It's enough to drive you to drink.

This game may be remembered for a now-infamous Mike Ashley pint gaffe, following Kevin Keegan's quip about drinking David Ginola's newly-launched vino before kickoff.        

But as ever, it was the Toon fans left with a monumental hangover, as 90 minutes of Emirates torture was followed by two more days waiting for closing time - in the transfer window that is....

A familiar story of failure on this ground was duly played out with United as a barely-supporting cast to an Arsenal side who had come in for recent criticism, but took advantage of our ineptness to play themselves back into form and favour.

As a footballing neutral this was probably pleasant entertainment  - if overly one-sided. 

Unfortunately watching it as a bona fide member of the travelling contingent (unlike the various tourists and stragglers present yet again) was predictably painful. Later TV reviewing confirmed only that some over-elaboration, poor shooting and Given's efforts had prevented this from being a rout. 

The sum total of our goal efforts was a shooting chance that Gutierrez lined up for Owen but Ameobi foiled by putting his striking sidekick off. That and a second half back header from Butt that bounced off the crossbar were all we managed

The injury list that had included Martins, Smith, Duff, Viduka, Carroll, LuaLua, Cacapa and Geremi before kickoff then extended when Enrique limped off with an apparent hamstring pull - while both Coloccini and Beye had been doubtful before kickoff.

Kevin Keegan then elected to reintroduce Joey Barton back to the Premier League with one minute of normal time remaining, which drew a predictably negative (chants of "scum" and "you're supposed to be in jail" - an old ditty that gooners doubtless recall from the glory days of T.Adams). 

His first action was an awkward tackle that looked just about fair, but could easily have seen his opponent - or himself - incur an injury. Nasri then aimed a kick at him off the ball and was lucky to be only booked.

Playing his first game for the club since our last visit here in January, Ameobi looked very inch the man not considered shipshape enough to bolster Ipswich Town's attack, but did at least make a couple of clearances out of defence - harking back to his academy position.

Had he not appeared, then KK would have been forced to deploy one of the two teenage strikers named on the bench who had been pulled out of the club's Academy fixture earlier that day - that's how hard up for players we are. 

The club now has a fortnight to regroup before the next game, both on and off the field - with the little matter of Barton's hearing also on the agenda. 

Not for the first time, the closing of the transfer window is an event of seemingly momentous importance to our short-term future - along with the monotony of an ever-increasing injury list.

The high-profile absences of Viduka and Martins may have deprived us of striking choices, but it's in midfield where we look to have creativity issues. Our sole absentee from this position on Saturday was Geremi, who has his share of assists but is hardly a playmaker.

By midnight on Monday it will have become clear exactly how messrs Keegan, Ashley and Wise intend to take this thing forward to January. 

The manager has asked for judgment to be suspended, so the jury is out until then, but suspicions remain that the "different direction" KK recently spoke about his team taking won't be one that finds favour with the fans.

Biffa