Post by brian on Oct 19, 2003 9:37:02 GMT
One team in London: confirmed.
Today's match was played out under a blue sky with fluffy clouds. It was the only blue thing about the day.
Like many Gooners we'd added to the pre-match crush in the pubs to watch England's rugby team start their
quest for glory. We enjoyed a good win for England before making our way to the ground to see which eleven
Tinkerman had permed from however many it is they have in their squad. This would be yet another attempt by
Chelsea to beat Arsenal for the first time in goodness knows how long.
Ray Parlour had recovered to wear the captain's armband and Wiltord partnered Henry upfront. With Vieira,
Keown and Ljungberg missing our bench looked a tad lopsided with Stack, Cygan, Kanu, Aliadiere and Bergkamp
showing anything but defensive tendencies. By the time kick off arrived the Manure result at Leeds meant
that this was technically no longer a top of the table clash.
We opened well and although not particularly bossing the match in the early stages we looked the most
likely. And so it proved when with less than five minutes gone we won a free kick for handball against
Johnson well outside their box and fairly central. Henry and Edu stood over the ball, Edu took it and fired
low at goal, the ball hit Parlour's leg en route and deflected neatly into the corner of the net 1-0
Arsenal. 'There's only one team in London', 'Will you ever win the League'.
The match was pretty clean as local derbies go and only the occasional late tackle, like Geremi's on Ray
showed any signs that it might turn into anything more vicious. Their equaliser came out of the blue when
Crespo wide left and quite a long way out cut inside and unleashed a peach that bent as much as Rob's at
Anfield to find the corner. A brilliant goal, 1-1 and somewhat against the run of play. Jens spent a long
time complaining about something but it wasn't clear to me quite what. 'Have you ever seen Chelsea win the
League, have you feck'.
Makelele was booked for taking out Parlour before a great cross by Henry was headed clear. Arsenal pressed
for a spell which saw Cole put in two great crosses. Mutu chopped Gilberto but Durkin, today's ref, was not
interested. Wiltord and Pires did well, but the resulting cross was saved by Cudicini. In the main we looked
solid at the back with Kolo and Sol looked the part once more, but both teams were playing it fairly deep
and in numbers. Kolo did brilliantly at one stage against Crespo, his new contract seems to agree with him.
We were pressurising well.
Durkin gave a goal kick which the Clock End were adamant should have been a corner. Campbell and Lauren were
both required to stop attacks before Lehmann was called upon to save from Lampard, the first time I'd
noticed fat Frankie was on the pitch. Crespo and Wiltord had their own competition to see who could get
caught offside the most times before the break and I reckon Crespo edged it. A Johnson shot from range, wide
right, was easy for Lehmann. A fantastic turn and pass by Henry found Lauren on a run who did well but
stumbled just before shooting with his left and shot over. We were back on top.
Cole won a free kick as we pressed and the ball finally came to Edu who's shot on the turn was saved. Pires
bottled a tackle on the edge of our box but made up for it later with some good defensive work. Makelele
shot from range as Arsenal continued to close down well. Parlour, who for some strange reason had a yellow
against his name on the big screen, started as if he hadn't trained for ages but warmed to the match. Mutu
who I found quite disappointing screwed up big time as Chelsea had a strong little spell before the break. A
Duff dive went unpunished, remember Durkin and Van Bronckhorst at Anfield a couple of years back? Makelele
knocked Pires over at one end while Crespo fired over at the other.
A fine Cole cross won another corner and in the one minute added time Kolo joined the attack but his cross
was wild. So still 1-1 at the break.
Arsenal kicked towards the North Bank after the break and the yellow card against Ray's name disappeared, if
only they all would. Good tackle on Lampard by Edu to concede a corner from which the ball came back in with
a great cross from the opposite wing which Crespo missed, a half decent chance. A great Lauren cross saw
Henry rise to a header between two defenders, his effort was only just wide, had it been on target he would
have scored. Close. A good spell for Arsenal as Pires fired well wide on the turn. Johnson put in a crap
cross at the other end. Another Arsenal drive ended when Pires' fabulous cross was saved. Pires then had a
low shot saved followed shortly by another shot that was again saved. We were on top, Henry and Wiltord were
both working hard but not always in tandem.
Sol did well to head clear. Duff shoved Edu over. Durkin gave Chelsea a very iffy corner and the Clock End
protested vociferously. Henry's header down was not read by Sylvain. Kanu and Bergkamp on for Parlour and
Wiltord as Dennis took over the captain's armband. Gronkjaer came on for Mutu. A header across goal by
Crespo was easy for Lehmann. Dennis was playing wide right and Kanu was tremendous up front with Henry. Cole
on for Duff. 'Are you West Ham in disguise?'
