ARSENAL OWE SPURS - LETS HOPE WE DON'T PAY UP!

If we consider a conservative figure of when someone first starts to deeply immerse themselves into the beautiful game being 9 years of age, any Arsenal fan aged 38 years and younger will have only felt that bitter feeling of a home defeat to Spurs once in their lives. On the flip side any Spurs fan of this age has only celebrated such an event once. Once!

Once since 1993. Quite incredible isn't it? I attended the midweek game at Highbury in May 1993 when in a very subdued atmosphere Spurs recorded a victory against a weakened Arsenal team. Why was it subdued? Why was Arsenal fielding a weakened team? Arsenal were seeing out a disappointing league season in 10th position, but more importantly had a small matter of an FA Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday a few days later. which of course they went on to win in the replay.

Since then we as suggested have lost just once at home to Spurs, that being in 2010. In 1993 a pint cost £1.54, admission into Highbury was £20, the first Jurassic Park was released, the Eurotunnel was first tested in preparation for its opening a year later and One Direction Liam Payne was born. North London is Red.

So, it's been a long time. And that could be a cause of concern, laws of average suggests that we owe Spurs a day of celebration in their 'Cup Final'. Let's hope we can keep those laws at bay and allow the 38 year olds to turn 39 unchanged.

It's going to be an intriguing game. Arsenal obviously enjoy possession football, however this appears to suit Spurs game who love to sit back and defend in numbers ready to spring into a ruthless breakaway attack utilising Son and Kane who prove to be so deadly time and time again. I have yet to see Spurs play well this season, on many occasions they struggle to string a few passes together.

But they are so clinical and therefore manage to carve out results and this scares me.

However, I trust this team. They have earned our trust with the performances this season, even the one at Old Trafford. But for me the real confirmation of this team starting to really come of age was at the Gtec Stadium in a sublime professional and resounding victory against Brentford. Now, I'm sure many will say 'Brentford, really?' I mean, they are not a 'test' after all. Really? Tell that to Man Utd who were trounced 4-0 and it could have been more. Tell that to Leeds who were torn apart by Toney. The media were ready for Arsenal to fail again. You might not have been aware but we lost there last season....oh of course you know..we were reminded of that day every 10 minutes!

I was fearing this game, I was fearing Toney who as mentioned looked so dangerous in previous games. It turned out that my fears were unfounded, and what we witnessed was something we are starting to become accustomed to. A classy professional dominant victory. We were also introduced to Vieira who showed exactly why we should be excited by this team.

Team news makes happy reading as it appears apart from Smith-Rowe all our players will be back including Partay. Therefore if he and we play anywhere near our best we should force yet another fire drill in the South West corner of the ground. We need to be clinical, I'm sure Arteta will prepare the players to come out accordingly. Or will the photographer be given another shot at it?

REF WATCH!

There was so much to cover in this section the weekend before The Queen died but I did not feel I could write a blog for obvious reasons. So the referees escaped my wrath.

Let's hope the Anthony Taylor who takes charge at The Emirates does not appear on here next week!

So the nerves will be kicking in for all parties as we get set for the the big game. Whist looking forward to taking my seat I know, like everyone else I'm sure, I will not enjoy a second of the game apart from the joyous moments of a goal and only being able to feel a little relaxed if we go 4 up..hardly likely so only the final whistle and a positive score line would bring the stress to the end.

It begs the question..Why do we do it to ourselves?

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Speak soon, UTA!!

Rob