Yesterday Arsenal V Blackburn Rovers!!!

Gunners lack fire (but I don’t care coz I was there!)

The bookies had put the score 3-2 to Arsenal on the posters in the windows so this promised to be a good match, especially after Arsenal were fresh from the electric match at Bolton and Blackburn Rovers were having a good run in the Premiership. However bookies are there to make money so perhaps their predictions are not to be taken seriously. This was a match of no goals. It was a disappointing result but I loved every minute of it. Not impressed by the score or rather the lack of scoring, but when you are there at the stadium it doesn’t really matter. This was my first ever match, I was simply in awe of everything and whether they scored or not didn’t affect me that greatly-although obviously I would have absolutely loved it if they had-I was just grateful to be sitting there, just rows away from Wenger and Tomas and Adebayor who were sitting on the sub bench which was oh so near us!

It was a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions before we had even got into the ground. Sue and I got there early and were soaking up the atmosphere and looking at the stalls selling fake Arsenal t shirts and scarves. We paid our respects at the semi demolished Highbury and then found our way to the spanking new, shiny Emirates. Posed on a giant A for a photo and hung around for a bit waiting for Adam. We waited and waited and still there was no sign. I tried calling but his phone was off. We started to panic-what if he was hungover from the night before and had forgotten about the match? My instructions had been rather vague (although he kindly said that they were “very good”)-what if he was standing outside Highbury station wondering where we were? Finally I managed to get in touch with him and he was on his way! I reprimanded Susan for not having faith in Ads-of course he would be there-brilliant guy that he is (although not one to reply to text messages which would have soothed our frayed nerves somewhat)!

Absolutely stoked when Jonas walked his way over to us-just as I was singing “Adam Robertson Jonas”-Brad Schmauss style. We took our magical season passes and scanned them through the turnstiles and we were in! Adam’s first move was to head towards the man in fluorescent clothing with BEER in huge letters on him, but we were turned down for not having ID. I’m never usually asked for ID-was shocked and appalled naturally! We found our section and were walking down the stairs to locate our row and the brilliant thing was that we had to walk further and further down, closer and closer to the pitch! Sitting happily in Block 2, Lower Tier, Row 10 seat 36 and seat 35 we were about 5m from the pitch and had the best possible view, a view similar to that of our near neighbour Mr Wenger. We were totally on the same level as Arsenal-practically. It was incredible; I was totally taken aback when we stepped into the stadium the sun shining down upon us on this beautiful sky blue day-awe struck. It was huge, rows upon rows of red seats towering everywhere and a beautiful green crisp looking pitch with Arsenal players warming up. Rosicky and Adebayor were right there in real life kicking the ball about to each other-I think I squeaked quite a lot before finding my seat where we continued to squeak and exclaim whenever we spotted a player: “There’s Walcott, there’s Henry!” A giant dragon thing came on and a little kid was kicking the ball at it. It was totally surreal, bizarre and unreal sitting there-it didn’t really sink in until the second half that I was actually there. The pitch looked a bit smaller than I’d expected at first. We also saw Almunia practising his dives and leaps as Theo shot at him, he saved each of Walcott’s attempts-I never knew goalkeeping could be so exciting.

It seemed to get off to a relatively high tempo start, but being Emirates which seems to have a lackadaisical influence over the players (remember their first ever match here-the opposing team scored the first ever goal to be scored on this hallowed turf), this quickly deteriorated ooh Manchester United are on TV now, I’ll just go and watch my other team-hopefully victory here-Adam said I was “scum” for supporting two teams-he was joking, c’mon Ronaldo-low life that I am! It’s more fun having two teams! OK I’m back now, another draw, but this was 1-1 with a goal struck with conviction by Carrick and a curling header from the Reading player (name began with a H?) They showed a compilation of clips of Ronaldo’s skills of the match-his little twinkle toes on fire-it was very erotic!

