Right now, the Gunners have got about as much go in them as one of my first cars: an old Ford Escort. Like this team, it was cheaply put together, yet it had some flair. Well, if you call furry dice, sporty stripes, a gold roof and spoilers flair! At least, Wenger has more taste than that! But the similarity continues if you compare miles on the respective clocks: Wenger's games and my Ford's 'suspect' mileage.
For some reason, I've suddenly thought of our nemesis: Eto'o. Obviously, Mourinho made jokes privately to a journalist about the striker's alleged age and the story broke, but the Cameroonian took his goal like a spring chicken. Just to emphasise it, Eto'o scored it to begin the end our 'spring uprising'. Yes, our hopes of shaking of a Russian called Abramovich's domination of London was ended then.
Considering we were pinning our hopes on a Czech called Rosicky (who'd just scored his 3rd goal of the season) and ten others that got a result despite riding their luck at White Hart Lane, I thought we were asking for trouble keeping the same side. Nevertheless, I didn't see a 6-0 drubbing on Wenger's 1000th game. Nothing in the tea leaves told me that!
Although Chelsea were on form, we were the architects of our own downfall, actually. So many our team made strange decisions. For instance, why did Sagna throw the ball across the field when we were pinned back in our own half? What were the chances we would retain possession? Giroud did something similar: instead of clearing the ball up the line, he cleared the ball across field into danger to put us back under the cosh.
Countless times we lost the ball in midfield. Yes, Chelsea pressed us, but if we insist on playing down the middle, good teams will 'suss' us out.
In hindsight, it would have been better to use the wings. We could have played the Ox on one flank and Kallstrom on the other, but hindsight's a wonderful thing.
I'm just pleased we've got an FA Cup semi-final to look forward to. It's our only chance of silverware now and as Ian Wright, it's not a 'forgone' conclusion even if it is only Wigan up next in the competition. Meanwhile, I'm predicting a win in the league in midweek against Swansea, as we bounce back from this disappointment. Let's hope we look more like a Audi TT against the Swans instead of a clapped-out old Ford that had seen better days.
Sent from my iPhone
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