What a day yesterday was, still full of doom and gloom from Sunday, not feeling very confident about facing the dippers – but something inside niggled away, just something gave me hope that we would win.
My day didn’t start too well because the car wouldn’t start and I had to go out, but after a few phone calls and a set of jumps leads from a fellow Gooner, I was helped on my way. New battery in place, a few pounds parted with and off back home I went.
No matter what the distraction, the old grey matter kept thinking about the game against Liverpool.
Even an afternoon trip to the dentist was grim, he is a Chelsea fan and I dreaded the salt being rubbed into the deep wound I still suffered. I needn’t have worried though really, his son is a Gooner, and all he said was, we need a striker– not really something I didn’t know, all of us know that don’t we?
We talked about ‘that goal’ that you know who scored for Citeh, and he commented on how we needed a player like him – that was based on how he is playing now, not how he played for us during his final season.
So, onto the match – I felt sick with nerves – we needed to win…….
On top of the desperate need of the three points, I couldn’t even begin to think about the stick I would get from my nephew and brother in law if we lost – they are ‘Big Dipper’ fans ( I must take them to the next Fare that comes into town)….. 😉
Thankfully, that is now something I don’t have to think about, they do, but not me – when is the last time we did the double over the Dippers? Right now I don’t really care..
On a night when Chelsea lost to Everton and Manchester United drew with Aston Villa, maybe Arsene Wenger is right to still have belief. We have all agreed that the run in favours us and that points could be dropped by those around us – well tonight has proved that.
Tonight has also proved that there is a long way to go yet before any fat lady starts to sing.
I am not going to rate the players because I can’t – I just watched the game rather than study player by player, but the one thing I do think about is how many times I sat and thought something along the lines of ‘ Can’t believe you did that’ ; I don’t recall many…
Rosicky’s heavy touch when I was sure he was going to put us 1-0 up, but passed it to Reina
Nik’s blast over the net
Eboue’s – I have been shot – get me out of here…
And finally, Walcott’s – I am going to run down time by the corner flag; oops I have passed it back to Reina moment…
Maybe you can add to those mad moments, and please do – just remember that I am getting on a bit and the memory is not so good 😉
Knob of the Night

Howard Webb –
Having seen Nik get booked when a penalty should have been given, Gerrard took a dive and got nothing for troubles – this man is not worthy to wear a referees shirt! Can you believe that he is the best this country has and he is off to the World Cup in South Africa? Lets hope he takes more cards with him than Graham Poll did, he may need them 😉
Please note – I am exorcising the right to remain silent over the Cesc handball in the last ten seconds of the match 😉
The player who stood out for me was Diaby. He has been on the end of a barrage of abuse by many, many fans and I am one of them but tonight I thought he showed a different side to his game, he attacked, tracked back, tackled and he scored our winner.
Diaby is my Man of the Match… very closely followed by Gallas…

Cesc – well, he seems cheesed off, not with us, but with all the paps hounding him about Barcelona, I just wish they would leave him alone. If he goes, it will be because of them, there is no let up for the lad, every day of every week the same old Barcelona stuff comes out… It must be hard.
Clichy, Almunia, Eboue – All played the best I have seen them in a long while (apart from the Eboue silly moment)
TV, Gallas, Song – Solid, just solid – that last ditch tackle from Gallas was worth a new two year contract on its own – hope you saw it Ivan..
Nik, well, a way to go yet, but it’s good to see the big fella back, and tonight I thought he did ok – at least he ran his heart out and did some defending …. Mind you, it was him that lost possession, so, so he should I say… 😉
Rosicky (on for Nasri) – Having watched him totally muck up a golden opportunity I was gutted, but the cross he provided for
Diaby was sublime, it had pace and precision and Diaby didn’t waste his chance…
Huggy Huggy Huggy – Oi Oi Oi – That’s what I was singing, I didn’t give a toot about the neighbours 😛
Then the nerves struck and I spent the rest of the game ducking a diving behind the laptop screen, volume muted, just staring at the face of my better half. The face I knew would give away anything that happened…
Thankfully it didn’t give away anything, neither did we – well done Arsenal, maybe you are right back on track, and our dream could still be, very much alive….
What I will say, last night’s result has helped me to get over the game against the chavs, big time ……
Bring on Porto….. Oh, and did I mention that Tottingham lost to Wolves….