We’re suffering an eclipse this morning. Most people enjoy an eclipse, maybe experience an eclipse, even get thrilled by an eclipse. But here, we suffer them. Because its totally fucking cloudy and the eclipse looks… well, just like a grey sky. Never mind, we still have an hour and a half to go before ‘wow-time’, when we all look skywards, see the solar eclipse and go ‘wow!!!!’ just before we all ship off to Moorfields Eye Hospital suffering radiation burns to our retinas. “Oh; when they said ‘don’t look directly at the eclipse’, I thought they meant something else. Now all I can see is a big white ring on a black background. Driving’s a bit difficult”.

Someone (and I’m not saying who, nor whom) sent me an email yesterday saying that in the last 5 years Spurs have played in more Champions League quarter finals than Arsenal. “Sacre Bleu!!!!” I thought. I often think in French. And then I realised that this is indeed the case. Arsenal qualify for the Champions League every year, relentlessly and without fail, and yet haven’t progressed beyond the ’round of 16′ for half a decade. Whereas Spurs, on their one, their only, their most wonderful foray into that esteemed competition, did indeed make it to the quarter-finals. I went. When we lost to Real Madrid and that poncey bastard Ronaldo. But I bear no malice. Grrrrrrrr.

So now, rather than playing better, changing things, mixing it up, meeting the challenge, Arsene Wenger has instead decided that the system is ‘wrong’. And NOT, as the mean-spirited or cynical might think, because Arsenal lost agaiaiaiaiaiaiain, but because the tournament as a whole would benefit if they change the ‘away goals’ rule. That annoying law that says, quite simply, “in the event of a draw after 2 legs have been played, away goals count double”. And NOT because it would seem that Arsenal have fallen foul of this rule more than any other club in the history of the tournament, but just because… errr… because its ‘not fair’, to quote Professor Wenger.

The rule goes back to 1965, the old (and wonderful) European Cup, and it was to prevent away teams playing very dull, defensive football, parking buses and being boring, hoping to win the tie with a sneaky goal in the home leg. The rule made it irresistible to try and score away from home. Which indeed is part of why the tournament is so exciting. Or for Arsenal, so exit-ing.

What Wenger actually suggests is that, like the League Cup, the away goals effect should only occur after extra time. Why he feels this will make it fairer I have no idea. Then he’d complain that his players are too tired after playing so many hours of football in one week, no doubt.

The system is the same for everyone. Thus, by definition, is ‘fair’. What’s unfair is losing. Grossly unfair. As a Spurs fan I get my share of unfairness every sodding week.

But to blame the system is like the Lib-Dems preaching about proportional representation as the only ‘fair’ election system. Its sad, a touch pathetic and is only for losers.

Next time Arsenal WIN a game on away goals, then people will listen to Wenger’s demands for change. Until then; grow up.

Happy eclipse (just an hour away and still the sky is full of mud)

A xxxx