Arsenal played beautifully, gracefully passing the ball to each other, Theo would make an impressive run with the ball demonstrating the pace he possesses and would then lose the ball, but there was no urgency in their game. They seemed happy to pass the ball around all afternoon, and I’d have happily watched them do so, and probably procured around 70% worth of possession, however they could not convert this into goals. Why not?! I’d made an effort this morning; I was in my smart black jeans, blue Tommy Hilfiger Miaow cat top and my smooth black Corey Martinez Orchid shoes, surely they could have too-dare I say it, but Rosicky’s hair looked a little greasey-oh the blasphemy-mine in contrast was looking rather shiny if I don’t say so myself.

Didn’t see much from Henry in the first half, Senderos seemed to be delivering lots of headers and defending well, Cesc was running about holding the fort and passing with skill and accuracy, Walcott was working hard, Ljungberg was looking good-there seemed to be lots going on, but not near to the goals, I don’t think either goalkeeper was tested at all in the first half. Wenger seemed happy enough with their play and while he stood up now and again he mainly sat back and relaxed-perhaps this was their plan, pass the ball elegantly around for the entire first half and try to score in the last 10 minutes-this is certainly how the game was played out-I don’t think the fans were too happy about this. In fact they scared me quite a bit! The singing was fun -“we love Cesc Fabregas” to the tune of one of Mozart’s arias- but there was a lot swearing “you fucking muppet” and aggression towards all things Blackburn as well as the Ref “are you a Blackburn supporter?” “do you need my glasses?” They were fiercely defensive of their team which is fair enough but sometimes it was too extreme-if a Blackburn player so much as brushed past an Arsenal player they were shouting for a penalty. There was some diving/players going down too easily and the fans backed the over dramatic falls of the Arsenal players. Overall it was all in good spirit though, I just laughed every time an Arsenal player went down and when abuse was hurled at the ref. The time flew by and before I knew it it was half time.

The second half was still rather complacent but there was more attacking from Arsenal this time and Wenger seemed to get more fired up towards the very end pacing about and puffing his cheeks as only he can. We were delighted to see the subs Rosicky, Adebayor and Clichy come on (the latter showing us some nifty skills at one point). We’d been watching them warming up- Tomas running up to the little corner flag and back, his hair bopping about-and then I was watching closely as they changed shirts-Tomas had a red vest thing on and put his Arsenal shirt on over this, so no chest was seen…sadly. We knew the dynamics would be changed with the raring to go Rosicky, and while I have this theory that Rosicky plays better when Cesc is not playing (while Cesc plays brilliantly with or without Tomas, Tomas plays well with Cesc but excels in his absence) the two were playing well together and making good interchanges with the ball. Time ticked by extremely quickly and before we knew it there were only ten minutes to go-while Blackburn hadn’t appeared to be doing anything, having hardly touched the ball-they’d succeeded in preventing Arsenal from getting too far forward.

Now Arsenal suddenly realising that they needed to find the back of the net, piled on the pressure and it got a lot more exciting. At one point the ball soared high into the air and then was freefalling into our path-I just saw this silver ball heading right at me while I ducked and everyone else leaped up to catch it. There were lots of attempts on goal and Rosicky came close many times and one time in particular which was just about saved, he and Cesc were working hard to keep the ball heading goalwards and Henry and Adebayor were certainly trying to get it in from the passes of Cesc and Tomas but to no avail. Hope was slipping away until we had to settle with a draw. Arsenal will be heading up north for a replay (which I bet they will win as the stakes will be higher which for sure will motivate them as well as not being in the comfort of their own home)-they like to make life hard for themselves as well as the fans. We cheered and clapped them as they walked off the pitch. I saw Flamini shirtless and Adebayor. Cesc kept his shirt on while I think Ros changed shirts with a Blackburn player but still had his vest on damn it-not that I went to the match to see shirtless men-there are strip clubs for that (joking!)

Us fans somewhat dejectedly left the stadium, while there had been no goals, I was extremely happy with my first ever football match experience, from the electronic turnstiles to the misfiring of Henry to Adam losing his crossiant (and then locating it later at the bus stop), it was absolutely brilliant seeing it first hand, for real, I can’t really explain how different it is from watching on TV but believe me-there is a big difference! Although I didn’t always believe I was there, it didn’t really register properly. I can’t wait to return with my Match Buddy Adam and whoever else I manage to drag along and see some goals next time. And I plan to buy a scarf too!