Never let me down again

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
29 Oct	8:00 PM	P	Tottenham Hotspur (H)	4	4	Draw

People have been asking me, how do you feel today? How do I feel? I feel sick.

Sick, sick, sick.

After a breathtaking comeback by the Gunners to turn a 1-0 goal deficit, courtesy of the most amazing fluke by some guy that apparently used to feature in our Reserves, into first a 3-1, and then a 4-2 lead with one minute left on the clock, we threw it away.

I could write here an account of the evening, but I don't see the point. I could be all corinthian about it and congratulate Harry Redknapp on his attacking substitutions but my grand dad is the living embodiment of the corinthian spirit to me and as an Arsenal fan, I bet he's just as livid as I am today. I don't see the point in questioning Arsène Wenger's frankly bizarre decision to neuter his attacking threat completely by taking not just Robin van Persie, but Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri off as well. We are so bad at closing a game out, I don't know why it was even attempted in this fashion.

I don't see the point in questioning the goalkeeping of Manuel Almunia last night. But it's worth noting that he was beaten all ends up from distance three times and made a right pig's ear of another shot, thereby allowing an Arsenal fan to score the 5th goal of the evening.

Not one week ago, it was mentioned how quiet the Arsenal fan is capable of being. Well, last night the Arsenal fans in the ground produced a tremendous noise, a noise I was proud to be part of, and it amounted to nothing. We went from looking certain to avenge the humiliation suffered last time at Shite Hart Lane to suffering the biggest possible humiliation without actually losing the game.

And so we suffered the indignity of our taunts being rammed down our throats, the indignity of the cave dwellers jumping around on our seats, the pain of watching a Tottenham team come back from the dead and throw the shirts to their fans in celebration of an an unexpected and, in all honesty, a completely undeserved point. Judging from their reaction, I guess we may yet see a DVD released by the Premier League's bottom side.

I had to suffer, on the train home, listening to one such cave dweller talk excitedly about how he'd ended up with one of those shirts, having left the ground at 4-2, but managed to get back in when Jenas flipped the third goal past Aluminium. And how has a player as average as Jenas managed to become to us what Robért Píres and Patrick Vieira were in the past, and Ade is now, to them?

As one guy said, storming past us in the bowels of the stadium last night, it was "unforgiveable".

User Comments

Gooner24

Posted on 1 Nov, 2008 at 08:47 AM - Reply

Seeing Le Boss going down on his knees on wednsday broke my heart! It was the sadest sight ever!

shehab

Posted on 1 Nov, 2008 at 07:31 AM - Reply

i am heart broken

Sonny

Posted on 1 Nov, 2008 at 07:27 AM - Reply

Sick is right.. I feel like we lost the title match.. Wenger! please make this team more physical.. get rid of Gallas and get us a couple of real defenders.. Rosiky injury isnt helping the matters too.. we need someone who can shoot from outside the box.. but Hull, Sunderland and now this.. we cant score hearders from crosses when teams sit back and we cant defend if they decide to get physical!? Whats wrong isnt a mystery its a tradegy.. Why havent we bought more physical players?

The only thing what would make this right is not another 0 points for Arsenal game and a 4-0 annhilation of Spurs at WhiteHeart Lane!!!

adi

Posted on 1 Nov, 2008 at 06:25 AM - Reply

it was a real sham of a performance in the closing minutes. but we know where it came from, wenger in his post match interview was still talking about the missed chances to score a 5th whereas in my footballing knowledge (whatever little bit i possess) every other pro team would just kill the time wen in that position. We just don't know how to defend.

let's hope we learn from this (ATLEAST) and put up a good run of games. come on you gooners !!!

john quinn

Posted on 1 Nov, 2008 at 01:13 AM - Reply

Please note Gilberto is having a very good season so far in greece......i missed him on wednesday night....i am sure he could have done the job we all know needed to be done

ken

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 10:27 PM - Reply

could not agree more...

