{"id":11077,"date":"2025-04-09T09:57:25","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T08:57:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=11077"},"modified":"2025-04-11T09:50:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T08:50:20","slug":"youve-only-come-to-see-the-arsenal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=11077","title":{"rendered":"You\u2019ve Only Come to See The Arsenal!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Where to begin? As with all good fairy tales, let us begin at the beginning.   The European Champions were coming to N5. Arsenal were without Havertz, Jes\u00f9s, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Calafiori, – all injured, and Sterling suspended. Saka and White were still coming back from injuries.  Madrid were without Tchouameni. That\u2019s about it. They had a front line of Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo. Bellingham was in midfield.  Okay, they were hampered by 56-year-old former Sp*rs player Modric. But this was counter balanced by having Bellingham in midfield. Pre -match, 21CG and I thought that a draw or a 1-0 win would be a significant achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tube was quiet from the end of the Piccadilly Line down to Arsenal.  Emerging into the late evening sunshine, there was a positive, but not electric atmosphere. However, with every yard taken towards the ground the atmosphere began to build. Until, upon entering the ground, the singing and chanting around the bars, which had become a feature over the last few years but really rather died this season, became apparent again. It was loud. The fans had taken in what Mikel had to say and had truly brought, as our American cousins say, their ‘A game’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The players took to the field to one of the ersatz anthems which UEFA is trying to force fans to accept as being in any way a meaningful part of the evening\u2019s entertainment.  Someone at UEFA headquarters has clearly swallowed a brand development textbook. Equally clearly, the chapter about the necessity for some kind of authenticity being a central part had been torn out or otherwise undigested. The crowd quite rightly totally ignored it and drowned it out.  As if further to hammer home the point, the new Arsenal anthem, The Angel, rang out. It oozes authenticity with its talk of The Angel and Popham and Morland estates. It was sung heartily and soulfully. These streets are our own, truly.  UEFA, you just don\u2019t get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal started like a train, with a barrage of fast passing and slippery movement. In the 6th<\/sup> minute a couple of corners from Saka on the left were excellently delivered, the second of which may only have missed resulting in a goal on account of the ball hitting Saliba pretty much on the Madrid line. Madrid were restricted to attempting fast counters. None of which were in any way convincing in the first 10 minutes.  We were dominating the ball and the territory. Lewis-Skelly was playing, under instruction, anywhere he bloody well wanted, and looking far too comfortable for an 18-year-old.  On 12 minutes a lightning break down the left from Martinelli resulting in a snap shot from Partey which unfortunately was pretty much at Courtois. Madrid broke and won a corner but we then had a bizarre VAR investigation for a penalty. Inside the ground nobody had an earthly what this was for but after the game it turned out it was for the ball hitting the arm of a Madrid player in the box in the previous attack. It was denied, quite rightly. At which point one thinks of the ludicrous penalty given to Inter in Milan back in November when the ball was fired at an arm.  It would appear UEFA are no more consistent than PGMOL. Not a level to which they ought to aspire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Somehow we went in at half-time level after Courtois saved first from a Rice header and then a Martinelli follow-up shot. Fair play to the Fulham Road bus stop escapee. Two good saves.  I\u2019m sure even as we speak he is organising the sending of Red Cross parcels to some of the present inmates of Stalag Boehly, consisting of cake with embedded files and ink for forging travel papers from SW6 to the free world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half time \u2013 Arsenal 0 Madrid 0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal came out for the second half and Madrid tried to psyche us out by appearing after even the officials came out.  Curiously that gimmick just felt a bit desperate rather than clever. Again, Arsenal started brightly in the second half; again, bolstered by a boisterous crowd. Madrid had some possession but did little to nothing with it. They did the standard ‘Dying Swan’ when they lost the ball. Plus \u00e7a change, as they say.  No doubt at this point Madrid were happy not to have conceded despite having offered very little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then in the 56th<\/sup> minute, Saka received the ball in his customary wide right position and drove inside taking Alaba with him. After holding for about 10 yards, the Austrian fouled Saka and we had a free kick a good 30 yards out in a slightly right of central position. Now I must confess, my brothers and sisters, at this point to some scepticism of the outcome of the free kick. Not having scored from a free kick since \u00d8degaard some time back in the reign of the last UK monarch, I was not hopeful and expected a flighted delivery to make the most of our height and size advantage.  Players clustered round the ball but eventually left it to one of \u00d8degaard or Rice. I\u2019m pretty sure locals to the ground will have reported a sonic boom around 9.18pm. Courtois may well have reported a UFO. He can\u2019t have had much idea what it was that flashed past him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal 1  Madrid 0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 66 we could have doubled the lead, Martinelli bringing an excellent save from Courtois after great work from Lewis-Skelly, Alaba saving off the line from Merino and then Courtois saving again from Merino. From the resulting corner Rice had a shot kicked off the line.  We were all over them like a rash.  From the resulting corner Bellingham kicked off the line from a Rice shot.  Saka then won a free kick after being fouled serially for around 15 yards. The referee managed to yellow card Camavinga for his part.  A cluster appeared again around the ball, with this dissipating to leave only \u00d8degaard and Rice. This was slightly left of centre of the goal, a little closer in, around 25 yards.  Rice hit the ball like Tiger Woods in his prime. Oh my Lord!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal 2 Madrid 0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hubristically, Madrid now decided to really push, as if they thought Arsenal were in some way undeserving of the lead.  Merino was their Nemesis. In 74 after a really clever break, Lewis-Skelly passed to Merino on the edge of the box and the Spaniard passed the ball into the net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If only we had a striker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal 3 Madrid 0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ground resounded with that most beautiful of hymns, translated from the original Old Testament Psalm \u2013 Are you Tottenham in Disguise? For verily were they smote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madrid made some changes – some blokes on, some blokes off. It made no difference.   Rice came off for the hugely unlucky, massively talented and loved Tierney. Finally, the referee decided that enough spears had been plunged into this particular bull and put them out of their misery.  The ground went wild.  People were looking at one another wide eyed and wide mouthed, Nobody thought we could be quite this good.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was a night which made player ratings utterly superfluous. Nobody in red was anything less than sublime. Although, to steal from Orwell, some were more sublime than others. Partey ran the midfield. I have no idea where Lewis -Skelly was playing but am more than grateful for his apparent omnipresence. 18? Saka gave a world class fullback, Alaba, a torrid time. Salaba will be picking pieces of lint out of his pocket for days trying to find Mbappe. \u00d8degaard and Martinelli were Trojan in their tirelessness. Lest we forget Kiwior who was immaculate. He is quite a centre half. It was an absolute privilege to be in the ground tonight to watch our team totally destroy one of the greatest clubs in the world. To watch a London boy totally outshine a much-vaunted Brummie.  If I may nearly quote one of the latter\u2019s celebrated West Midlands predecessors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Totteringham\u2019s day (near enough)\u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No need to feel accurs\u2019d, people. Leave that to Bellingham and Co.   Bask in the Spartan determination to win. Revel in the sheer joy of wonderful football. Bathe in the enveloping warmth of the team spirit and beautiful, flowing football which our manager has engendered.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope to see some of you in Madrid next week.  Mine\u2019s a glass of tinto.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Where to begin? As with all good fairy tales, let us begin at the beginning.   The European Champions were coming to N5. Arsenal were without Havertz, Jes\u00f9s, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Calafiori, – all injured, and Sterling suspended. Saka and White were still coming back from injuries.  Madrid were without Tchouameni. That\u2019s about it. They had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11077"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11077"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11077\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11091,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11077\/revisions\/11091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}