Close season

As the season draws to a close, it seems fitting to congratulate Manchester United for winning a record 18th league title, albeit through gritted teeth. Their achievement is indeed an impressive one, and players and pundits alike agree that the current squad is probably the strongest that Sir Alex Ferguson has ever assembled. Whilst the FA cup may have eluded them, they are still on for an historic treble of sorts, and aside from my unbridled and fervent dislike of the manager, most of the players and the franchise, there is no one is England, Europe and probably the World who are better, and as much as it upsets me to say it, I expect them to put Barcelona to the sword in Rome. Still, one could take encouragement from a spirited Arsenal performance from a team with nothing but pride at stake. The game was billed as a grudge match, revenge for the defeat inflicted on Utd in 2002, when a Sylvain Wiltord goal saw Arsenal clinch the title in Utd’s back yard. Given that this game was played at Old Trafford and not at the Emirates, as far as I was concerned it was far from revenge; until Ferguson’s men win the title in North London the derisory chants should be reserved strictly for Arsenal fans to direct at their Manchester counterparts.
Utd were caught in two minds, struggling to decide whether to go for the jugular and seal the deal with an emphatic win, or put in a solid defensive performance and play for the draw which would seal the title for them. Consequently Arsenal were able to exploit this indecision and dominate the midfield for long stretches; several chances were created which should have been dispatched, Van Persie notably heading over the bar, unmarked, from 10 yards out. Arsene Wenger can take heart from his team’s efforts to spoil the party; confidence will be high going into the last league game, a home fixture against the bully boys of Stoke, and a win there will give the fans something to cheer about at last after a wearisome month.
Reports linking Wenger to Real Madrid meanwhile seem premature. Wenger described the prospect of working with the ex-president of the club, who is running for re-election, as ’interesting’. Commentators looking for any juicy piece of gossip as the season tapers off in excitement levels jumped on this, interpreting it as a clear indication that Wenger is on his way to Spain. Unlikely, I feel, given Wenger’s stubborn nature and his prior refusal to abandon his youth project. He has also intimated that he may bring in some experienced players over the summer transfer window, suggesting that he has no plans to leave; exciting times ahead for us beleaguered Arsenal fans perhaps.