The Debt Collector

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
06 Mar	3:00 PM	P	Burnley (H)	3	1	Win

The latest installment of Arsenal Mania meet-ups began at around 1 PM yesterday afternoon. I arrived at Finsbury Park on a sunny, but chilly afternoon, and decided to take advantage of the fact that Arsenal are now flogging the outgoing home shirts for a bargain twenty five quid. Having purchased it, I don't know what took me so long. I liked it initially, but was swayed by the arguments of it being a Charlton-lite kit. I think it looks rather good, but then I loved the redcurrant shirt too. Anyway, I moved my zip up to my bag and slid the freshly purchased shirt over my red Rocastle t-shirt and headed into the Twelve Pins.

I found James quickly and, pints in hand, we discussed the new Blur DVD whilst waiting for the arrival of the rest of the clan. Chris wasn't too far behind and we were then joined by a few new additions to our matchday gang, Mike, Shue and Andy. A few beers later, we headed off towards the ground, stopping for a can on the way up and then so that Shue could pick up a ticket from one of the street ticketing agencies the Police seem to routinely turn a blind eye too.

By the time Chris, James and I got into the ground, having arranged to meet Mike and Shue by the canons afterwards, the game was a couple of minutes old. I believe, Bendtner had already spurned the first of the several opportunities he would get as the afternoon unfolded. Cesc rolled a shot just wide of the far post down our end. Aside from Bendtner missing chances, there wasn't much going on in a somewhat subdued stadium. At least until Cesc sent the ball wide to Rosicky, the ball was worked back into the middle, Cesc to Nasri with the crowd baying for a shot, Nasri simply lifted the ball over the Burnley defence for an onrushing Cesc to slide through Brian Jensen's legs and into the back of the net.

That was the captain's last meaningful contribution as his hamstring trouble flared up again. Abou Diaby replaced him. Bendtner smashed the ball over the bar. He smashed it wide of the goal. And then it was half-time.

As Theo Walcott, no doubt stung by the criticism that came his way earlier in the week, sprung to life down the right, the game could and should have been made safe in five minutes after half-time. A pinpoint cross to Bendtner's head should have resulted in a goal. He flicked it wide. Another chance came. Another chance wasted. Another chance, more waste. I said to Chris, "We're gonna pay for this, you know". Barely five minutes had passed before David Nugent strolled into a huge gap between the centre backs to lift the ball over Almunia and into our net.

A lovely ball from Denilson put Walcott away down the right, a sharply taken shot was well saved low down at the near post. But Theo was not to be denied. By coincidence, there's an article in this month's Gooner that talks of how Theo is being wasted on the right - a point I generally agree with. Theo must have read this because the article also mentioned how unlikely Theo is to come in and shoot on his left foot. Well, all I can say is that I wish he would do it more often because when he picked up the ball from Bendtner about 35 yards out, the Burnley defence seemed more than happy to let him cut in towards the area (maybe they read the article too), imagine their shock when Theo curled a shot from the edge of the area into the far corner of the goal. I'm not sure what the celebration meant as he tore off towards the bench, tapping his wrist, but frankly, who cares? Theo had one of those days where everything went right for him, epitomised by a clothesline he got hit with when trying to break, such was the Burnley's defence desperation to stop him.

Despite the goal, the game still felt like it had another one in it. Of course, if it went to Burnley then devastation would surely follow and with about five minutes left they got a great chance when one of their players had a free shot in the penalty area. To the relief of us all, except the small pocket of fans below us, the ball flew over the bar.

By this stage, Arshavin had replaced Rosicky and Eduardo had come on for Bendtner, for whom it would definitely be fair to say, nothing went right. But you know what? Full credit to him for keeping going and not hiding, of course he isn't a stranger to this kind of day having had a similar one at home to Blackburn last year. He will have better days. That's for sure. It was the little Russian who put the full stop on the afternoon's proceedings, even as the ground emptied at a ridiculous rate. Collecting the ball from Eduardo, he took a touch before lashing a shot just inside the keeper's near post. For the players, they could celebrate a job well done. For us, the afternoon was just getting going.

Curtis Mayfield's Move on Up blasted out of the PA and we swaggered down the stairs to the concourse to the strains of Blur's The Debt Collector. Collecting Mike and Shue, we headed off to the Tollington, meeting Asa and Simon in there and drinking far, far too much.

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