november 6th
09.57 – Like Freiheit themselves, Arsenal were keeping the dream alive at Highbury last night. Just when you thought it was going to be another one of those games, up popped Ashley Cole to nod us in front.
I got home just in time to see the second half, and the first 10 or 15 minutes were a bit mental. We’d attack, they’d attack. We came close at their end when Bergkamp really should have scored when clean through, they came even closer at ours.
But eventually we ground them down, we pinged it about nicely without creating anything that you might call clear-cut. Wiltord and Kanu came on. Kolo went up front and nearly got on the end of a nice Kanu flick, Bergkamp’s shot was tipped over, and there were loads of little moments where the right flick could have set something up, but the right flick never quite happened.
At this stage I was convinced they’d Rebrov us.
But then a cross from the right hand side, Henry, who thought he was Niall Quinn a couple of times, flicked the ball on from around the penalty spot, and coming behind the last defender was Ashley Cole who threw himself at the ball and scored a goal that made me dance. Good dancing too. Like a room full of epileptics watching Manga Riverdance.
‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ went the song and there were still a couple of minutes to go. Fear of being Rebroved was still all too present. At last the final whistle went, Arsenal had won their first European game since Cromwellian times.
Anyone know what was up with Thierry at one stage? He was telling somebody to ‘Shut up’, then saying “Tell them….not me. Tell them….NOT me” or something. He couldn’t have been talking to the bench, it was on the wrong side of the pitch. Another player? The crowd?
Anyway, jolly good stuff all round. Nothing like a bit of late, late action to get the adrenalin flowing. I’d much rather we won 5-0 with all the goals in the first half though. Still, beggars, choosers blah blah blah. I know. So it’s onwards and upwards as the great escape gathers pace and heads for Milan. That’ll be tough, but I think with the confidence brought on by this hiding of Kiev, we’ll win easily. Probably around 21-3 or so.
Arsene Wenger was happy.
So very tired this morning.
