Arsenal Gooners Diary 2004/5


Previously:
Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur	Tue 10 May
Perhaps Le Prof and Rafael Benitez should have sat down for a post-match pow-wow on Sunday. By comparing notes, between them they might have been able to solve some of football's more perplexing mysteries.

21 And Counting Before We Lose Our Keys To Highbury's Doors	Mon 02 May
Digging deep into the furthest recesses of the old grey matter, I find fond memories of a primary school pal who, at the first break in classes on a Monday, would treat us to a detailed replay of the weekend's episode of Dr Who....

One Team In London	Sun 24 Apr
Writing this missive on the eve of the North London derby, it seems a strange coincidence that it's a year to the day when we won the league at White Hart Lane.

Blackburn or Bust!	Wed 13 Apr
I was green with Gooner envy witnessing the wonderful atmosphere up at Anfield on the box last Tuesday.

Spring Has Sprung, And A Young Man's Fancy Turns To....	Tue 05 Apr
....Thoughts Of....Fisticuffs!

Where's Our Easter-enders Gone?	Thu 31 Mar
It's been a weird week. After getting up at the crack of dawn for five hundred mile round trips to noon kick-offs up North on successive Saturdays, the realisation that I've got a weekend 'off' almost came as a bit of a relief.

And What Is More, You'll Be A Stark Raving Madman, My Son!	Thu 17 Mar
From the look of the number of empty seats dotted around the grounds at 3 of the 4 quarterfinals, I wasn't the only one who struggled to find the enthusiasm to get up at the crack of dawn to spend eight hours in the car, schlepping to the Reebok and back for 90 minutes of live FA Cup entertainment.

Never Mind The Immovable Object...	Wed 09 Mar
... (and the Bollix!), Beware The Arsenal's Irresistible Force!

It's A Bavarian Wind That Blows Nobody Any Good	Mon 28 Feb
(But it's cold enough to freeze the nadgers off a brass monkey!). As the receptionist totted up my extras bill while checking out of my Munich hotel on Thursday morning, her colleague looked up from her monitor and shot a disparaging glance in my direction.

Here's Hoping We Hang Out The Washing On Our Siegfried Line	Tue 22 Feb
The stewards standing outside the box-office at Highbury on Saturday seemed a little sheepish. They wouldn't admit to anyone that tickets were available for our midday kick-off (in contravention of the 'all ticket' regulations?).

Ashburton Grove - Footballing Heaven Or Elaborate Advertising Hoarding?	Mon 14 Feb
Who would have thought that joker James Beattie would have a hand in nailing the lid shut on any lingering hopes we had of retaining our title.

Can You Hear Blue Bottoms Squeak?	Mon 07 Feb
There can be times when being known by all one's friends and associates as a football addict can be a bit of a liability. Oh to have been an ostrich after the trauma of last Tuesday night's capitulation and to have been able to stick my head in the sand until all the hoo-ha had died down.

Hopefully the Arsenal's Cup Will Continue To Runneth Over	Mon 31 Jan
I fully appreciate that the Arsenal are only following the trend set by many other clubs and are thus merely participating in the ever more widespread conspiracy to make pariahs out of us poor smokers, but it seems a strange decision to enforce a smoking ban mid-season.

The Assault Of The Also-Rans	Mon 24 Jan
After all those regrets about seeing our chances of retaining the title, ebb ever further away following such an effete effort at the Reebok, in spite of the disgruntled air of resignation, the renewed smell of cordite at Highbury last Sunday was a great relief.

Strasbourg's Sweet Scientist Lives To Fight Another Day	Mon 17 Jan
I've attended many of Arsène Wenger's post-match press conferences in recent years and in all that time I don't think I can ever recall seeing Arsène's customary sang-froid being disturbed to quite the same extent it was at the Reebok on Saturday.

Sweet F.A.Cup	Wed 12 Jan
After an engrossing weekend watching the beautiful game in all it's glory, with several FA Cup 3rd round fairy tales only a whisker away from coming to pass, l was somewhat surprised.

Half-Term High-dee Highs And Low-dee-lows	Mon 03 Jan
The five hour trek home from Toon Town gave me plenty of time to consider this half-term report. During the never-ending drive back down the A1, I recalled a flattering report I received as a kid, where one of my teachers described me as "a speedboat idling around the harbour".

Never Mind Snow, Nine Points Will Do Me	Mon 20 Dec
As winter's first big chill begins to bite, it would have been very easy to have completely ignored the annoying intrusion of my mobile on my Sunday morning reverie and roll over and go back to sleep.

Nothing To Fear But.....Well Nothing Actually!	Mon 13 Dec
If playing against any other side I would have felt a little shamefaced if success had been achieved on Sunday as a result of Titi's trick free-kick. Yet against Chelsea there were no such feelings of ambivalence.

Sunday Best? Are We Sure Arsène's Not Naked!	Mon 06 Dec
A better memory than mine is required to recall the last time the Gunners went into a domestic home game as downright underdogs. Unlike myself at the time of writing, you will know by now the outcome of Tuesday's crucial Champion's League encounter.

Feed The Scousers, Let Them Know It's Xmas Time As Well	Sun 05 Dec
After Sunday's gut wrenching last minute goal, we had the misfortune to have to walk back around Anfield towards where I'd left the motor, through the mêlée of celebrating Scousers.

Boo To Be a Gooner	Mon 22 Nov
You can usually tell what the fickle Gooner faithful think of an Arsenal performance by the number of empty seats at the final whistle.

Gooner Guerrilla Manoeuvres: Over And Out!	Fri 19 Nov
Even if they've no affinity with the beautiful game, friends and family all know the intense feelings that are stirred in those of either faith, by Saturday's match at White Hart Lane.

We Are The Boys Who Will Have You On The Run	Mon 08 Nov
When Wenger walked into the slightly shabby but pleasantly, intimate surroundings of the press-conference room at Selhurst Park last weekend, he certainly wasn't giving off the sort of "don't panic, don't panic" vibe of Corporal Jones.

Dutchman's Foot Plugs The Arsenal's Dyke	Mon 01 Nov
I doubt this column would have existed for long if I'd succumbed to the frequent temptation to paraphrase this entire piece with the cliché attributed to that great goal poacher Jimmy Greaves.