Costly Blunder Against Baggies

So by now you have surely seen that Arsenal failed to come away from West Brom with a win, and had to settle for a 2-2 draw yesterday. In a match we really needed to win to keep up with Man United at the top of the league, Arsenal typically had to do things the hard way.

West Brom took an early lead after some bad defending from a Baggies corner in the 3rd minute, Steven Reid climbing high to head home. Going 1-0 down that early in the game is never a good way to start the match, especially when you're away from home against a team battling relegation. But things got worse, when Manuel Almunia decided to leave his area in the 58th minute in an "attempt" to clear the ball from danger. It was probably the worst decision of his professional career, and there have been plenty of horrors in the past to compete. There was no need for Almunia to rush out and try and clear the ball, no need at all. Squillaci had Peter Odemwingie close to him, but not so close that it was a clear goal-scoring opportunity and Odemwingie was so far away from goal that the danger was minimal even if Squillaci messed things up. If Almunia had just allowed Squillaci to deal with the ball on his own, the disaster that followed would never have occurred. Instead, Almunia sprinted out to meet the ball, thus getting in Squillaci's way and letting Odemwingie collect the ball and slot home into an empty net. 2-0 West Brom and Arsenal's season effectively over.

Luckily the Gunners didn't crumble from this setback like they have before so often throughout this campaign. Arshavin soon pulled a goal back with a fantastic effort, showing nice control and accurate finishing. It wasn't long until Arsene Wenger's men managed to tie things up when a deep cross came off of West Brom's post/part of Bendtner and fell to Abdoulaye Meite who failed to clear the ball and van Persie pounced. In a weird tackle-but-shot-kind-of-thing the Dutch star connected with the ball enough for it to roll over the line and level the score. Arsenal had a chance to win it late on (Clichy's low shot narrowly pushed around the post) but could have lost it too were it not for a terrific last-ditch block from Squillaci. It finished 2-2 which is a fair scoreline given the events that happened during the game, but for a team challenging for the title, this wasn't good enough yet again.

Ever since Almunia supplanted Jens Lehmann as the Gunner's number one keeper, he has hardly endeared himself to the Arsenal faithful. When Almunia first took over from Lehmann in the 04/05 campaign, he started well enough but made too many mistakes to ever be a reliable choice. Almunia ousted Jens once again in the 07/08 campaign, this time for good, but again he was hardly convincing and ever since fans have cried out for Wenger to buy a new keeper in each transfer window since Lehmann left the club. Now 'Mad Jens' is back, all 41 years of the crazy German, and Almunia has fucked himself again with his performance yesterday. Jens was obviously just brought in as a backup, since Fabianski and Szczesny are going to miss a long time, but now Lehmann is in a position to see serious playing time. Almunia, gifted another chance to prove he belongs at this club, has fallen at the first hurdle and even his most ardent supporters will struggle to defend him for much longer. Wenger now has a dilemma on his hands; to stick with the sometimes-brilliant but often clumsy and error-prone Almunia, or chuck the baby out with the bath water completely and start the wise but elderly veteran Lehmann. Either way, surely Almunia's days at the club are numbered and the gloves must be handed over permanently to Szczesny and Fabianski in the summer. We can't keep throwing games away because our keeper is the weak link, and Wenger has let this problem grow for far too long.

Arsenal take a bit of a break now due to the internationals coming up, and don't play again until April 2nd when Blackburn visit the Emirates. In Gunners-related news, lasagnechef over at The Cannon has posted leaked photos of what is apparently going to be our new home shirt for next season. I have long heard the rumours that we are going to celebrate our 125th anniversary next year, and I've seen a different pic of this design before. Its extremely hard to know if this recent batch of photos are of a fake design because it looks pretty real to me and so far I like what I see. I agree with The Cannon, some red and white stripy socks would go well with that shirt. We'll probably have to wait until May/June to find out what the official design will look like but I reckon it won't be much different than what we are seeing below (click on the image to see it bigger).

Thanks for reading.

Precious Points Cost Gunners

3 crucial points in the Premier League race but at what cost? Arsenal dispatched Stoke City 1-0 tonight, thanks to a Sebastien Squillaci header in the 8th minute, and are keeping the pressure on Man United who are now only 1 point ahead at the top of the league. But victory came at a price, with Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott both forced from the pitch with injuries, the severity of which has yet to be determined. Fingers crossed they are only out of action for days, not weeks.

I think most Arsenal fans expected a tough scrappy game tonight and that's exactly what happened. The Gunners started brightly, with Theo hitting the post after just a minute played. Arsenal kept the pressure on Stoke and it soon paid off when a Jack Wilshere corner found its way to Nicklas Bendtner, who lobbed the ball onto the head of Squillaci to head the ball home for the lead. Not a beautiful goal like we Gooners may have become accustomed to, but an important goal nonetheless, and Squillaci's first in the Premier League. It was a good pass from Bendtner too, his only meaningful contribution this evening (but how important in the scheme of things).

Once the Gunners went 1-0 up, they dominated possession but couldn't extend the lead, much to the frustration of all Arsenal-supporting spectators. The game became quite niggly, with Stoke typically nipping at the heels of every player wearing the red and white. Fabregas was taken off just five minutes after the goal, with what looked like a knee problem (although they're saying on Radio 5 now it might be his hamstring - shiiiiiiiiit). Hopefully he is not seriously hurt and his substitution was just a precaution ahead of Sunday's Carling Cup Final against Birmingham (I think having the captain fully fit on Sunday is going to help us immensely). Arshavin replaced Cesc and I thought he played quite well for the remainder of the match. Nasri and Wilshere were masterful in midfield, pulling the strings in the captain's absence, which was absolutely crucial in maintaining possession throughout the contest. The defence played well, with Djourou and Squillaci coming out on top against Stoke's big target men - pleasing to see given that our squad are vertically challenged in most departments. Overall this was not a nice game to watch, in fact it was downright horrible most of the time. Despite Stoke failing to create many clear-cut goal opportunities, every set-piece and every stupid time wasting Rory Delap throw-in looked dangerous. When you're only 1-0 up and have wasted larger leads previously in the season, the nerves build up as time ticks down. So when the final whistle blew, I was more relieved than happy.

