This game was one of those rather unremarkable home Cup games, against lower division opposition. You know we're probably going to win anyway, so if we do its not a great result. If we don't win, that would be a shock, but there's not much chance of it happening. So, you sit there, expecting the inevitable Arsenal victory, which duly comes along.
To be fair, there were 2 things that livened the game up - one being the return of Glenn Hoddle as Wolves manager. The media all built it up as the Wenger-Hoddle reunion (Wenger was Glenda's mentor at Monaco), but to all Arsenal fans it was of course the fact that he was Spurs' former messiah that made us all hate him.
Amazingly, though, Glenn was not the most despised person in the stadium. To claim that honour in a stadium where both Glenn Hoddle and Paul Ince are, takes a special performance. But, Mike Riley was up to the job (of being hated, if not of refereeing properly). Some comedy decisions and lots of petty officiousness ensured that, even though Arsenal won, he made us all detest him.
On to the next round, as potential banana skins go, this was not slippery at all. A formality, and energies saved for Man Utd next up at Highbury.
29 January 2005
23 January 2005
Arsenal vs Newcastle United - Highbury, London - Sunday 23rd January 2005
This was one of those games that Arsenal have at least once a season - a home game which Dennis Bergkamp just takes care of on his own. Last season, for the record, the game was against Blackburn, and it was almost a carbon copy of this. Bergkamp scored within the first 20 minutes, with the winning and only goal in the game. For the remaining 70 minutes, Arsenal occasionally looked like scoring a second, and occasionally also looked like conceding - especially towards the end, which was eventually a nailbiting finish.
It is strange that, when you watch as many football matches as I seem to, there are definitely games that can be grouped into the same category - they could almost be the same game. Tough 1-0 away wins up north; away defeats up north where we get fully outfought; home games where we are 2-0 up and have won the game inside 15 minutes - examples of all of these happen at least once a season (apart obviously from the defeats last season!!).
So, a 1-0 home victory, with Bergkamp the scorer of the only goal, early on. It isn't as pretty as Arsenal can be, but you need games and results like this every season, because the 3 points all count.
It is strange that, when you watch as many football matches as I seem to, there are definitely games that can be grouped into the same category - they could almost be the same game. Tough 1-0 away wins up north; away defeats up north where we get fully outfought; home games where we are 2-0 up and have won the game inside 15 minutes - examples of all of these happen at least once a season (apart obviously from the defeats last season!!).
So, a 1-0 home victory, with Bergkamp the scorer of the only goal, early on. It isn't as pretty as Arsenal can be, but you need games and results like this every season, because the 3 points all count.
15 January 2005
Harlequins vs Munster - Twickenham, London - Saturday 15th January 2005
Under much pressure and coercion from friends, I agreed to go along to this game of chasing egg shaped balls and groping other men's bollocks rugby. With Arsenal away at Bolton in the evening game, I was in fact giving up the prospect of at least 8 hours on a motorway, as well as (as it turned out) a demoralising defeat in the pouring rain. So, rugby was only a close second place then.
Meeting up at 11am for a 2pm kickoff is nothing that unusual, but the fact that Munster were playing in this game added to the interest - essentially, there were thousands of mad Irishmen around Richmond, most of whom had been drinking for a considerable time already.
At the game itself, and my first visit to Twickenham, the atmosphere was good, and the beer kept flowing. I'm told that the rugby match was of spectacularly poor quality (aren't they all?), and it ended with Munster winning, true to form apparently.
In Richmond after the game, we looked for a pub that was showing the Arsenal game, with no success at all - amazing to be in a busy town centre, and to find no pubs showing the national sport of this country - a disgrace!! Still, given the eventual performance and result, maybe they were just being kind to me by not showing it.
Meeting up at 11am for a 2pm kickoff is nothing that unusual, but the fact that Munster were playing in this game added to the interest - essentially, there were thousands of mad Irishmen around Richmond, most of whom had been drinking for a considerable time already.
At the game itself, and my first visit to Twickenham, the atmosphere was good, and the beer kept flowing. I'm told that the rugby match was of spectacularly poor quality (aren't they all?), and it ended with Munster winning, true to form apparently.
In Richmond after the game, we looked for a pub that was showing the Arsenal game, with no success at all - amazing to be in a busy town centre, and to find no pubs showing the national sport of this country - a disgrace!! Still, given the eventual performance and result, maybe they were just being kind to me by not showing it.
14 January 2005
Trip to Edinburgh, Scotland - 10th to 14th January 2005
Went for a week in a very cold Edinburgh (which, in January, I suppose i would be really). Given the unhospitable time of year, we managed to get cheap first class travel up there, and a resonably-priced stay at the Scotsman Hotel - this only opened recently, and used to be the office of the flagship Scottish newspaper. It certainly enoys a great location and view in the centre of Edinburgh. And, Edinburgh is a beautiful city, even in dull, cold, windy and rainy January.
Apart from wandering around and seeing the sights, we could think of little better to do with a week off work than go out eating and drinking. The find of the stay was the Pivo Bar, basically as close to a bar in the Czech Republic as you can realistically get without going there. Well worth a visit, for the Czech memorabilia on the wall, but also for the sheer number of brands of fantastic Czech beer that are available.
A good stay in a lovely city - the gym in the Scotsman hotel was a distinct highlight, as was the whole city centre - a beautiful place which feels special whenever you are wandering around, even at the height of winter.
Apart from wandering around and seeing the sights, we could think of little better to do with a week off work than go out eating and drinking. The find of the stay was the Pivo Bar, basically as close to a bar in the Czech Republic as you can realistically get without going there. Well worth a visit, for the Czech memorabilia on the wall, but also for the sheer number of brands of fantastic Czech beer that are available.