Kanu was even winning tackles, as was Dennis. We looked good and a brilliant ball by Kanu found Edu on a run
who crossed for Henry who turned just a tad too slowly but still won the corner, a great chance. Kanu met
the corner with his head and rattled the woodwork. Close but no cigar. Joe Cole took out Pires. Dennis was
quick with the free kick, almost on half way and Pires went down the right but hit a low seemingly wasted
cross. Cudicini screwed it up though and let the ball run through his legs after getting a hand on it. The
waiting Henry seemed surprised to see the ball bounce off his shin and decided to chase it before he
cottoned on that it was already goal bound. 2-1 Arsenal and our pressure warranted the luck. 'One team in
London' I do so like singing that one!
Stanic had been about to come on for Geremi but Hasselbaink was sent on instead in response to our lead. A
shame Keown wasn't around. Gronkjaer tripped Pires and from the free kick wide on our left Dennis arrived
late to drill one low, just past the near post from outside the box. Gronkjaer's cross was easy for Jens.
Kolo went on a solo down our right. Hasselbaink chased a ball he had no hope of catching and planted his
studs into Lehmann's chest. It was a malicious, reckless and intentional foul by a nasty little shit and an
obvious red card. So of course Durkin let him off with a yellow. What a joke!
A Kanu flick to Dennis and on to Henry, almost. Pires was covering well. Henry won yet another corner
following more good play by Bergkamp. Kanu was chasing hard. Three minutes added time, Pires replaced by
Cygan. A crap shot by Joe Cole from a bouncing ball. Arsenal played out time by the corner flags and as ever
remain the top team in London, not to mention England. A great result gained without some key players and a
fine team effort once more.
1955 is almost the dawn of history to most fans and seems like a million years ago to me, but that's how
long it's been since Chelsea won the League. One solitary freaky one-off season thanks mainly to a great
ex-Arsenal man as their manager. Since then nothing much except a load of lip from their pretentious,
egotistical, load-mouthed poseur fans. Their most consistent League seasons have been in the past few years
but not once in that time have they finished above Arsenal in the League. They claim to be London's biggest
Club, and indeed they are but only in the sense that their fans spout the biggest load of bullshit mouthed
by any fans anywhere in the country.
There is now and always will be ONLY ONE TEAM IN LONDON.
Brian - One life, one game, one team, three doubles
The Jack Kelsey Fan Club
Today's match was played out under a blue sky with fluffy clouds. It was the only blue thing about the day.
Like many Gooners we'd added to the pre-match crush in the pubs to watch England's rugby team start their
quest for glory. We enjoyed a good win for England before making our way to the ground to see which eleven
Tinkerman had permed from however many it is they have in their squad. This would be yet another attempt by
Chelsea to beat Arsenal for the first time in goodness knows how long.
Ray Parlour had recovered to wear the captain's armband and Wiltord partnered Henry upfront. With Vieira,
Keown and Ljungberg missing our bench looked a tad lopsided with Stack, Cygan, Kanu, Aliadiere and Bergkamp
showing anything but defensive tendencies. By the time kick off arrived the Manure result at Leeds meant
that this was technically no longer a top of the table clash.
We opened well and although not particularly bossing the match in the early stages we looked the most
likely. And so it proved when with less than five minutes gone we won a free kick for handball against
Johnson well outside their box and fairly central. Henry and Edu stood over the ball, Edu took it and fired
low at goal, the ball hit Parlour's leg en route and deflected neatly into the corner of the net 1-0
Arsenal. 'There's only one team in London', 'Will you ever win the League'.
The match was pretty clean as local derbies go and only the occasional late tackle, like Geremi's on Ray
showed any signs that it might turn into anything more vicious. Their equaliser came out of the blue when
Crespo wide left and quite a long way out cut inside and unleashed a peach that bent as much as Rob's at
Anfield to find the corner. A brilliant goal, 1-1 and somewhat against the run of play. Jens spent a long
time complaining about something but it wasn't clear to me quite what. 'Have you ever seen Chelsea win the
League, have you feck'.
Makelele was booked for taking out Parlour before a great cross by Henry was headed clear. Arsenal pressed
for a spell which saw Cole put in two great crosses. Mutu chopped Gilberto but Durkin, today's ref, was not
interested. Wiltord and Pires did well, but the resulting cross was saved by Cudicini. In the main we looked
solid at the back with Kolo and Sol looked the part once more, but both teams were playing it fairly deep
and in numbers. Kolo did brilliantly at one stage against Crespo, his new contract seems to agree with him.
We were pressurising well.
