Oh, bollocks.
This is a new feeling. I want to kick everything I see, I’m wishing horrible things on people and last night when the plane hit a spot of turbulence, my first reaction was a weary look out the window and a mental sigh of “Plane crash. Annoying”.
From wherever you were sitting yesterday, last night’s performance was painful. Painful that there was no excuse, painful that there was no evident reason, painful that it happened at all. Possibly what is also hurting today, I expect, is that we seem to be lacking a particular scapegoat. Somehow that always helps a little. Today, however, there are no scapes to be goated. The players we’ve come to know and love and rely upon didn’t seem to turn up yesterday. And who knows why.
Thomas Vermaelen has said as much. It was really weird seeing him play so badly. And Bacary. And Arteta. A small positive from the match was that Gibbs did well after a shaky start and on his first full match back from lengthy injury. Also, Rosicky was alone in his efforts. Where was everyone else? AC Milan were good. But they weren’t great.
I don’t really know what else to say. What went wrong? Everything. What went right? Sod all. Even our penalty claim moments after theirs went ignored. Surely when a team is 4-0 down and has JUST had a penalty given and scored against them, then is the time to give one when it is that blatant? And their second goal was offside. And Koscielny got injured. At least no one got sent off. Or exploded into a million pieces in the middle of the pitch.
Statistically, we had slightly more possession and equal shots on target to them. Oh Arsenal. You never fail to create new levels of WTF, do you?
I was trying to think of positives on the way back to the coach last night. I came up with:
- Well, at least I don’t have to stand there holding a Thomas Cook Sport sign up in the air while waiting for everyone to get back to the coach.
- Thankfully only one of my hamstrings is hurting after that epic bitch of a journey down that FUCKING toilet roll ramp at the stadium.
- At least England is an hour behind Italy so the boys will have an extra hour to prepare for Sunderland than if we were Italian.
- At least we won on Saturday.
- At least we’ll remain fourth for at least another ten days.
- At least at least at least.
Then we got back to the coach and were sat near the most disgusting human beings I’ve encountered in a long time. Even in this era of Arsenal fan hell, they were a new low. God alone knows how the players felt on the way back home. Hopefully, like shit. It’s only fair that they should too.
Grand scheme of things, it ain’t a nightmare. Again, we’re fourth (yes, not an achievement in previous seasons, but an achievement this year). We’re still after an FA Cup (more than can be said for the chosen teams of the fans gloating at Arsenal’s failures once again). And wow, we actually ARE still in the Champions League (ditto previous bracket sentence). To get twatted in the first leg will avoid heartbreak like in previous years when we’ve bollocksed up the second. In fact, maybe we’ll be better playing with no expectation.
I reckon we’ll win at ours. Yesterday’s result reflected on us more than them. Our pitch is also not a patchwork of shit, and we’re better at home, obviously. Will we win 5-0 though? Well. Another sad point of yesterday was the farewell to Thierry. Kind of wish his last match had been Sunderland now. Would have saved a few tears from me! But Titi, you’re still an absolute superstar who is welcome back any time, ever.
Wenger was very harsh at full time, and rightly so. I know plenty want him gone, but he was let down by the players he cares so very much about last night. He’s not used to being let down so horribly by players he lo-*flashback to the summer*. Oh.
There are two ways we can go about it now: The much-marched pathway of collapse as in previous seasons, or an absolute rocket up the backside as we fight our way back into this one. I will forgive last night completely if we choose the latter. ‘Cause see, in spite of what happened, we still love them SO much. Even when we’re shit. I want nothing more than for each and every member of our squad to be happy with their football, all the time. Here’s hoping they’re happy with it come Saturday evening.
As for the Champions League, we’re still at half time really I guess. Keeping a clean sheet while managing to score even just the one in the first half would go a long way to helping us believe we’re still in it. I’m not stupid enough to think we’re going through, but I think we’ve a greater chance than Wenger said we had last night. Because if you do not believe you can do it, then you have no chance at all.
In other news, thanks to Milan for having us. A great day was had in you. The actual match was spent sat with the fammo and Akhil (@10akhil), Sarah (@wolvenal: Comment from after the match: “Well, one positive… I’m not as cold as I thought I’d be”) and Lia (@cryptogirl). They made the unbearable slightly more bearable.
Back after Sunderland a little more smiley and less disturbingly relaxed about plane crashes. If you please, boys!
korihikage
108 days ago
no harm believing in miracles. if there is ever a time i pray so much for miracles, this would be it.
Alan
108 days ago
Very difficult to take positives from such a dreadful performance. The main feeling I have is one of being let down massively by all involved at the club and, as a fan, being taken for granted by the players.
If only they had the same dedication to entertain and consistency in delivering quality as you have in your blogs, we would win the lot.
Daniel
108 days ago
“I want nothing more than for each and every member of our squad to be happy with their football, all the time.”
