West Ham 1 – Arsenal 3
For fuck’s sake talk about a tale of two halves (or have nots). All day I had been looking forward to today’s match. Here in the States, I had to be back at work as if it was another day while all you proper blokes got to enjoy your Boxing Day off. Now that didn’t stop me from running around the office with my scarf displayed proudly across my neck declaring it Boxing Day and trying to get every other poor bloke at the office to be excited but this was a going to be a good day. I had homemade chili at the house, several cold beers to choose from and don’t even get me started about this trifle the wife had made (oh yes, there is Irish cream in it!). After enjoying my bowl of chili (and that which was left in my wife’s bowl), pounding my Rogue American Ale, Jackson went down easy enough, the Wifey went out shopping and I sat down to my wonderfully recorded Boxing Day glory. My friends, it was going to be a good day…
That was, until I took in the first half of the match. What the fuck is going on with our lads? No movement, sloppy passing again and no quality on finishing. West Ham charged at our lines and while we looked threatening enough at times we were seriously missing that edge we had been leading with throughout much of the season. Scarily enough, I went into half thinking a tie at West Ham wouldn’t be all that bad…
And then the second half started and after yet another missed goal opportunity West Ham countered to put one in. Really? Seriously? Are we deciding that we enjoy collapses now? Next comes the text from my wife that there are no Christmas deals but she found an end table to “explain” (worst words a husband can read/hear). Shortly thereafter, Rambo goes off injured, my baby boy starts some sleep cries and my wife pulls out a partially mirrored end table (WTF?!). Shit, this really isn’t going well…
But then the trifle eating begins… followed by a Theo goal (who just happens to be my wife’s favorite player) and next thing you know we are back in the game and Arsenal look completely rejuvenated as Thor’s Hammer returns to the mix for the hobbled Rambo (really hope the knock isn’t much). A switch is flipped and all of a sudden it is starting to look like the very early season glory of Poldi/Giroud/Santi is back in action (hey, we’re getting the band back together!). Ozil creates more magic, Theo uses his head and Thor’s Hammer (otherwise known as Poldi’s left leg) slams one into the back of the net. Game over. The mighty hammers are done and Arsenal take three to the bank.
It really is hard to quantify the up and down emotion of that game. Just a completely shit first half followed by a glorious second half. Absolutely ridiculous game. And yet, this is exactly why I LOVE soccer. The instant change in the game. The second gear. The swing of emotion followed by my silent screams as my wife shushes me from above so I don’t wake our now sleeping baby (who sleeps below canvassed art of past Arsenal glories and photos of Emirates herself).
Am I completely happy with our performance? No. Outside of the two goals, Theo was a bit selfish and drove at the goal a few times when he should have just laid it off. Giroud couldn’t buy a damn goal again (not sure what exactly is going on there). Ozil still isn’t quite at the level he played at with Los Blancos. BUT we nabbed three points when we absolutely needed them and shook off our “losing” streak. Well done lads. Not only can I sleep soundly tonight I can spend all Friday telling everyone about how glorious my Boxing Day ended up being for this stateside Gooner.
Until next time…
Arsenal 0 – Chelsea 0
The one that got away? Not quite sure yet. We knew heading in that this one was going to be frustrating and difficult. Conditions didn’t help. The Ref, or lack there of, didn’t help either. This game had all the feelings of one from last season where we just needed one more break to take 3 points instead of 1. Normally I might be happy with taking something from Blue Balls. But this is The Great One (or whatever the hell he goes by these days) and I just can’t stand him. Hell, even though I fancy myself Real Madrid I dreaded his days there and the arrogance with which he goes about “managing” a team. Just utter crap and aside from watching Tater Tott’s season go down the drain I think this year I would find more satisfaction in watching “Jose can you see” lose a place at a top four finish. Nevertheless, WE lost this game (rather than Chelsea holding us to a point at home).
You could tell that things were going to be difficult as our style, and players, don’t suit the shite weather they were faced with. It is a bit hard difficult to watch “beautiful” football when the conditions and pitch play like a fucking kiddy pool. It didn’t help that we seemed to let our level of play be lowered to the conditions with which we were playing; no excuse though as this game could/should have been won.
Shite passing: This has got to stop. It has been running amuck the last couple games. Overplayed here. Giveaways there. Just not the type of touch we got spoiled with earlier in the year. Is it fatigue? Doubt? Are the players pressing now that there is the added pressure of trying to keep your place at the top rather than fight your way to a CL finish? Maybe there is an argument to be made that these boys have forgotten what it is like to play among the leaders. It has been some time since silverware or a league title. Hell, these lads were barely boys when Arsenal was laying claim to title after title. If there was ever a time to put together a flat out ass kicking to get things back on track then this is it (too bad it could be someone just a little bit easier than another London rival in West Ham). Either way, we have a nice run of games that should see us nabbing buckets of points; tighten it up boys.
Shite finishing: Ugh… our achilles heel up top. I like Giroud but the weight he is carrying is getting heavier and heavier as the season wears on. I like his play, I like his passing, I love his headwork on defense and yet we need more. Aside from one shot rattling the crossbar from them, we had the best opportunities in front of goal to put this away. I saw three clear chances, one great defensive effort and yet that still left me with two that he could have, and probably should have, put into the net. Would an elite striker have done so? I hate to say it, but yes. (And this is with a glorious print of the man hanging in my office as I type this) If ever there was a time to spend, and spend big again, it is now. We need a first tier, elite striker. That is all that is missing from putting our team up on top for good. Hell, look at what that does for teams like the two Mannys and Liverpuke (for fuck sake Suarez is absolutely possessed and I’ll happily take my crow now).
Shite refereeing: I hear there is some statistic that sees us always doing poorly when dipshit is on the field. I don’t want to talk about it but just acknowledge it like everyone else… not a fair reason for our loss but the simple miss on what was an absolute penalty on Theo that could have given us the game was just nuts… fucking nuts… whatever.
Well, we got through a miserable stretch. We are tied atop the leaders. AND we have a very nice schedule setting us up for some big points over the next few weeks. All things aside, I’m looking forward to Boxing day, my drink and a warm fire that should see us putting things right again.
Until then, COYG.
Oh, and Merry Christmas lads.
AmericanArse 