As White Hart Lane erupted in an orgy of one-upmanship and Schadenfreude, the question ringing round north London was a poignant one: Were you, indeed, watching, Arsenal?
Was anyone, in fact, watching? To the untrained eye, yesterday’s latest episode of Champions League drama could easily have been mistaken for another snore draw, so often seen by teams setting up in 4-5-1 formations the world over, here with a 6 foot 7 inch front man to boot.
Trouble is, trained eyes are those who have endured all forms of dark arts and deception, and that’s just with the ball at feet. This includes those who proclaim to play attacking football, then proceed to treat territory as nine-tenths of the law, or those who define themselves on possession, yet merely dull their opponents’ senses until they err decisively.
UEFA’s brand of football is not always easily accessible. The tightness of square-ups causes chasms of mistrust to engulf many a maestro, while instant replays’ defamation of character has discouraged the dogged.
So, is it better to contain, both your opposition and yourselves, to survive? Or is a warrior’s fate to “die with your boots on”, as Guillem Balague suggested that Arsenal should have done on Tuesday?
Is Wenger a Romantic for having started his crocked captain and co-chief? Is Redknapp a cynic for leaving dead-eyed Defoe to celebrate a brace from the sidelines?
The answer, it seems, is different strokes for different folks. Then there’s different Stokes. Game plans alter for opponents, increased opportunities and other external conditions. The Premier League provides the necessary platform for teams like Tottenham and Arsenal to go out every week and live, die or get by with their boots and snoods firmly in place. The balance is right, the brand is secure.
On Tuesday 5 April, the same night Spurs may be settling in for another foray at a clean sheet in Europe’s honeymoon suite, Arsenal reserves host Sunderland at Underhill in a battle of Britain where even the coin toss matters.
Will you be tuning in to Tottenham, or will you be watching Arsenal?
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