As ‘JT’ - that fine symbol of everything wrong with the personality of a modern day English international footballer - stepped up, I had the TV remote in hand. Poised on the red button to turn the damn thing off the microsecond the ball crossed the line. Such are the margins between hitting the sack at 10.30 and staying up til midnight. Actually, the tension of the game was so great that I have to confess to dropping off in the second period of extra time, and had no idea Didier Drogba had been given his marching orders until just before Chelsea took the walk of shame to collect their losers’ medals. I awoke just in time to see the teams putting subs on in the last seconds with the shoot-out in mind.

I wondered, watching Peter Kenyon lead the team up to collect their medals (and what the f**k did he get a medal for – good financial husbandry?), who would have filled that role for Arsenal? Would Edelman have been sacked so abruptly if Arsenal were in Moscow? Would Danny Fiszman have led them up? Lady Nina? Peter Hill-Wood probably wouldn’t have made all those steps and David Dein would have tried to gatecrash the celebrations, given his new Russian connections and probably the best seat in the house as a result.

By the way. Why no shots of Roman Abramovich once the game was lost? He seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit in the moments before JT’s miss. I wonder how his post-match bash went? The one he booked one of Moscow’s plushest nightclubs for? Perchance cancelled due to lack of interest?

Let’s face it, stuff the winners, it was a great night for negative support. I suspect most Gooners wanted Chelsea to lose more than Manchester United, for no other reason than they would have been unbearable going on about how they’d won the big one Arsenal had failed to two years ago. How much money have these clowns spent since this time last year? And to win no more than Arsenal. Wenger’s team may have fallen short on silverware, but at least we haven’t p*ssed tens of millions down the drain doing it.

There were a few ironies about the events in the final. The pitch was a disgrace, but the artificial surface had to be replaced at UEFA’s insistence and as a result people were losing their footing left, right and centre. Certainly Van der Sar slipped when he might have blocked Lampard’s first half goal. But one wonders how much influence Abramovich had in getting Moscow picked for the final. It was ironic the decision resulted in Terry’s slip. And then there is the comeback for purchasing mercenaries who come to the club because of the cash waved in their faces. Step forward Nicolas Anelka, a man of undoubted principle when it comes to his bank balance. And with as much passion for Chelsea as I have for Tottenham Hotspur. I doubt he’ll lose a moment’s sleep over that miss. Another irony is Drogba getting his marching orders as a consequence of his team-mates complaining about bad sportsmanship over a throw-in. That’s Chelsea, kings of the bad sportsmanship table. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Well done Carlos Tevez. Expect a transfer to SW6 imminently.

The game itself wasn’t at all bad for a European Cup final, certainly a lot more watchable than the UEFA Cup final a week ago. Those rioting Rangers fans should have been grateful the screens failed to work as I’d have had little complaint if my telly packed in sparing me that particular poor impersonation of a football team.

Apparently there were a good number of spares for sale in Moscow due to fans buying match tickets but then unable to afford to get to the city and/or find a reasonably priced hotel. It really was ridiculous to hold the final there, but at least afforded Arsenal fans the pleasure of seeing that it doesn’t only rain in Paris on European Cup final evenings. And United seriously p*ssed on Chelsea’s parade.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Chelsea now. One suspects a few will be moved on and some more expensive signings will be drafted in. Then again, maybe Roman will start getting bored now. He had the pleasure of the Carling and FA Cups in 2007, but he hasn’t been attending many matches this season. And when you spend as much as he does, the least you can expect is the odd Champions League trophy here or there. The titles under Jose Mourinho must seem like a distant memory.

Anyway, at the end of it all, a United win suited Arsenal as it has made our season look a relative triumph in comparison with those of Chelsea and Liverpool. United had already established bragging rights, so last night doesn’t change anything. The hope now is that they have peaked, Chelsea players start losing their motivation (excellent they don’t get the obscene bonuses of £600k for winning the trophy) and Liverpool remain too inconsistent to threaten in the Prem. Then Arsenal might just have a chance next time around.

For now, just enjoy the thought of that long trip home for the Chelsea fans that followed ‘The Road to Moscow’. And for an added bonus, imagine their cocksure mindsets of those very fans as Terry walked up to take that penalty, poised to go absolutely mental the moment the skipper converted it. What happened next is what makes football the great sport it is, eh?