Come on you know you have missed me writing about Arsenal switching back to the old formation to bring back the glory days. Where has Gooner (442) Dave66 been?
The Champions League Final this Saturday brings it all so sharply into focus for me and it has been on my mind constantly since Bayern humiliated Barcelona over 2 legs in the Semi-Final. It is lovely for us Gooners to have pride in beating Bayern in their own backyard, just as we love talking about the glory night at the Emirates when we came back from the dead to defeat Barcelona in 2011. Reality of course is that Barca then and Bayern now are better than Arsenal but it is the new German efficient machine that interests me the most.
There are two things that have truly struck a chord with me about the German giants who have conquered all domestically.Both observations make me draw comparisons with the Arsenal side of 2002-04 and both are things that many had consigned to the football dustbin, primarily due ironically to Barcelona.
The first observation revolves around size and physicality. For me as an impartial football supporter the semi between Barca and Bayern was like watching Arsenal and anyone in 2003/4. By this I mean 9 times out of 10 our opposition were beaten in the tunnel before the players even crossed the white line. The sheer size and presence of the Invincibles intimidated any opposition barring the very top sides and games were won before a ball was kicked. Vieira, Gilberto, Henry, Campbell were towering figures and even Bergkamp and Pires were 6 footers. It is why so many of our games in that era were won in the first 20 minutes. Continue reading →
Time to open the pig? Or will we see him fly first?
I don’t tend to write on the financial side of Arsenal as others do it so well and it is not my thing. However I was discussing transfers and money with my friend Richard at the Wigan match and in the morning he sent me a link. The link was to a site called ‘Transfer League.’ Apologies if this is old hat and you have all seen it but I had not and it does make for fascinating reading. (Indeed since I began writing this last week I have seen the figures bandied around.)
Those of you who read me regularly I hope know I am objective and write about what interests me and what I think will interest my readers. I have had my frustrations with Wenger and at times have been close to falling off the fence, but in the main I support him as he is the man employed by my Arsenal. He has been criticised for not strengthening in the January window on a few occasions when we could have pushed on. Certainly 2008, 2011 and 2012 spring to mind, but in the main he has done good business for Arsenal, perhaps with one financial hand tied behind his back and the other unable to dip into the pocket. Continue reading →
The season is over and I wrote a poetic review for a sister site, Gunners Town on Sunday after the Newcastle game. So what next for the site ahead of more ‘Summer Global Gooner Passion?’ I have a few blogs ideas on the stocks, but firstly something I have had in mind for a few weeks for the season’s end. I wanted to just pull together a few of my personal favourite items from this season into one blog. That being the most exciting match of our season, in fact of the season, the most enchanting review of that game and the greatest fan film footage from that incredible night…..
30th October 2012 – Carling Cup 4th Round – Reading versus The Arsenal
The story told by Anna Lvova, @MadRuskiGunner and ‘FK’ @FKHanage……..
There are a lot of wonderful and extremely talented Arsenal bloggers out there (including the one that so kindly agreed to post this) who make my life much more interesting by writing their pieces which I take an immense pleasure in reading. Some write tactics, some comics, some just write what’s on their mind. After an unforgettable night yesterday I felt an urge to write a story about love. So here goes……
She stormed into my life accidentally 13 years ago and has been an essential part of it ever since. I do not make a huge secret out of it; moreover I mention this relationship to people at the first chance I get. Some judge me, some are very understanding, and others simply don’t care.
Unlike flashy young starlets who are happy just looking pretty and winning various beauty contests with the money their rich partners make available to them, she firmly stands on her own two feet, works hard to make a living and support her family. Despite her age she oozes class, beauty, nobility and pride. She is by far the greatest the world has ever seen. One wise man once said that “everybody thinks they have the prettiest wife at home” but this truly is the case with her. One glance at her and many fall at her feet and never get up again. She is religion to many, faith that they were fortunate enough to obtain and now obediently follow with their hearts and souls. Her name is known all over the globe and millions of people pronounce it with a brightest sparkle in the eye and the proudest smile on their lips.
We meet once or twice a week for a brief 90 minutes but in that time she makes me feel things it would take others months or even years to achieve. She takes me to highest highs and lowest lows. She makes me laugh, she makes me cry, she makes me angry and oh so happy. She is The Arsenal. And she is mine.
Last night we had arranged to meet. As usual I made sure everything I had to do was done well before that time. I put on her favourite outfit (she loves me in my red and white top with a little cannon on the chest), I prepared our favourite snacks, I chilled our favourite bottle of wine, I got all her favourite music tracks ready (these days she’s much into The Beatles, Ricky Nelson and the likes). Just as before every meeting of ours for the past 13 years I was nervous in anticipation, butterflies doing somersaults in my stomach. And finally there she was.
She looked very different from the last time I saw her. Much younger, though certain of her feature showed that experience and wisdom. I smiled. She was a sight as always. “This is going to be a great night”, I thought to myself as I watched her boss me around like she always does.
But in a few minutes it became obvious something was terribly wrong. As time passed I couldn’t help but feel she was not comfortable being here, she came only because she had to, not because she wanted to. It wounded me deeply. I tried to understand, desperately seeking hints, hidden clues but she wouldn’t open up to me. 37 minutes into our date I found myself wishing I wasn’t there either. I paced up and down my room; I curled into a ball on my sofa wishing I could snap out of the state she had put me in. I resented the anger, desperation and inevitability that I felt at that moment. I tried to talk to her, to get her to answer. Then finally she turned to me, looked at me with those boyish brown eyes and said “I still care” storming out of the room.
