Agony

'Arsenal come surging forward now, in what will surely be their last attack. A good ball by Dixon, headed down by Smith to Thomas, Michael Thomas bursting through, THOMAS........Right at the end! An unbelievable climax to the league season!'

To a lifelong Liverpool supporter, I'm sure Martin Tyler's words will be familiar to a certain blogger, who no doubt was as devastated by the events that were being described as I was elated. Liverpool v Arsenal, Anfield, 5 May 1989, the ninety-second minute of the final game of an exhilarating season. Arsenal had to win by 2 goals to prevent Liverpool from becoming the first team in history to claim a second Double. And they did. Oh how they did. The beginning of a lifelong love affair.

I had started supporting Arsenal that season, enticed by David O'Leary's weekly column in the Sunday World. O'Leary was to become my hero, and i cried endless tears as he cradled the FA Cup descending the hallowed steps of Wembley after his 722nd and final appearance in 1993. The names tumble back to me...Rocastle, Marwood, Winterburn, Limpar, Jensen, Smith, Wrighty. However, as much as I loved/obsessed about, the Gunners, I always resented their staid, restricted manner of play. And how I laughed when they sacked Graham. Success during his tenure was hopelessly qualified by dour, unimaginative football.

Then Arsenal signed Bergkamp. Liverpool signed Collymore. Stan scored a belter on his debut. Dennis flattered to deceive for quite a while. But goals came, and so did success. Wenger joined the club and took football to a new level. Gone were the days of one nil wins, and sometimes, when Vieira et al hit fifth gear, even the most rabid opposition would applaud at the beauty of it all. When Tony Adams scored Arsenal's fourth at Highbury against Everton in '98 to secure the title with five games to play, the tears sprang forth once more.

Ljunberg, Keown, Pires, Lehmann, Cole..............Henry. Little remains to be said about The Invincibles. A feat that will probably never be matched. The rebuilding would start soon after as the old guard began to crumble. '05-'06 was always going to be difficult. Quelle surprise then, that they would reach the Champions League final.

I'm gutted. For the first eighteen minutes we had a classic on our hands. Henry will wake up screaming for some time to come over the squandered opportunity in the second minute. Then came the fall. Poor Lehmann. I honestly believe the right course of action was to play advantage, allow the goal, and give the 'keeper a yellow card. This would have been totally in line with the laws of the game. Alas no; both teams were robbed, Barca more than Arsenal it must be said.

The referee was abysmal. As were Wenger's substitutions. Pires should have been left on the pitch and one could only feel sorry for the forlorn figure that lay slumped, alone on the sub's bench. But Wenger generally knows what he is doing; with Pires set to leave for Villareal, leaving Hleb - the obvious candidate for replacement solely due to inexperience- on the pitch might be construed as a vote of confidence in the future. Nonetheless, it was a stupid fucking call at a crucial moment.

And Flamini for Fabregas? Suicide. Bergkamp should have been introduced for Hleb, Cesc could have played deeper. Arsenal had valiantly continued to attack - a point that surely must be acknowledged and respected - and it had stood them in good stead. To play it safe at such a crucial moment in the game was a surprising call from such an attacking manager. And it probably cost Arsenal their greatest moment in history. Nevertheless, it would be unsporting not to concede that the better team won.

Henry or Ronaldhino? On the basis of this performace, the Frenchman gets the nod. Both left their scoring boots at home, but Henry had greater poise, and posed a greater attacking threat. Ronaldhino largely fucked about with the ball, and Toure marshalled him out of the game. Henry or Eto'o? The latter by a street. Larsson deserves a mention too.

I hope Henry stays, for the Premiership as much as for Arsenal. I think there are great things to come for this ridiculously young side, but they need their leader. They also need

- Another goalscorer - Adebayor might come into his own
- A new Vieira - Diaby?
- Cover at the back!

But next season is crucial, and Henry, who has had his best year to date, will hopefully realise that Arsenal made him, and he continues to make Arsenal. He will never be as important in any other side.

We all have our causes. Religion never really did it for me. But sports enthusiasts can often be just as militant as Jesus F.C. fans, and I can't understand how anyone can manage to smile this morning as the heavens shit all over London N5. And me. That said, the Gunners can be proud that, throughout a season of change and uncertainty, they lifted many, many hearts.