No away shut out since February, no away point this season, less luck in London than Guy Fawkes. 

Little wonder then that we came for a draw, gratefully accepted the point that resulted and left Robert R. beaming while Arsene Wenger moaned, again (TV replays did confirm that Franck Dumas cleared Patrick Vieira's 43rd minute header from behind the goal line). 

How man, balls over the line in games against us is nowt new, check out the 1932 Cup Final at Wembley, that place you're so keen on....

Frog-baiting aside, a trip to Highbury is always one of the more pleasant away days of the season. Yes, the away fans view isn't clever, but it's a bloody sight cheaper than other London clubs have the temerity to levy, for equally squalid enclosures. 

Add to that a few reasonable ale houses en-route to the ground plus the odd reasonable result in recent years, and the Highbury experience is still one which can stir the senses.

What a pity then, that the regular occupants of the old ground (who comparatively speaking, tend to be a better class of cockney than found elsewhere) sat on their hands on Saturday, save for half-hearted and sporadic taunting of the Toon Army. 

Champions League hangovers must be a bastard to get over, the players seeming as flat as the fans, who at least now know what it's like to be outclassed under the Twin Towers. Twice.

As the injury "crisis" eases, we're able to get away with what sexy Continental managers call "squad rotation." Today, the absence through suspension of Warren Barton and Steve Harper allowed  Alessandro Pistone and Jon Karelse to put in pleasing performances, although this must be judged in the context of an Arsenal side who only seemed intermittently interested. 

Laurent Charvet trotted along the sidelines, big Dunc had the briefest of runouts and both the Georgian loon and Steve Howey are only weeks away from returning. However, the continued absence of Kieron Dyer may prove to be the blow that results in our UEFA Cup demise or a lack of upward mobility in the league, never mind England's chances.... 

No amount of honest toil or effort (hello Carl Serrant) can disguise the fact that quality passing and vision are required when confronted with decent teams who are focused. Something that Zurich, Derby and Arsenal weren't. 

While our numerous defenders and average midfield players may have rediscovered a collective spirit, the likes of Solano, Glass and even Gary Speed have now to come to the fore and demonstrate what they used to call "star quality" on "New Faces."