MyOnlyLoveArsenal

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 05:32 PM - Reply

it was not Arsene Wenger's fault

the turning point occured when Clichy committed the unforgivable mistake.

NarcosisFC

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 05:20 PM - Reply

Sick is the only way to discrive the feeling.

Radar

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 05:14 PM - Reply

We are shit and Wenger hasn't got a clue... he should go. Period.

Uncleris

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 04:38 PM - Reply

The most unforgiveable of the lot has to be Arsene Wenger. He must have bionic eyes, to see what no body else sees in this team and the tactics that we adopt...or is it a bit of self delusion?

It's little wonder that the team lacks grit, competiveness and staying power. We have fundamental problems which must be addressed and fast too...games are fast running out again.

Oyelere Olwaseun Isaac

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 02:45 PM - Reply

Oh!!! what a wednesday
Oh!!! what a night
An unforgetable day
An unforgiveable night
Like a petrol
Married to wraps of wool
Gave birth to an unquenchable fire
Burning all ever desired, ever cherished, ever loved

Behold! the cries
Behold!! the humiliations
Behold!!! the ridicules

Many a heart were stamped pain
Many a heart were stamped sleepless
many a heart stamped sorrow
Many a heart regret

A kick of debasement
Three kicks of abasement
Another kick of hope
One more kick of victory
Alas! double kick of hapiness and regret
With foreign hearts rejoicing
local hearts weeping
All Glory lost but few

Hearts perplexed
Bent at not forgiving
Some gone
Some going away
Some to go
Some in the valley of indecision
Some remaining

Oh Hearts!!! Rejoice in hope
Hearts! Forgive
Hearts! Come back
Hearts! Re-decide
Hearts! Don't go
Hearts! Remain

It is time to rejoice
Tank refilled with new petrol
New wools are bought
Rebuild and replacement of all burnt
But divorce between petrol and wools
Glory has returned!!!

Rejoice!Rejoice!!Rejoice!!!

Manager, Players, pls surprise us.

Jack Cornes

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 02:32 PM - Reply

I can see where Mr Williams is coming from,having a 4-2 lead and then giving it away, as soon as Lennon equalised i couldn't watch any more,i felt so down about the whole night,2 minutes before i was ecststic, we had turned the game around in brilliant fashion and what happned Mr Clichy slipped and allowed Jenas to go through, i could see the fouth goal coming from Spurs and it did. I tell you what i'm so tired of always having to say we shouldn't drop points anymore. We conceded four goals at home on wednesday night, harly english champions material, its never simple with Arsenal is it. All us gooner supporters want is to see our brilliant team play every week as well as it can play and pick up a trophy, we're good enough so why can't we just do it.

Dan

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 02:14 PM - Reply

I think the buck stops with Wenger. Taking off Nasri, Walcott and Van Persie was just inviting them to attack us and let them back in to the game.

How many times does he have to make the same mistake before he learns?

ANGRY GOON

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 01:48 PM - Reply

the slip for me, was birmigham away all over again... i totally agree, unforgivable!

Gunner 4 life

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 01:10 PM - Reply

lol...! The feeling is mutual, i also sick after the Spurs game, i literaly wanted to puke! Wenger's decision to take Walcott and V.Persie off, cost us bigtime! Wenger knows we are not good defenders, but he still tried to defend our lead for the remainder of the game anyway! Wenger should know by now that our best form of defence is attack, attack, attack(not defend)! We hope he wont make that mistake again!

Femi

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 12:58 PM - Reply

That's what you get when you try to silence those who are speaking about the flaws in Mr. Wenger's policies and decisions and the teams lax attitude. These guys CAN beat any team anyday, but Arsene Wenger has given them enough room to misbehave and get away with it-PERIOD. This was the easiest start to a Premiership season given to any of the top 4 teams and these guys have blown it! You (editors and fans) can defend what you please, but it won't change the current fact. Arsenal no longer has any air of invincibility. All teams will play Arsenal with the confidence that they'll likely get the first goal (then send all men back to defend) or catch up with them, no matter the lead Arsenal have. POOR INDEED. (NOT LIKELY TO BE POSTED)

Paddy

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 12:54 PM - Reply

Very well wrtitten article,everything in it is true,first time on this web site and find it informative, 37 years a gooner

J

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 12:51 PM - Reply

There are scarcely words to describe the emotions, though this is a commendable effort.

