocked out of the Champions League.
Personally, I think yesterday’s defeat will dig deep into the hearts of Arsenal’s playesrs and there will be extra renewed energy for our games in the three competitions we are still in.
But there is something else rather funny coming up, on the weekend of 28/29 March, Arsenal, in common with most Premier League teams, have no games. Now I immediately assumed that there were major international events that weekend, but I can’t see them listed. So, please accept my ignorance and apologies, and help me out here. Why are there no Premier League games that weekend? And if the answer is “for international” could you tell me who some of the major European teams are playing that weekend and when, because I can’t find a list of those either.
Now I do fully appreciate that in running this blog it is my job to know this, and believe me I have been seaerching but I can’t find the answer. Why pull out a weekend of Premier League games in March in this way?
And just to be clear I am talking about this year. I know that the first international break of 2027 will encompass Good Friday and Easter Monday, meaning no Premier League will be played that weekend. It is of course easy for many of us to get to games on such days as they are public holidays, and we know that the last people to be taking into account are the fans. And that is probably the case for 28 and 29 March. But I can’t see what the cause is.
If you know, please do write in, and if as I suspect this is just me being stupid and looking at the wrong month or wrong year in my diary, do remember I am an old man and mistakes can happen!