Durkin gave a goal kick which the Clock End were adamant should have been a corner. Campbell and Lauren were
both required to stop attacks before Lehmann was called upon to save from Lampard, the first time I'd
noticed fat Frankie was on the pitch. Crespo and Wiltord had their own competition to see who could get
caught offside the most times before the break and I reckon Crespo edged it. A Johnson shot from range, wide
right, was easy for Lehmann. A fantastic turn and pass by Henry found Lauren on a run who did well but
stumbled just before shooting with his left and shot over. We were back on top.
Cole won a free kick as we pressed and the ball finally came to Edu who's shot on the turn was saved. Pires
bottled a tackle on the edge of our box but made up for it later with some good defensive work. Makelele
shot from range as Arsenal continued to close down well. Parlour, who for some strange reason had a yellow
against his name on the big screen, started as if he hadn't trained for ages but warmed to the match. Mutu
who I found quite disappointing screwed up big time as Chelsea had a strong little spell before the break. A
Duff dive went unpunished, remember Durkin and Van Bronckhorst at Anfield a couple of years back? Makelele
knocked Pires over at one end while Crespo fired over at the other.
A fine Cole cross won another corner and in the one minute added time Kolo joined the attack but his cross
was wild. So still 1-1 at the break.
Arsenal kicked towards the North Bank after the break and the yellow card against Ray's name disappeared, if
only they all would. Good tackle on Lampard by Edu to concede a corner from which the ball came back in with
a great cross from the opposite wing which Crespo missed, a half decent chance. A great Lauren cross saw
Henry rise to a header between two defenders, his effort was only just wide, had it been on target he would
have scored. Close. A good spell for Arsenal as Pires fired well wide on the turn. Johnson put in a crap
cross at the other end. Another Arsenal drive ended when Pires' fabulous cross was saved. Pires then had a
low shot saved followed shortly by another shot that was again saved. We were on top, Henry and Wiltord were
both working hard but not always in tandem.
Sol did well to head clear. Duff shoved Edu over. Durkin gave Chelsea a very iffy corner and the Clock End
protested vociferously. Henry's header down was not read by Sylvain. Kanu and Bergkamp on for Parlour and
Wiltord as Dennis took over the captain's armband. Gronkjaer came on for Mutu. A header across goal by
Crespo was easy for Lehmann. Dennis was playing wide right and Kanu was tremendous up front with Henry. Cole
on for Duff. 'Are you West Ham in disguise?'
Kanu was even winning tackles, as was Dennis. We looked good and a brilliant ball by Kanu found Edu on a run
who crossed for Henry who turned just a tad too slowly but still won the corner, a great chance. Kanu met
the corner with his head and rattled the woodwork. Close but no cigar. Joe Cole took out Pires. Dennis was
quick with the free kick, almost on half way and Pires went down the right but hit a low seemingly wasted
cross. Cudicini screwed it up though and let the ball run through his legs after getting a hand on it. The
waiting Henry seemed surprised to see the ball bounce off his shin and decided to chase it before he
cottoned on that it was already goal bound. 2-1 Arsenal and our pressure warranted the luck. 'One team in
London' I do so like singing that one!
Stanic had been about to come on for Geremi but Hasselbaink was sent on instead in response to our lead. A
shame Keown wasn't around. Gronkjaer tripped Pires and from the free kick wide on our left Dennis arrived
late to drill one low, just past the near post from outside the box. Gronkjaer's cross was easy for Jens.
Kolo went on a solo down our right. Hasselbaink chased a ball he had no hope of catching and planted his
studs into Lehmann's chest. It was a malicious, reckless and intentional foul by a nasty little shit and an
obvious red card. So of course Durkin let him off with a yellow. What a joke!
A Kanu flick to Dennis and on to Henry, almost. Pires was covering well. Henry won yet another corner
following more good play by Bergkamp. Kanu was chasing hard. Three minutes added time, Pires replaced by
Cygan. A crap shot by Joe Cole from a bouncing ball. Arsenal played out time by the corner flags and as ever
remain the top team in London, not to mention England. A great result gained without some key players and a
fine team effort once more.
1955 is almost the dawn of history to most fans and seems like a million years ago to me, but that's how
long it's been since Chelsea won the League. One solitary freaky one-off season thanks mainly to a great
ex-Arsenal man as their manager. Since then nothing much except a load of lip from their pretentious,
egotistical, load-mouthed poseur fans. Their most consistent League seasons have been in the past few years
but not once in that time have they finished above Arsenal in the League. They claim to be London's biggest
Club, and indeed they are but only in the sense that their fans spout the biggest load of bullshit mouthed
by any fans anywhere in the country.
There is now and always will be ONLY ONE TEAM IN LONDON.
Brian - One life, one game, one team, three doubles
The Jack Kelsey Fan Club
