march 12th
10.40 – Saw the game on tv here, and without doubt, Deportivo are the best team we’ve played all season. In fact, I’m off down the nearest bookies tomorrow to put some money on them winning the champions league.
A good game to watch, and we had our chances. Pires shot saved by Molina, Bergkamp skimmed the bar, and we had all the ball to begin with. Then Wiltord lost the ball in midfield, our right back was scratching his arse halfway up the pitch and moments later it was 1-0 Deportivo. Their second game from more bad defending, but the shot was going nowhere until it bounced up off Stepanovs and over Seaman.
In the second half, Freddie came on for Wiltord – who was useless all night – and Kanu for Grimandi. Freddie won a penalty within 2 minutes of being on which Thierry Henry promptly missed. He then fell to pieces, you could see him replaying the penalty in his mind over and over, but when you’re 2-0 down and looking for goals you don’t take off your top scorer I suppose. He didn’t have a good game though. Lots of pressure from Arsenal, but they defended really well and could have had another goal or two when they broke.
They are a very, very good side and have a great chance of winning this competition. I saw them beat Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey last week and they were impressive then too.
A disappointing night for Arsenal, but maybe this will help focus the players again. I think too many people thought all we had to do was turn up to win this tonight. Not so. I thought we would win it, but I always knew they were quite capable of doing us too. On to Turin, and it looks like we’re gonna need a win, coz Juventus lost 3-1 to Bayer Leverkeusen. Still, it wouldn’t be the Arsenal way to make life in any way easy for ourselves. I predict much nail biting, fag smoking and pain in the left arm and chest ahead.
09.45 – According to Planet Football, Kanu’s home was raided by masked gunmen last Sunday morning. They broke in, and tied up Kanu’s brother Henry and left with cash and clothes after discovering the car they wanted to steal was not there. It’ll be easy enough to catch them, just keep an eye out for somebody selling pairs of size 14 shoes.
This is the second time his house has been burgled, and earlier this season Thierry Henry’s house was broken into and his housekeeper, a Mrs Doubtfire, was tied up while the thieves ransacked the house. Apparently, Robert Pires is paying £10,000 rent per month for his home in London – I’m sure paying that amount of rent ensures a fine security service – guards, dogs, hungry Hannibal type pigs. If I was Kanu I would buy a couple of lions to patrol the grounds of my house. Can’t see anyone trying to break in then.
Read a marvellous quote from George W Bush this morning. “One of the best things about books is that sometimes they have fantastic pictures in them”. Don’t you feel safe knowing this man has taken it upon himself to protect the western world?
Deportivo la Coruña tonight – a really good side with some fantastic players, but our home record in Europe is brilliant, and Henry and Bergkamp up front should score the goals to take us through to the 1/4 finals.
