Witness (1 hope)

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
11 Nov	7:45 PM	LC	Wigan Athletic (H)	3	0	Win

If this blog was a Martin Scorcese movie, you would get at this point a jump cut of images, getting on the train at Grove Park, the Northern Line at London Bridge, Chicken Satay at Miso, a beer from a newsagents, Rachid on the corner of Liverpool road and then finally the facade of the "EMIRAES STADIUM". No, not a typo, one of the lightbulbs on the north-west side has died. I do have a photo of this but due to having a new mobile phone, with internet settings that aren't functioning properly, I can't upload it here.Perhaps later, and consider yourselves slapped on the wrist, O2.

Anyway, Arsène said in the aftermath of the Stoke defeat, let's talk again in three weeks "when we are the best" . And everyone laughed at him, I guess it would be wrong to say I didn't. It was also noted that the series of home games, last night's being the third of four in a row might be the most important of Arsène's time with us. Now, I'm not saying a draw with Fenerbahce, a win against Manchester United and then a fairly comfortable win against Wigan last night means that we're going to win everything in sight, but once again, we've been shown that perhaps there is a reason why journalists do what they do, fans are fans and Arsène is Arsène.

In a team unchanged from the previous round save for Jay Simpson getting the nod to replace Bendtner, even before Arsenal took the lead last night, they might well have been 3-0 up, Chris Kirkland making a couple of fantastic saves from Aaron Ramsey and Carlos Vela, whilst Jay Simpson hit the bar. Vela had also been put through earlier but Kirkland managed to tip the ball away without taking the player down in front of a slightly subdued Carling Cup crowd- did it just seem that way because of the fantastic atmospheres generated in the last two and a half league matches? Minutes before half-time, as people again left for half-time pints, Jack Wilshere played Simpson in with a lovely through ball, Simpson's pace took him away and he only needed one touch to slide the ball past Chris Kirkland. Three guys in front of me, otherwise upstanding and singing all night missed the goal, as someone pointed out to them on their return, one of them replied that he'd seen it on the tv. So perhaps, Arsenal, there's your answer, get rid of the tellys. Oh but then people will stop buying the fizzy liquid passed off as beer so much, won't they? What a conundrum.

Anyway, second half, Keiran Gibbs might have scored, played in by Ramsey after he had stepped over his way from the half way line, waiting for the run he knew was coming outside him. Gibbs' first time shot was blocked. So it fell to Carlos Vela to guarantee progression to the next round. First off, he chased a ball down our left, cut into the area in front of us and rather than shooting, picked out the onrushing Simpson who crashed home his second of the night.

Better followed for our "Mexican Superstar", we were in the middle of imploring Arsène to give us a wave, when somehow, I don't know how, because I was looking at le gaffeur, the ball landed at Vela's feet in the box, one on one with the keeper he delivered a chip that I believe most jounalists would describe as "impudent", it seemed to fly high into the moonlit air and take ages to drop down into the back of the net. Another wonderful moment for the young Mexican to savour in front of the home fans, such displays of lethality will surely see him knocking on the first team door sooner rather than later. I can't think of another first team player who would have scored that goal, except perhaps "Arsenal's number 9, Eddy Eddy!"

The rest of the game became a bit of a procession, as Rachid noted, Wigan had given up but late on they forced a double save from Fabianksi that was well worth staying to the end to witness. And speaking of witness, it was Roots Manuva's Witness (1 Hope) that greeted Jo and I as we popped into the Library for a celebratory White Russian or two after the game. I look forward to the next round.

User Comments

Frida

Posted on 14 Nov, 2008 at 11:04 PM - Reply

Very good article. I think Carlos Vela will prove himself even more in the next Carling Cup games.

ayaz

Posted on 13 Nov, 2008 at 09:36 PM - Reply

a fantastic article paul. sounds like a man who knows his football. the best article i have read in a while. thanks.

Yusuf

Posted on 13 Nov, 2008 at 03:17 PM - Reply

I was initially attracted to AM because of Joel's articles but you, Paul, are doing a heck of a job. You might not provide that insight Joel does that gives us a unique perspective of things but your story-telling is... cool.

I loved the intro, lol, Martin Scorcese movie? Painted a picture it did.

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