Arsenal News » Perfectly perfect: Bolton, Arsenal, the crowd, Billy the Dog

To begin a few days ago.  Billy the Dog predicted on this very site that Bolton would score first and the goal would be scored with the left foot.   I haven’t seen the TV of the game, but from where I sat, it looked pretty much like that.

Now I admit that this was a prediction for the first game against Bolton played in the far north, and not last night’s game, but still, not a bad shout.  Better to predict three days ahead rather than three days late I always say.

It was one of those games where everyone did their bit, except for Theo who went beyond his remit.  (More on him in a mo).

Bolton played rotational fouling to perfection, and the ref did his bit by making it quite clear from the off that the push from behind is not now considered to be foul play.   Personally I would sooner go back to allowing a tackle from behind than allow a push from behind, but that’s how the rules have gone.

We don’t get replays of controversial events in the stadium, so I have no idea if the penalty was a penalty – but no one seemed to protest too much, so I imagine it was although personally I don’t believe Denilson ever committed a foul in his life.   (That is an example of self-deprecating irony).

I took John (a young doctor) with me to this game (Jane not being able to make it and what with me being the age I am one can’t be too careful in potentially exciting situations).  We were two nil down and I turned to him and gave him the benefit of my sagacity.

I spoke of being 2-0 down after three seconds against Liege.

I then turned to Arsenal 5 Middlesboro 3.  We were on the edge of equalling the long standing Nottingham F record of 42 games without defeat, and this looked like a stroll, when Henry put us one up.   But then boro scored three, and it looked like we would fall at the last hurdle – until we got it together and strolled through 5-3.

As the young lad cringed in his seat at this onslaught of historic insight, I spoke of the last game of the unbeaten season, when we were all there to celebrate the event, having already won the league, and were playing Leicester who were already relegated.   Half time: Arsenal 0 Leicester 1.

“We’ll do it,” I said, with more positiveness in my voice than I really felt.

And everyone played their part.

From the moment Rosicky scored by putting the ball through 1 cubic cm of space (a physical impossibility) the crowd rose and made the noise normally associated with games against the Tiny Totts.  And when the second went in you might have thought we had won the league, instead of just drawing level.

But there was a feeling in the air – a real feeling that yes of course we can do comebacks.   We score goals from here, there and everywhere no matter how many players are injured.

Of course we are helped if you have someone as painfully silly as Jussi Jaaskelainen in goal for the opposition.  If you are going to start time wasting as a goal keeper from the tenth minute onwards then you are going to annoy the fans of the other team.  That’s how it goes.

But then to react to the opposition fans by doing things like putting your fingers in your ears and making derogatory jestures, as he did in the second half, you are just asking for trouble.

I suspect it was his silly display that led to Arsenal playing on during the injury rather than kicking the ball out.  The ref did not blow for a foul but there was a real moment’s pause before Arsenal decided to keep going.  I believe that had Jaaskelainen not been winding up the players and the fans so much, Arsenal would indeed have stopped the game, and thus not got the goal.

First rule of playing: don’t react to the crowd.

Second rule of playing: if you do react to the crowd don’t taunt them – especially when playing the top scoring team in the league.

However perhaps a final word is due to Theo who came on for about 14 seconds at the end.    Arshavin was through, and Theo was on his right, unmarked and facing an open goal.  And Arshavin doddled around a bit and screwed it up.

Theo went bananas.  He screamed.  He shouted.  He even ran towards Arshavin waving his hands around a lot.

What has happened to our baby-faced boy?  Where is the kiddiewink we used to know and love?  Has he turned into….

(dare I say it?)

A Man?

Finally, you may have read in the comments yesterday a complaint that I lacked dignity in the shameless way that I repeatedly promoted my book.  So, just to show that I am as sane and sensible as the next Arsenal supporter, I won’t be mentioning Making the Arsenal today at all.

Oh bugger.

(c) Tony Attwood 2019 (sent backwards through time via my Greenberry)