Up until Tuesday night it would have been fair to say that the table in our group didn't lie and we deserved to be in the position of playing catch up going into the game in Kiev. Yet, even after seeing the Gunners put on one of their best displays on foreign soil for quite some time, we still came away empty handed.
As I sat there on my living room sofa late into the night, I honestly didn't know whether to laugh or cry. There was a part of me that was really proud of the lads. Given both the conditions and the surroundings we were in the midst of, I thought that the Gunners were pretty damn good. In fact, I thought that we put in just about our best 45 minutes of the season in the second half.
Needless to say however, my sense of pride was tempered by pure exasperation and the way that we ultimately lost the game would have been funny if it wasn't so tragic.
Though we will have to make a comeback of Lazarus proportions to make the last 16 from here, I have managed to get ticket for the return game with Kiev. One of my fellow Gooner mates, consumed with pessimism, offered me a fiver for it. Well, unlike him, I am going to adopt a “where there's life, there's hope” philosophy and hope that we can provide some fireworks of our own against Kiev at Highbury on Bonfire Night.
It's back to domestic matters this weekend and the Gunners will have the chance to put their midweek disappointment behind them on Sunday at the Valley where we will play Charlton.
Like last season, the highly sought after Charlton boss, Alan Curbishley, has looked on as his team have been on another roller coaster ride so far this season.
Last time out (on Monday to be exact), the Addicks picked up a superb win at Blackburn. As Arsenal have found over the years, Blackburn are no mugs and are a very capable outfit on their day.
It seems as though the trend of last year is starting to repeat itself because as a result of that win, Charlton have actually picked up four points more this season away from home than they have at the Valley.
There are a lot of people (including me) that are a little puzzled by that. You see, the atmosphere at the Valley is often very good and it definitely puts the atmosphere at Highbury to shame.
The Charlton fans know how to get behind the team down there and the thought alone of seeing their team take the scalp of the Arsenal will ensure that the atmosphere will be highly charged down there once again on Sunday.
It will be interesting to see what combination Curbishley elects to use up front. Neither Jason Euell nor Kevin Lisbie, scorer recently of a hat trick against Liverpool, figured in Monday night's game so they should be fairly fresh if called upon.
It will be interesting as well if Paddy Vieira's old mate, Paolo Di Canio, figures from the start and watch out for Scott Parker. He is knocking on the door for an England cap and, as well as being combative, he does an eye for goal from midfield.
The trip back to London from Kiev was probably very long and gloomy for Arsene Wenger and his men but I expect the Gunners to have got Tuesday's events out of their system come Sunday.
Despite all the much-vaunted words that have been aimed in the direction of certain other teams (I think you know who I mean), the fact is that we are still the only team with an unbeaten record in the top flight.
And, as far as I can see, there is absolutely no reason why it shouldn't stay that way after Sunday's game is over.
As I sat there on my living room sofa late into the night, I honestly didn't know whether to laugh or cry. There was a part of me that was really proud of the lads. Given both the conditions and the surroundings we were in the midst of, I thought that the Gunners were pretty damn good. In fact, I thought that we put in just about our best 45 minutes of the season in the second half.
Needless to say however, my sense of pride was tempered by pure exasperation and the way that we ultimately lost the game would have been funny if it wasn't so tragic.
Though we will have to make a comeback of Lazarus proportions to make the last 16 from here, I have managed to get ticket for the return game with Kiev. One of my fellow Gooner mates, consumed with pessimism, offered me a fiver for it. Well, unlike him, I am going to adopt a “where there's life, there's hope” philosophy and hope that we can provide some fireworks of our own against Kiev at Highbury on Bonfire Night.
It's back to domestic matters this weekend and the Gunners will have the chance to put their midweek disappointment behind them on Sunday at the Valley where we will play Charlton.
Like last season, the highly sought after Charlton boss, Alan Curbishley, has looked on as his team have been on another roller coaster ride so far this season.
Last time out (on Monday to be exact), the Addicks picked up a superb win at Blackburn. As Arsenal have found over the years, Blackburn are no mugs and are a very capable outfit on their day.
It seems as though the trend of last year is starting to repeat itself because as a result of that win, Charlton have actually picked up four points more this season away from home than they have at the Valley.
There are a lot of people (including me) that are a little puzzled by that. You see, the atmosphere at the Valley is often very good and it definitely puts the atmosphere at Highbury to shame.
The Charlton fans know how to get behind the team down there and the thought alone of seeing their team take the scalp of the Arsenal will ensure that the atmosphere will be highly charged down there once again on Sunday.
It will be interesting to see what combination Curbishley elects to use up front. Neither Jason Euell nor Kevin Lisbie, scorer recently of a hat trick against Liverpool, figured in Monday night's game so they should be fairly fresh if called upon.
It will be interesting as well if Paddy Vieira's old mate, Paolo Di Canio, figures from the start and watch out for Scott Parker. He is knocking on the door for an England cap and, as well as being combative, he does an eye for goal from midfield.
The trip back to London from Kiev was probably very long and gloomy for Arsene Wenger and his men but I expect the Gunners to have got Tuesday's events out of their system come Sunday.
Despite all the much-vaunted words that have been aimed in the direction of certain other teams (I think you know who I mean), the fact is that we are still the only team with an unbeaten record in the top flight.
And, as far as I can see, there is absolutely no reason why it shouldn't stay that way after Sunday's game is over.