Indeed unforgivable; even an undefeated remainder of the season would not help me forget. So it goes.

GunnerSG

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 12:19 PM - Reply

Don't you think we are giving too much stick to a team of teenagers/youngsters learning their trade. We need to give them their own time and room to develop, when they are ready we know there is no stopping them. It was sickening for every arsenal fan watching but to be so bitter about it seems a little unfair.

Harry Gunner

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 12:13 PM - Reply

What a collapse, I was trully gutted. Couldn't sleep a wink. I am a gunner in and out. But with this kind of performance I don't see us winning the league this season. It was one of worst night ever.

martinko911

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 11:45 AM - Reply

yeah, you are right ...

Wuuxie

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 11:19 AM - Reply

It made me very sad. I do blame Wenger though. Its tough because he got us where we are, yet he has also kept us where we are.

Macca

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 10:50 AM - Reply

My feeling exactly!

M. Wenger cannot lay all the blame on the players - to say we should have chased for goals 5 and 6 when he made those substitutions is unfair.
Time to stop talking lads and start doing - four goals again at Stoke without the goals against will be just fine.
Go Gunners!!

Aj

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 10:39 AM - Reply

i totally aree of what you said never felt sick and uspet of draw like in spurs match , if felt worse than defeat , totally negativity of Arsenal and total surrender to let a team who were dead and burried .we need world class keeper and new captain such as Adams and vieira!

Mollel

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 10:03 AM - Reply

Unbearable last 4 minutes! Almunia in my opinion was having a bad day in the office!! But its happened and we need to swallow it and move on. Next Home Game..........Man U!
Thats a must win or our hopes for the title will be buried as early as November.
COME ON GOOONERS

Surrey Gunner

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 09:40 AM - Reply

I am really struggling to write anything sane, simple and measured. I didn’t go to the game I listened and then had to stop listening on the radio. I am not that bother it was Tottenham either.

Arsenal need to stop all the hype and stop listening to the press and media(beating Sheffield United 6-0) does not make you great) and start to get tough, and make some really tough decisions.

The following are what I view as the important ones:

-Gallas has had his day both as a player and as a Captain
-All players have to stop opening their mouth before important games, Ade article in the Standard provoked the other players and fans.
-Our players need to learn very quickly how to close down games
-Some needs to make a judgement about our goalkeeper, I want to be supportive and goalkeeper errors are usual defensive errors.
-We need to understand champions are not won and lost at the top four, but at Birmingham and Tottenham, we lost two vital points.

We are now in a position were we are chasing fourth spot in the league( I assume the order is Liverpool, Chelsea, Man Utd as 1,2,3), and that is going to be tough, as I think we will be pushed all the way by Aston Villa, Man City and yes Hull.

I hope I am wrong, I hope some tell me I am wrong .

Gooner Gal Belfast

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 09:40 AM - Reply

I totally agree with you watching post match interviews where the grinning face of poor mans bentley turned my stomach. We had the game by the throat but lacked the passion and guts to finish them off. Henry knew how as a gunner giving Tottenham a crumb is just not done, and he is proud never have had lost against them. Where we go from here I don't know but the players have to look at themselves and take full responsibilty and produce the will to win for a Great Team, Arsenal

David mcDonald

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 08:31 AM - Reply

Just make sure Arsenal don't lose agaginst MU.

crew

Posted on 31 Oct, 2008 at 08:19 AM - Reply

arsenal hall of shame!!!!!!!!!!

wat the hell is going on with this team??? i was tottally disappointed and had to take 2 days off as I was really sick too.

This is not a team that deserved to be a champion.

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