Some years ago, my right hand man at home matches gave me a copy of ‘Brilliant Orange’ by David Winner. Well worth reading, it's the story of the Total Football ideal of Ajax / Holland in the 1970s. Sequels rarely live up to original productions but last week's certainly did. Performed in London, it was unfortunately only a limited edition at this time. Mesmerised by eleven men in Brilliant Yellow, hopefully I was glimpsing the future - our future. Eleven? Yes, not ten. To the Barca outfielders I add Brentford's goalkeeper, Wojceich Szczesny. On Good Friday our on-loan fourth-ranked 'keeper was strutting his stuff between the sticks at The New Den. He also played a blinder; I thought he'd never be beaten. (1-1 was a fair result; he had no chance with Millwall's equaliser.) When Wojciech arrives at Heathrow after the summer recess he should be fast-tracked to our first team. Commanding in the air, he exudes confidence and you will love him. Szczesny even got a mention of sorts on MOTD2 last Sunday. Apparently his name equates to 56 Scrabble points, the league's highest. Surely 56 (not 53) should be the number on his back?

Yes, Almunia must go. Just because everyone concurs on a subject does not make the conclusion wrong and, for once, I agree with the Gooner masses. His distribution is terrible, never worse than in Camp Nou on Tuesday. Others have noted that it's wrong to keep saying what a young team we have. The first leg starting eleven had an average age of 25.9 against Barca's 26.8. Yes, saddo that I am, I put all 22 DOB's in a spreadsheet! But, Messi aside, these amazing games against the world's best club team were won and lost in midfield. And there the statistics are more promising, as Arsene has already implied. Theo is 21.1, Denilson 22.1, Song 22.6, Nasri 22.8, Fabregas 22.9 and Diaby 23.9. With Ramsey (19.3) and Wilshere (18.3, and getting rave reviews at Bolton) in the mix next season, the future is probably not as glum as we felt Wednesday morning - the morning after the night before. At the back, Vermaelen is 24.4 and the returning Djourou 23.2. Grandpa Clichy will be 25 in July! Gibbs, Clichy's very able deputy, is 20.5 and tipped for a long England career by his manager. Szczesny himself will no longer be a teenager when we play at Wigan.

Fergie blamed "The Germans" for getting his player a second yellow on Wednesday night. Pots and black kettles, anyone? At E******s, we were besting the game v United until Carrick et al got Song booked midway through the first half. As always, those who dish it (whatever "it" is) are least able to take it. Excellent and hilarious summary of ITV's sycophantic approach to the game by Simon Rose, incidentally.

Keep the faith.