It’s been a long time since I shouted at the TV as much as I did during yesterday’s game against Chelsea. It may not have been the classic ‘grand slam Sunday’ that Sky were hoping for but there was plenty to get involved with from our point of view.
William Gallas’s 45th minute header against his old club won the game and put us back on top of the table after United beat Liverpool at Anfield earlier in the afternoon. We had the three amigos back, Flamini, Cesc and Hleb all starting while Robin van Persie, not yet fit enough for 90 minutes, was saved for the bench. And you can see what a difference they made to us and the way we play. The team just has more confidence, and why wouldn’t it?
It wasn’t an especially open game, particularly the first half, but that’s often the case when the top teams play each other. No matter how much the TV companies build up the hype the reality can be very different. We certainly had the better of the first half though without ever really creating any clear cut chances. Given the history between the two teams in recent seasons it wasn’t a surprise to see it become a very physical game. Adebayor was booked for what appeared to be a genuine attempt to play the ball. However, he got Cuntley Cunt’s knee instead and the Chelsea players insisted the damage done to Cuntley was deliberate. I doubt it but I’m willing to give Ade the benefit of the doubt. I’m sure he meant to hurt the little cunt.
Then John Terry tried to follow through on Cesc when the Spaniard was on the ground prompting a bit of pushing and shoving and a well deserved yellow card for the England captain. Not long after that Eboue burst forward and knocked the ball a bit too far ahead of him. Terry cleared and Eboue went to the block the ball but sadly, truly sadly, madly, deeply sadly, Terry’s foot connected with Eboue’s studs and although he tried to carry on he couldn’t. Unfortunately he wasn’t paralysed for the rest of his life but never mind. They spoke about Eboue’s challenge afterwards and it’s one of those 50-50 ones and again I’ll give the Ivorian the benefit of the doubt. I’m sure he meant to hurt the fucking poxy, patchy-haired bastard. I’m not Eboue’s biggest fan but I found myself warming to him after that incident.
The goal came late in the first half. Cesc floated in a corner from our left, Gallas arrived late in the box, gave Ben Haim a little nudge in the back and when Cech uncharacteristically missed the ball completely it was a simple header for the former Chelsea man. 1-0 to the Arsenal and half time.
In the second half they were in it a lot more. I thought we were a bit ragged in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half, giving the ball away a bit too much and letting them back into it. Almunia made a very good save from Mikel, surely one of the most spiteful little cunts in football these days, adding to the couple of saves he made in the first half. Then Shaun Wright-Phillips missed the kind of chance most of us could even score in our sleep, that was a real let off, it has to be said. Eboue ended up being stretchered off after a Joe Cole challenge and Arsene says he has a knee ligament strain so we’ll wait for news on that.
As Chelsea went for an equaliser they left space for us to exploit. Robin had a great chance which he put over with his right foot, a bad miss but he’s been out so long we can forgive him it, especially as they failed to equalise. We had the ball in the net twice. The first time Rosicky was given offside in the build up to RVP’s smart right footed finish, which was fair enough, I think. I’d have been unhappy if it hadn’t been given offside if the tables were turned. The second time the ref got it wrong, I think. Adebayor was just too strong for Ben Haim and I don’t really know why it was disallowed. Wiley obviously thought there had been a foul but it was harsh. Almunia made another good save from a Shevchenko free kick, Cech made good saves from Cesc and van Persie and the game ended in relatively hilarious circumstances when Cesc creamed Cuntley Cunt from behind in their box, Cuntley touched Cesc’s face and while he won’t want to look too often at his reaction and the overall Eboueness of it, the ref decided to blow up after 5 minutes of injury time and that was that.
Cuntley’s reaction at the final whistle says it all and he could face an FA charge. Hahaha. And before anyone even tries to criticise Cesc for the tackle on Cole, wouldn’t you, as an Arsenal fan, have done just the same? That was the challenge of an Arsenal fan. Thank you Cesc, I love you.
Overall I thought we deserved the three points despite what their zombie faced manager thinks. When Van Persie came on we tore them apart a couple of times and I think even if they’d equalised we could have found another goal. It was good to have the three boys back and Flamini in particular was really excellent. He works so hard and is so integral to our football this season. He’s not the most creative, he’s not the most attacking but without him we wouldn’t be as solid a team as we are. Every side needs someone to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work and he’s that man for us. Props to Almunia too. He made some good stops and looked very solid in a big game with lots of pressure. Gael Clichy had $WP sussed from the first minute, Adebayor caused them problems all afternoon and the back four looked solid again.
So, to the captain. Regular readers will know I wasn’t at all convinced by Arsene’s decision to make Gallas captain but my cap is well and truly doffed to the manager. He saw something in Galls that nobody else could and while the big complaint last year was that Gallas did all the talking without backing it up on the pitch that’s not something you can accuse him of this time around. He’s a very positive influence on this young team, they seem to have a great deal of respect for him and his third goal in three home games means the man is winning us points. Keep it up, sir, I am pleasantly surprised and more than a little impressed.
The result puts us top of the Premier League again and we responded to the pressure not only of playing a team as good as Chelsea but of that heaped upon us by United going top, albeit briefly, after their win over Liverpool earlier in the day. The team showed fantastic spirit and determination to put to bed a poor record against Chelsea in recent years and while nothing is decisive at this stage of the season it’s just going to add the belief that this squad has that they can beat anyone. It’s certainly a big result when you consider our next league game is the North London derby.
You can read Arsene’s reaction here where he talks about Gallas, the game and all kinds of other stuff.
The icing on the very delicious cake is for me the fact that Alisher Usmanov attended yesterday’s game. He watched it from the Arsenal director’s box as a guest of, no, not an Arsenal director, but of Roman Abramovich, who knows exactly the state of play between Usmanov and the rest of the directors. Having previously shown up at Arsenal games with entourages and bodyguards (some of them of rather dubious character) and expecting us to look after them all, Abramovich invites Usmanov. He had to be trying to stir trouble and I’m delighted that we beat them so Abramovich can go home unhappy and Usmanov, I hope, felt as uncomfortable as he should have during the game. Abramovich, who we all hate, is mates with Usmanov, who wants us to like him. Fuck off. Birds of a feather and all that.
In other news Arsene says he wants Lassana Diarra to be happy but made it clear the player needs to understand that competition for places is part and parcel of life at a big club. Personally, I think anyone who starts kicking up a fuss after just a few months at a club, when it’s obvious to anyone with half a brain why he’s not playing, is somebody we need to think very carefully about. There’s a great spirit at the club and between the players, it would be a shame for one bad apple to spoil it. Let’s see how he plays tomorrow night against Blackburn. Will he perform or will he sulk? That should tell us a lot about his future.
Finally, as it’s Christmas and Arseblog is the site that likes to give something back to its readers, I’ve got a nice prize for you to win this week. A collection of 4 Arsenal books. I have got two packs featuring the The All-new Official Arsenal Miscellany, Arsenal Premiership Player Profiles, The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal 1886-2007 and Arsenal Extraordinary Images of an Amazing Club.
To win just email [email protected] with the answer to the following question: Whose biography was called ‘Addicted’? Was it a) Paul Merson b) Tony Adams c) Igors Stepanovs.
You have until Tuesday night to enter and I’ll announce the winners on Wednesday’s blog. Right then, get entering, as the bishop said to the actress. Or something. The prizes come with thanks to Octopus Publishing.
Till tomorrow.
