Arsenal vs Manchester City

25th August 2007 - Premier League - Emirates Stadium

It’s was not a great start to the day as I awake with an almighty headache. One of those ones that are caused by a very late night and too much vodka.

It doesn’t get much better when I check out the train times to find that a rail replacement service (i.e. Bus) will be covering part of my journey.

The usual match day mayhem pursues as I shower, eat, and get to the station in all in about 5 mins flat. Also as usual, I make it with a bit of time to spare. As I arrive at the train station I am greeted by a stranger who takes delight in pointing out that there are no trains today. Thanks, I already know.

I am wearing my new third choice shirt today, which I don’t really like, and the problem with wearing a football shirt is that people just assume that they can talk to you. It’s not long before I hear a voice in my direction and I turn around to see a scruffy, dirty looking fella drinking lager and shouting “Are you going to the emirates?” Using my excellent judgement, and based on this guys general appearance and smell I categorise this chap as a mentalist. He talks at me more telling me that he is a Man Ure fan (Yep, he’s mental!) and I plug in my earphones and walk away. Mr Mental carries on talking though!

The bus arrives and I manage to push my way to the front assuring that I am the first on and have the pick of the seats. I choose to sit next to some bloke in a seat for two people. This was a tactical move so that Crazy Chris can’t sit next to me. The bus moves from station to station collecting more pissed of travellers and it’s not long before the bus is packed. An older lady is standing near me and I give her my seat and then I have to hold on for dear life as the bus motors around the bends, hoping all the time that I don’t fall on my arse!

I get on the Victoria Line Underground at Vauxhall Station and again as the tube gets further in to town the busier it gets. A lady with crouches gets on to the busy carriage but no one gets up! Again I give my seat which is thankfully received. The people who did not get up were not foreigners not used to the custom, or boys badly brought up but these were men aged 20-50 who should know better. What is this country coming to when the men in society don’t have the respect or courtesy to let a crippled women sit down. What a disgrace.

Oh yeah, that’s right, I’m going to the football! It’s our third Premier League match of the season and our first Saturday 3pm Kick off. Our opponents Manchester City are currently top of the League and have yet to concede a goal. I am quite confident and think that Arsenal will win by 2 or 3 clear goals.

It is also Sven-Goran Erickson’s first visit to Arsenal as a club manager and it will be interesting to see what response he gets. His results as England manager were not that bad but it was the performances, especially in the defeats as well as his shagging around that finally cost him his position, and the FA millions. In comparison to Steve McClaren though, Sven is a football genius! I reckon he will get slatted today.

I arrived at the ground an hour early to meet a friend. I don’t know why we chose to meet there, obviously we have money to burn!!!!

The match starts a few minutes late and the most noticeable changes (apart from the goalie!) are that Gilberto is playing centre half (apparently Senderos was injured during the warm up) and Adabayor was playing up front.

Not much happened in the first half. We had the majority of the possesion with most of the play in the City half. We had a couple of shots over the bar but not much else of note. City had a couple of good chances but wasteful finishing ruined them.

Man City were more in the game in the second half and with the play fairly even it was looking like it was going to be a goalless draw.

On about the 65^th minute, Hleb was brought down in the box by Micah Richards (the best player on the pitch during the England vs Germany match) and the penalty was given. The way the game was going it summed it up when RVP’s kick was saved by Schmeichel - To be honest it was a very poor attempt and easy for the ‘keeper.

The breakthrough came when a pass from Hleb set up Cesc who drilled the ball into the top of the net from a tight angle.

The last 10 mins we dominated as we searched for the second goal. It didn’t come and we were nearly punished when Schmeichel went up the other end for a last minute corner and his powerful shot was well saved by Almunia. 1-0 to the Arsenal.