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November 21, 2004
Arsenal (0) 1 - 1 (0) WBA
East Village Gooner's on a road trip and sent in this match report from London. He'll be in Eindhoven on Wednesday and posting a match report from there...
The day started well, with my flight making it to Heathrow right on time. I got through passport control quickly, too, and made it to Highbury with about an hour to spare before kickoff. Headed with my friend Rob into the Auld Triangle for a pint (and an attempt to find Teabag - didn't happen - sorry 'bag!). Got chips and a sausage and headed into the match. Great seat in the North Bank Lower and all was looking good...
Needless to say, the headline of this match: Another week, another unsuccessful attempt at holding a 1-goal lead.
West Brom were up for the game, got a deserved equalizer after a great piece of control and left with their point.
After WBA scored to make it 1-1, Arsenal never really went close. This game was more about chances that went close but not quite in:
In the first half, Henry took a great freekick but it was sent away by an equally great save.
After Pires scored to make it 1-nil, he provided Henry with a great chance to make it two with a great run and even better pass. But Henry couldn't get it off his feet and nothing came of it.
Later, Dennis (who played poorly, to be honest) had his one sublime moment of the match. He picked out Cygan unmarked on the edge of the 6-yard box with a good cross, but Pascal was Pascal and hit his header over the bar. That should've made it 2-nil. And I swear if he would've scored I would've gone to the Arsenal World of Sport and had a Cygan jersey printed up. I'm not kidding. I might've even shaved my head -- just for you Neil.
Reyes and van Persie came on late, but it didn't make much difference... a draw was on the cards.
Afterwards we retired to The Gunners tavern for a few more pints. We had heard Chelsea had won 2-1. Then, inexplicably, Sky Sports flashed a 2-2 scoreline -- apparantely unknown to us, they game had been delayed. When the Chelsea draw was shown, the cheer went up in The Gunners and spirits were raised.
It's off to PSV on Weds... as my mate Rob said, we usually go into Europe looking great in the league and then look crap in Europe. We can only hope it'll prove opposite in Holland.
Man of the Match: Pires/Freddie. Our wide midfielders were easily the best players on the pitch -- especially on a day when Henry's touch repeatedly let him down.
MIA of the Match: DB10. Just had an off-game -- heard from another guy that was at the match that there were people in the North Bank upper saying he "should've retired already" and that Henry is "a waste of money." That's going a little far -- MILES far -- but they pair did have an off game.
Song of the Match: "Santini, oh-oh-oh, Santini, oh-oh-oh, He found out Spurs were shit, that's why he fucking quit. Santini, oh-oh-oh, Santini, oh-oh-oh."
Bevvy report: At least 10 Fosters over the course of the night, a Carlsberg at some point and a Budweiser -- the original kind, from Czechoslovakia or something. Oh, and one shot of something milky and alcoholic. We ended up watching the Real/Barca match at a Sports Bar in Leicester Square and hours later took a night bus back to Rob's in South London. Needless to say, I passed out on the bus. I have a tendency to fall asleep on public transport. It's a good thing I'm not a bus driver.
More from Eindhoven in mid-week...
EVG
Posted by gcurtis at November 21, 2004 05:37 PM