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One man Can’t make a Choir.

WengerFaithful

Well-Known Member
As I boarded my Ryanair Flight to London Gatwick from Dublin with my 12 year old DNA in tow my only taught was of the hope that they had put in enough fuel to get us across the Irish Sea as my booked ticket had a deal that they didn’t charge me the Extra Fuel Charge but those guys don’t give anything away for nothing I taught and the worry set in. But as I settle into my seat my real worry for that day came back to me as two Arsenal Supporters sat adjacent to my row and reminded me of why I was taking this Second Hand bought plane to London; The Arsenal where due to play Bayern Munich that evening in the Last 16 of the Champions League.

As these two supporters began to confidently list the wrath of players we had to face in the likes of Ribery, Muller, Robben. Gomez and Neuer to name drop a few the sweat really started down my brow. My only relief came in two forms my knowledge that Fat Santa sorry Fat Santos was tucked away in a Taco Pizza Hut in Sunny Brazil and my 12 Year Old Lad who still had the ‘Faith’.

Arriving in London totally sober and remaining so for the entire trip (this was harder then giving Ramsey a cheer when they called out his name in that evenings first team line up) I got to see for the first time with a clear head The Arsenal and my fellow clan whose family crest and colours I blindly follow.

Having to disembark my Tube Train at Highbury and Islington instead of my desired Holloway Road with a dead panned announcement of ‘sorry for any inconvenience caused’ though I felt the announcer felt more inconvenienced by having to make the announcement then our disembarking woes. My walk up to the Emirates from Highbury & Islington was a sombre one as cafes where filled with Gooners tucking into food and not much of that needed ambition loosing liquid poured from Kegs. One had to remember that it was a School Night and most had responsibilities in the morning plus the majority of our Supporting Clan came straight to the game from Work. I was pretty sure I could give it everything without the Golden Nectar that usually helps with my X-Factor style terrace chants but could I rely on these other sober Joes? I had Faith these where North Bank Men.

I also wondered how I would react if their was any debate within ear shot on our on personal take on Les Miserables aka Wenger – I have flipped flopped so much on that topic I would probably confused the two fighting clan members if I joined in and end up having to pretend to be German to get out of it.

Suddenly the Boy pointed out search lights in the night sky which where emanating from the Emirates. On my gaze of these sport lights flooding back to me where memories of my favourite banner ‘We Don’t Need Batman we Have Robin’ and here we are now reaching out to some Super Hero with Search Lights – surely its against Uefa Rules to let us play Van Utd? But hey you never know I said to myself what else has Wenger to do then search the Uefa Rule book to find paragraph 5 of sub section F of Chapter 103 to let your ex Captain play – sure hey what else would he be doing with his time not coaching defending or tactically studying the opposition I bet. While we are enforcing this rule I also hope there is plane from Barcelona on its way to help in this mammoth cause.

Once I was shaken out of my day dream by an overweight Black Cab Driver blasting his horn worst then attending a Vuvuzela Concert in a sound containing musical dome (shivers with the taught of this vile ear pain) I had to fulfil my match day tradition of tucking into some Street Meat in the form of a large hot dog. I wasn’t that convinced of by the A4 notices around the Cook Stand ensuring us that all meat was Horse Free though I appreciated the effort they had made to ease worries; but I did hope their skills on the hot plate where better then their spelling and grammar. After my last bite I had a dawning that this Street Meat Tradition was one probably born normally out of necessity after swish swashing beer inside the gut all day prior to kick off that needed a boat of hot dog and mustard to ease the hunger more then keeping anything special ‘tradition’ alive.

Arriving uncomfortably early for kick off – its just not the same when you dance with the devil normally when you and your mates convince each other that there is time for another round though reality tells you different. The Clock End was our destination and having examined the pictures of all the Managers of Arsenal from Chapman to Rioch (he did buy Bergy) it stopped at Wenger – I would have loved to get a mock up Cover Sheet done of Wall Street Man of the Decade and placed it underneath his photo but alas I didn’t maybe next time.