I felt lost. I wanted to run after her, wrap her in my arms and tell her it was going to be alright. The anger had long gone. I was just incredibly sad.
15 minutes later she showed up again. I desperately looked at her for answers. She was still very quiet but something in her eyes had changed. I got a little glimpse of desire and my heart skipped a beat. Here it was. Hope. Still just a tiny embryo but growing with each passing moment I didn’t push my luck, I just patiently waited for her to come around. I encouraged her in any way I knew, I sang her favourite tunes, I talked and talked and then… it finally happened.
She spoke to me. Stuttering at first, carefully trying to find words to express herself, but as the time passed growing more and more vocal and confident with each thought that she expressed. English, Arabic, sharp strong phrases in German, flowing Russian and emotional French. Here she finally was. Hungry, willing and determined. Just the way I love her. She cared. She wanted to make me happy. And I believed again. I froze looking at her as my heart pounded and a smile stretched on my face.
She stayed slightly longer than usual this time but by the end of the evening things were back on track between us. I sat there looking at her happiness, joy and relief and my heart sang a thousand melodies. She did it again. She made me feel alive. She presented me with a precious gift of unforgettable memories.
She embraced me before disappearing into the night and whispered, “See you Saturday”. I smiled and nodded.
I couldn’t sleep for hours after. I kept telling people about our date, reliving the brightest moments with an incredible warm feeling of contentment; I stayed in my bed staring at the ceiling with the most stupid grin until sleep finally took over as the sun began to rise. This morning when I opened my eyes it took me quite some time to figure out whether it had all been true or just a very vivid dream. Needless to say almost 24 hours later I am still smiling.
Thank you my beautiful Arsenal. I love thee. Anna xx
Now I hope you are feeling the same warmth Anna felt on that night of the 30th October. The craziest night of the season without doubt.
Have you ever read a match review like it? Probably not I would suggest. The above was one of my favourite guest posts on the site among a myriad of amazing contributions.
Read it and read it again. Enjoy the clever subtext, the gentle prodding of City and Chelsea, the subtle use of the language to draw the parallels between the the short termism of the relationship with have with Arsenal in any given 90 minutes and the longer term depth of feeling that is immovable.
If you are still struggling to bring the amazing night to the fore of your mind and the are perhaps lodged further back behind more recent unforgettable memories then perhaps the addition of this aid memoir will help you. Relive the second have come back from being 4-1 down at the interval…….
For those who weren’t there
A most brilliant and emotive piece of writing describing the 12 goal roller coaster that was Reading 5 Arsenal 7 further brought so wonderfully to life with the above video.
A video filmed by home and away Gooner ‘FK’ better known to some as @FKHanage (He is the one in the Beanie and the glasses, shouting Come on! Oh my God! and Yeeeessss!)
Editors note:
If this bringing together of such love and passion with raw emotions and excitement does not encapsulate what it is to be a true Gunner for you, then you probably aren’t one or should seek help!
Like what you read? Agree/disagree? Leave a comment below or follow me or comment on this blog on Twitter – http://twitter.com/goonerdave66
Sorry to revisit the same subject on IND2OU but the obsession fans seem to have with something that is not truly a reality is grating somewhat again. I have twice previously written about the illusive 30 goal season striker that most fans seem to want and actually believe is out there for us this summer. So guys what is a 30 goal a season striker? Are you talking in the Premier League or in terms of league goals? If you are then they don’t readily exist. If we look at the last 10 years it has happened in three years and we are talking 2 special players – Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo and RVP. So it is hardly a regular occurrence then. Yes but are we shopping in the Premier League this summer you say. Well perhaps so we need to entice a 30 league goals a season striker from one of Europe’s top leagues then. Cool let’s have a look at our options and being fair take into account anyone with 27 league strikers in 2012/13. I am sure we are fishing in a huge pool? Well actually no there is a choice of 6 strikers on the short list and here they are:- Continue reading →
Celebrating v LFC after combining with our LW Poldi!!
Results don’t go our way and everyone trying to pinpoint which errors and players cost us points. Is it Sagna’s back pass, Giroud’s misses’ blah blah blah!!
Not sure about you guys but I am getting highly frustrated by Santi Cazorla and by default with Arsene Wenger. Why with Wenger? Because it is his fault that I am frustrated with Santi. Yes we all love our diminutive playmaker and he has been a success in his first season, but not for this observer at least the success he should have been. A bold statement about a player who has scored I think 15 goals and provided about 10 assists in an Arsenal shirt in his first campaign. 12 and 7 in the Premier League alone is impressive indeed, but it could perhaps have been so much more? My answer would be an emphatic YES.
Arsenal have scored more than twice in a league match on only 2 occasions since the end of January and that was against Reading and Norwich. So what changed at the end of January? Let me tell you, as it is truly winding me up more and more each week. Wenger moved Santi from the attacking midfield role to the flank, where in my view he flatters to deceive, makes far less contribution and most annoyingly, never stays in the position anyway. Now this activity as he floats around may look great, but when the attacking is down the right our left winger should become our second striker. Podolski does this naturally as does Theo or Gervinho but Cazorla never comes in. He stays on the edge of the box waiting for the ball to come our when he should be supporting the central striker. Interestingly when playing behind the centrally striker he does support, effectively playing a superb No.10 role, witness the Reading hatrick. Continue reading →
