Early Present...

...for kT Gooner

It was an early birthday present for mad redo1.

Though he arrived just in time to witness Manu Adebayor tapping in to put Sp*rs a goal up. Then he watched in delight as the former Gunner was flashed the red card for an open stud tackle on Santo Cazorla eight minutes after the goal.

Then came the moment he had been waiting for ever since the BFG joined Arsenal last season. Per Mertesacker's looping header levelled things up from a Theo Walcott cross.

Two minutes to the interval Lukas Podolski put the home side ahead, courtesy of another former Gunner William Gallas as the German's shot was deflected past Hugo Lloris.

Then persistent play in injury time at the end of the first half by Cazorla gave him the space for him to deliver the ball for Olivier Giroud to attack. The French international connected well to divert the ball past his team-mate in the French squad.

Then on the hour mark, Cazorla capped a fine performance with a simple finish after The Gunners had built from the back. With nineteen minutes to go, Gareth Bale pulled one back.

At 4-2 not many Gooners could seat easy as it had happened before, only for the points to be shared in the end. However, Walcott's strike as the match went into stoppage time certainly gave many Gooners the relief they were looking for.

At the same time repeated the same scoreline last season.


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Sado-Machostic Gooners

Two goals up after twenty minutes, then everything was square at the interval. Arsenal fans have been left with a sado-machocism feeling watching the Gunners in action in recent time.

Two goals up against Schalke in Gelsenkirchen and they left Germany with just a point after the home side fought back to level things up. It is best not to mention Reading, where the fans were subjected to a four goal deficit before Arsene Wenger's boys staged a brilliant comeback to win by 7-5, the highest goal-scoring match I have seen (though partly only).

Then you saw the team went behind to put yourself further in pain but the joy of seeing Olivier Giroud's header nestling at the back of the net for the equaliser made it all worthwhile.

We looked good for a winner though a draw was a more fitting result given the team performance. But a harsh penalty against the visitors in the last minute of added time put us in the vulnerable position of getting our hopes up that it will be three points on the board for us.

But the mistress of pain spared her best shot for the last. The pain of two points lost as Mark Schwarzer push Mikel Arteta's low drive past the post went searing through the heart.

Fortunately, not for me.

Based on performance alone, we were simply not good enough for the three points and the point gained was simply what we deserved from the match where we were weak defensively again.

The North London derby next Saturday will see us going through the same pain and joy again but hopefully it will end on a positive note for us.

COYG!!!


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