We settled into our seats to find ourselves above the Bayern Fans – great I taught won’t hear much of them …. I did with my early arrival get to watch the Superstars of both teams warm up and I enjoyed every goal that was scored against Neuer – Arnie was right in Predator ‘If it bleeds we can kill it’ - If they can score in the warm up so can we. Feeling a little bit more confident after this observation I took in my surrounding clan that I was going to sing song war with – I was less confident of this battle after witnessing better jumping / flag waving co-ordination then Diversity in Concert from the away end; but I said top myself let them burn out pre-match where not stupid.

Well the battle was lost on and off the pitch after the red smoke bomb went off as the Champions League Anthem rang out. It was all Bayern they defended as a Unit their Supporters Sang as a Unit they attacked as a Unit and with swift effectiveness their Supporters Jumped in unison. The comparison with Arsenal and the home supporters clan was the same sadly we sang at different times throughout the ground and decided we as a group on the pitch would defend at different times as well. Their was many Stand ‘Wilsheres’ and I salute them all; who tried to take the Germans mass co-ordination on single handily and tried to arouse the Gooners around them but like Jack you cant do it on your own but their efforts where appreciated by me none the less. One man can’t make a Choir.

It is easier to be part of an Away fan group and I know that we too have some of the best away fans in the world and so my admiration for the Bayern fans was not that big when all is said and done. I did enjoy the response to the chorus of boos that ran out at half time with the chant of ‘We Love you Arsenal we Doooo’ – I don’t mind bollixing a bad performance I do it all the time when the missus is watching her soaps and I just don’t believe the wooden actors are giving it their best in the Cardboard homes and I let my feelings be heard for sure; this is all before I am asked to leave the sitting room by the missus. But there was 135 minutes left of the tie at this stage and not the time for that self harming. I did understand Le Gaffers distrust of the media a little bit better when SSN showed a clip of the boos but cut it off before the counteracted chant went up.

Their was a noticeable 4 seats empty in front of us where four lads not flying a bit of red occupied 7 minutes into the match – missing the hurt of the first in person. Not concentrating on the match they handed around a signed match day programme – yippee I taught get over it and get supporting. But alas they left their seats at 42 minutes to no doubt beat the half time rush at the toilets and refreshment centre or to comb the notes in their wallets. They must have taken a wrong turn as they retook their seats 5 minutes after the restart – maybe they left the ground to get a pint – I would like to think this I really would. Beside them I would like to point out was 4 Bayern Fans who didn’t exactly sneak in as they where flying Bayern Scarves and who also celebrate each goal – in a polite way I must inform. In many ways the German supporters where more agreeable to my temperament then the four lads who really took on the supporters role of Squillaci. But these ‘home supporters’ then decided to leave on 86 minutes shaking the hands of Bayern lads before they went. They witnessed a total of 76 minutes of a 95 minute match. Make your on conclusions on all of this I say. Behind us about 8 rows up a more harden Arsenal Fan sought out the Stewarts and had 3 Bayern Fans removed early in the first half – he obviously wanted to enjoy this defeat in peace and I have no objection to this per say either – though I don’t really know why he sought the Stewarts they might not have had been as savvy as our Bayern fans while supporting their team.

Full time and game over – tie over most likely at 1-3 down our cause wasn’t helped by Arsenal attacking Bayern by passing it side ways for most of the game – Crab Football we will be Champions of you one day. The haunting moment that will forever stay with me was when I jumped up to celebrate the ball hitting the roof of the net only to realise it spun in underneath - my heart sunk so deep I had to close the arse cheeks to ensure it didnt fall out. But it’s a strange world we live in especially a world our clan lives in which is sport and which is like a Forrest Gump’s Box of Chocolates ‘You never know what your going to get’ with the Arsenal.

Nothing to then but head to the magical world of the Armoury Superstore with the Young Lad who still had his eyes on my wallet with his personal mission of lighting its load into the Silver lining Suit Jacket of PHW and his Clan of Money loving dwarfs. 30% of all Nike Training gear nice I taught – only to dawn on me on the tube home – aren’t we switching to Adidas no wonder it was 30% off – it felt like another loss when I realised that.


I’ll be back to normal next time – with Alcho Drink in one hand and much needed Street Meat in the other and cutting it tight for kick off but always making it and staying till the end … those four &%£$”£
 
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