Do this team deserve the kind of support and hope you pour into them week in week out? Sometimes I’m not sure, but I hope they know how good they’ve got it, despite many of our fans being the complete oppposite to you at the moment. You convey your feelings well enough to give others positivity and hope while you’re at it.
All I can say here is keep being an amazing fan in an amazing family of amazing fans.
Damien
108 days ago
Brightside – concentrate on getting forth. If we get forth than that wouldn’t be bad for such an awful season. They need to stop these car crash performances however. That’s the worst I have seen them play since the second half at Craven Cottage or some other result earlier in the season somewhere in the Manchester Region.
Treez
108 days ago
Only positive I can take from yesterday’s disgrace is that I can say for sure I’ll never, ever have to climb that ‘toilet roll’ ramp up to that God-awful roost in that shitty stadium! Last time, the fact that we won made the disgusting surroundings not seem so important. Yesterday the manner of our defeat seemed to magnify it.
Also, apart from Thierry, RVP and theOx, why didn’t the team even acknowledge the fans? Could it be they were more than just a little embarrassed?
Well done for even posting a blog. Just as well we’ve got you to keep us positive.
Uncle Mike
108 days ago
So you were there? Until the 15th minute I was wishing I was, too. Instead, I’m glad I wasn’t even on the same side of the Atlantic.
Will it take a miracle to come back from 0-4? Bump that, we need to save our miracles for the FA Cup and finishing 3rd or 4th, particularly on the 26th against The Scum.
vaders_grandfather
107 days ago
Good Morning All,
Well. That was er, disturbing.
Although for the home leg, Milan are going to have a real problem playing on a pitch with actual grass. They don’t know what we are capable of down the flanks; since all the play was squeezed down the middle. Honestly, I would like to say that laying the pitch so close to a Champions league game was probably the worst act of gamesmanship* I have witnessed in a long time. They knew exactly what they were doing.
Can it be done? 5-0? Of course it can, didn’t some team overcome a seven goal deficit in the last group stage game? Although, the lads will have to pull their socks up over the next 3 weeks.
One thing that caught my attention was Mr. Wenger’s post match comments. I’ve never heard him rip the team apart like that. Mr. Wenger looks disappointed, tired and like he could use a drink (because we all did).
I hope that woke the players up.
Please, Away Supporters at Sunderland; sing till you bleed.
*because technically it wasn’t cheating.
El Greco
107 days ago
Well, Sian, the best part of the dismal experience was reading your blog! I can only imagine the pain of being there to witness the whole thing but you pulled it off again….a great blog!
Not much I can say that hasn’t been said already but I was really hoping to eat a plate-full of humble pie after the game.
As to whether this team has the mental toughness Arsene keeps talking about, all will be revealed on Saturday. Though, if we look back on the past few years, it’s been around this time of the year, following a particular bad result that implosion strikes…..
1NilToTheArsenal
107 days ago
Sian and other traveling supporters:
My sympathy to you for having to witness that rubbish from the stands.
My admiration for your support – long may it continue – ESPECIALLY during these shambolic periods.
How rubbish can we get, right now? None of the Starting XI seemed to be capable of anything for 90 minutes. Tactically Wenger got it all wrong, and made it worse by spewing some banal tripe in the post-match presser.
Really bad stuff.
Here’s to hope and belief translating back into some real confidence for the FA cup tie tomorrow and the derby match next. What else is left? More navel gazing? No, thanks.
Gunners, to paraphrase the great Chaka Khan:
“SHOW us something GOOD, SHOW us that you like it, yeah,,,”
irishgray
107 days ago
Sian – I was walking in the front door to my apartment building with 6-pack and bag of pretzels in hand, all excited to watch the game which I had recorded when I heard: “Hey Goonah! 4 fuckin’ nil mate AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!” Sometimes it really does suck having a Spud fan living directly across the street!!!!! I am not ashamed to admit that not trusting a Spud fan I decided to check the result first, have to say I was still pretty shocked to see it. I do not think I have pressed Delete so quickly or adamantly before!
At this stage I really do not give a shit who gets blamed or not, who gets traded or not, I just want the fucking FA Cup ok!? And yea, finish above the Spuds too!! I do not care if that is 5th or 6th or even 7th, just let me celebrate St. Totteringham’s Day and winning some bloody silverware!!!
Alex
105 days ago
They didn’t well please Sian
I’m going to repeatedly watch Miyaichi apparent beaut of a goal to cheer myself up
Tricia
103 days ago
I still cannot bring myself to watch this match. It’s on my PVR untouched.
At least you’re trying to look at the positives. =)
Irishgray
98 days ago
Apparently, under the influence of an awful lot of alcohol last night, I placed a bet of $200 on Arsenal beating the Spuds tomorrow. Nothing like added incentive is there? COYG!!!
El Greco
98 days ago
Congrats, mate.
If you can mess with fate like that, you need to get under the influence a bit more often:-)