A good stay in a lovely city - the gym in the Scotsman hotel was a distinct highlight, as was the whole city centre - a beautiful place which feels special whenever you are wandering around, even at the height of winter.
09 January 2005
Arsenal vs Stoke City - Highbury, London - Sunday 9th January 2005
I started the day with wander around Arsenal's new stadium, to have a good look at the side I never get to see, away from Highbury. On the way around the ground, we encountered a band of marauding Stoke fans, who seemed determined to "defend" the side of the road that they were walking on, by walking to the middle of the road with arms outstretched, singing "We Are Stoke". Given that this was a residential side street, it all seemed a bit sad - maybe they were getting too excited on their big day out. On reaching Holloway Road, we then saw an endless procession of Stoke coaches driving towards Highbury - lots and lots of away fans out for this one.
At many points in this game, it even looked as though they might have done the unthinkable and won the game. After a shockingly dull first half, devoid of any spark of invention from Arsenal, Stoke took a surprise lead on the stroke of half time. We sensed a battle in the second half, but in reality, the shock of conceding seemed to wake Arsenal up, and they started to play properly in the second half, Reyes equalising within 5 minutes of the restart. Arsenal got stronger as the half went on, and took the lead with around 20 minutes to go.
Irritatingly, having made such hard work of getting the lead, Arsenal then seemed to relax completely, making for a tense final 20 minutes. Why they didn't just press on and put Stoke out of the game is a mystery - it seemed like they actually wanted to go up to Stoke on a Wednesday night for a replay! But, after a final Stoke goal scare with about 3 minutes to go, Arsenal eventually held on to progress to the next round.
At many points in this game, it even looked as though they might have done the unthinkable and won the game. After a shockingly dull first half, devoid of any spark of invention from Arsenal, Stoke took a surprise lead on the stroke of half time. We sensed a battle in the second half, but in reality, the shock of conceding seemed to wake Arsenal up, and they started to play properly in the second half, Reyes equalising within 5 minutes of the restart. Arsenal got stronger as the half went on, and took the lead with around 20 minutes to go.
Irritatingly, having made such hard work of getting the lead, Arsenal then seemed to relax completely, making for a tense final 20 minutes. Why they didn't just press on and put Stoke out of the game is a mystery - it seemed like they actually wanted to go up to Stoke on a Wednesday night for a replay! But, after a final Stoke goal scare with about 3 minutes to go, Arsenal eventually held on to progress to the next round.
04 January 2005
Arsenal vs Manchester City - Highbury, London - Tuesday 4th January 2005
Another 3 points at Highbury, except this time, 2 of them were stolen by that irritting little bastard called Shaun Wright-Phillips. His father is supposed to be an Arsenal legend, and the son's destiny is surely to play for us one day. With that in mind, 25-yard screamers in front of the North Bank against Arsenal are not the way to go about ingratiating yourself!!
To be fair, Man City were one of the better sies to have played at Highbury this season, they were well organised, dangerous on the break, and capitalised on any slacking off that the Arsenal team indulged in. Which, when we took the lead, we inevitably started to do. City probably expected this, and were perfectly organised to take advantage, In fact, they came through so strongly in the last 25 minutes that Arsenal seemed to be caught entirely by surprise, and against a weaker team, City could well have won the game.
All in all, a draw a fair result, a great goal in the game, just a shame that it came from Shaun Wright Phillips. Arsene, sign him up to stop it happening again!!
To be fair, Man City were one of the better sies to have played at Highbury this season, they were well organised, dangerous on the break, and capitalised on any slacking off that the Arsenal team indulged in. Which, when we took the lead, we inevitably started to do. City probably expected this, and were perfectly organised to take advantage, In fact, they came through so strongly in the last 25 minutes that Arsenal seemed to be caught entirely by surprise, and against a weaker team, City could well have won the game.
All in all, a draw a fair result, a great goal in the game, just a shame that it came from Shaun Wright Phillips. Arsene, sign him up to stop it happening again!!
01 January 2005
Charlton Athletic vs Arsenal - The Valley, London - Saturday 1st January 2005
A very sluggish start to the year for me. Still suffering hugely from the way I saw the year in, I had a tortuous journey to the Valley - during which I nearly turned back to home and bed on several occasions. Arriving in the pub near the away end at about 1pm, I just couldn't face being in a hot, crowded, noisy pub, with the smell of beer. So, unusually, I went into the ground at an ungodly hour, and sat in my seat reading the paper.
It seemed like several others were feeling similar, including some on the Arsenal team! An Arsenal lead was cancelled out almost on the stroke of half time by a cracker from El Karkouri, which no doubt caused something of a shock to the Arsenal team. In the second half, Arsenal were far more business-like, Freddie Ljungberg scoring inside 3 minutes of the half - and Van Persie sealed the win with about 20 minutes to go with a well-worked goal.
I've felt much better whilst watching Arsenal this season, so it was good to eventually get home and collapse after this one - even better that we got the 3 points in the process.
It seemed like several others were feeling similar, including some on the Arsenal team! An Arsenal lead was cancelled out almost on the stroke of half time by a cracker from El Karkouri, which no doubt caused something of a shock to the Arsenal team. In the second half, Arsenal were far more business-like, Freddie Ljungberg scoring inside 3 minutes of the half - and Van Persie sealed the win with about 20 minutes to go with a well-worked goal.
I've felt much better whilst watching Arsenal this season, so it was good to eventually get home and collapse after this one - even better that we got the 3 points in the process.
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