Like Arsene Wenger, I have often been dismissive of the League Cup – when it was sponsored by Worthington’s, it was derided as the Worthless Cup, usually as a way to not let the fans of the club who had won it get one-up on you. Then the era of the Big Four came along as they hovered up every domestic trophy going. Triumphs like those of Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur were anomalies – maybe that of Birmingham City will prove the same; but yesterday the League Cup provided more excitement than the last four FA Cup finals combined.
Many managers do regard the League Cup as a take-it-or-leave-it competition, with Alex McLeish preferring a guarantee of ten years in the Premier League, but it provided the springboard for Chelsea to win the Premier League for the first time in 50 years and for Manchester United to seize the title three years running. The most it could for Birmingham is revitalise legs to escape the spectre of relegation, though that is worthwhile in itself, with a visit to Europe next season secured.
For Arsenal though it could be the beginning of the end. In the 1970s, a great Leeds side was on course for a treble of League, FA Cup and European Cup and ended up with nothing. The Gunners could be about to repeat that as a quadruple – a most unwanted quadruple.
They are running out of players. After the draw with Newcastle United – throwing away a four-goal lead- Abou Diaby tweeted that he was “a broken man” after getting sent-off in the most stupid fashion to give impetus to the Magpies revival. His red card for violent conduct led to him missing yesterday’s Wembley final. Now, Wenger claims that Wojciech Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny are “destroyed” following their hilarious, calamitous mistake. Frankly both were lucky to still be on the pitch, following the goalkeeper’s foul in the penalty box on Lee Bowyer, when the latter was incorrectly flagged offside and then Koscielny’s two-footed challenge on the same Birmingham City man. Arsenal are running out of players with the mental fortitude. “Mistakes make you stronger,” claimed Wenger, but only if you have the strength of character. There is no Tony Adams in defence, no Patrick Viera in midfield. Viera’s last kick for Arsenal was to win the penalty shoot-out against Manchester United in the 2005 FA Cup Final and the team hasn’t won a bean since.
Sick-notes Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott have been joined by Robin Van Persie, who has only once completed more than twenty league games for Arsenal in a season in all his time in north London. Fabregas’ most meaningful contribution on Sunday was to appear in an advert fund-raising for Comic Relief, as he always seems injured when the biggest matches are available (unless of course it is for his country).
But Birmingham were great in every department. They could be maligned as journeymen, but they were a team, in contrast to Arsenal, epitomised by the Keystone Kops moment of Szczesny and Koscielny in the last minute of normal time. I am happy that they have some recognition at last – especially ex-Newcastle men, Stephen Carr, Obafemi Martins and, erm, Bowyer. Martins is on loan from the exotic Rubin Kazan (well, they come from Siberia) – he is the striker who came in from the cold. I admired Roger Johnson’s attitude in just pushing through the pain barrier and Ben Foster has a hat-trick of consecutive League Cup medals and certainly earned his corn with the amazing and, occasionally brave, saves he pulled off. Well done, Birmingham City. Who knows how long for Arsenal but for yourselves nearly half a century at hurt at an end.