Brian Dawes
If I calculate correctly Tuesday will see me attend my 40th Semi-final with the mighty Arsenal. It would be a whole load more games in fact if I were to tot up all the home and away legs and replays etc. I recall there being four games in the FA Cup Semi-finals against Liverpool back in 1980 and three League Cup Semi-finals against the Totts in 1987, but I digress. What gets to me is that it bothers me a tad that I can't get at all excited for this one. The thrill of a Wembley final now means very little for the League Cup. Well exceedingly little in fact if the truth be told. After all this is merely the Mickey Mouser, which may have been a big deal when we played two legs against Huddersfield in order for me to blag my first Wembley visit with Arsenal in 1968, then it was massive. But not any more. Some couple of dozen cup finals later the Mickey Mouser is a mere distraction to the real business of a proper Club such as Arsenal, which is all about winning the Premiership or the Champions League.
Yes I know it's a trophy and I know we haven't won one for however many years. But five years really is no big deal when you had to wait forever and a day to even see your first Arsenal semi-final ever. I was almost in two minds about even going to the Ipswich game tonight because I enjoy the League Cup far more in the many home legs I've been to where we get to play the kids. Those games kind of have an expectancy about them that holds up a mirror to the future. In such matches the pitch is packed with excited youngsters just as the seats are. And the absolute thrill of seeing the first live sighting of, say, a Fabregas lingers longer than the any League Cup match win itself.
Our record is not good in League Cup Finals but if you were in attendance for the Swindon debacle you'll at least know that it can't get any worse as an Arsenal fan. So maybe if for no other reason we should win another League Cup if only to improve our won two lost four record. Maybe even to add to Le Boss's CV. But more importantly to aid our momentum for the real deals this season.
But first of course there is the little matter of getting there.