So Arsene Wenger's men came away with the all 3 valuable points tonight but losing Fabregas and Walcott could really hinder our chances on Sunday, as well as the upcoming games against Barcelona and other Premier League games in the near future. Attention now turns to Wembley, and the Carling Cup Final against Birmingham. I've booked the day off work so I'll be there in the pub to watch us try and end our trophy drought. Really, really, really want us to finally win this bloody competition, as the League Cup is the only domestic trophy Wenger hasn't won. Looking forward to Sunday! Until then...

Thanks for reading.

Just heard that Walcott has an ankle sprain, and so will miss the Carling Cup Final on Sunday. A major blow, his pace would have given the Blues a real problem. Balls...

Oh What A Night

Arsenal shocked the football world last night, coming from behind to beat Barcelona 2-1 at the Emirates in the first leg of the first round of the knock-out stages in the Champions League. It was the match that everyone wanted and thankfully it was my side that came out on top, recording a historic victory in what was an absolute classic.

I was at the pub early to get a good seat for the game and the place was a madhouse, absolutely packed (thankfully, the majority of spectators seemed to be fellow Gooners). In fact it was so busy I didn't get my food which I ordered at 7 until kickoff began. Whilst enjoying a burger, the Gunners started brightly, nearly taking an early lead after 5 minutes or so. Fabregas looped a ball over the Barca defence into the path of van Persie, who volleyed from a tight angle right at Victor Valdes. So close, but a promising start. However it didn't take long for the Catalans to show just how dangerous they could be when Messi narrowly missed putting his side in front after 15 minutes. A David Villa pass put Messi in the clear but his chipped shot was inches wide. A huge sigh of relief could be heard around the Emirates and in the pub - Arsenal had dodged a bullet, as Messi usually converts those sort of chances 99% of the time. Moments later the Gunners were on the attack again when Walcott's pass split the Barca defence and put Fabregas into a great position, whose cross for the diving van Persie was just narrowly cut out by Abidal. But seconds later the Emirates was stunned. Messi played a beautiful through ball between Djourou and Clichy into David Villa, who made no mistake dispatching the ball underneath Szczesny to make it 1-0 Barca. Things almost went from bad to worse when seconds later Szczesny made a great save from Pedro that could have buried Arsenal completely. Luckily the Gunners didn't crumble and immediately replied when Wilshere played in van Persie with a beautiful pass, which the Dutchman really should have converted (he sliced his left foot shot badly). The game was frantic now, end to end stuff, but again Barca showed just how lethal they could be; after picking his way through our defence Messi played in Pedro who looked certain to score, but Szczesny did well again, making a fantastic save to deny the Spaniards a second goal. Messi bundled the rebound in but thankfully he was judged to be offside (although he probably wasn't). Before I knew it the half time whistle was blown, 45 minutes gone just like that.

Arsenal started the second half just as they did the first, looking dangerous and attacking with speed but still struggling to carve out a clear goal scoring opportunity. Then after 67 minutes Messi nearly put the game beyond doubt. After Eboue failed to clear, Iniesta put Messi in to make it 2-0 but the Argentinian star could only hit the side netting. But wasteful Barca were soon made to pay for not converting their chances. After Messi failed to score, Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola brought on the defensive Seydou Keita for David Villa, in an effort to shore up the defence and hold on to their lead. Wenger made a substitution also, bringing on Arshavin for Song, a change that would prove critical. With Barcelona now sitting back (well, not quite, they are Barcelona after all!) Arsenal went all out to claw themselves back into the game and in the 78th minute the North London side struck. After some work down the left flank between Arshavin and Clichy, the Frenchman chipped the ball over Gerard Pique into van Persie's path who smashed the ball past Valdes from the tightest of angles. When everyone watching expected a cross, including Valdes, the Dutch magician squeezed home the most accurate shot you are likely to see in a long time to make it 1-1, and game on. It just had to be van Persie, my favourite player in recent times, that made the difference - a phenomenal moment. The Emirates and the pub erupted (I hurt my voice-box from shouting) and it wasn't long until things got even better. Five minutes later, after Koscielny intercepted what could have been an extremely dangerous Barca pass, El Capitan, Barcelona's favourite Gunner Cesc Fabregas, played an incredible ball across half the pitch that split the Spaniard's defence wide open, releasing Nasri. Instead of opting to shoot, Nasri cut the ball back and played it across the penalty box to Arshavin, who stylishly clipped the ball around the Barca defenders and past Valdes to make it 2-1 and send every Arsenal fan in the world into total euphoria. Within five minutes Arsene Wenger's men had come back against the best team in the world to take the lead. Incredible stuff. Arsenal managed to hold on for the win, but not without some panic when Szczesny saved well from Dani Alves, then Arshavin's attempt at nodding the ball back to Szczesny was almost intercepted and converted by Alves, before finally Eboue cleared the ball with an almighty hoof into Row Z. The final whistle blew seconds later and Arsenal had done it, completed the impossible task of knocking the Catalan giants off their perch, taking a 2-1 advantage into the second leg. Now obviously the tie is only half-way complete, there is still the daunting prospect of facing Barca again at the Camp Nou, but this win will provide the team with a massive psychological boost heading into that game, and hopefully for the rest of the season. Because last night proved, that above all, when Arsenal play at their best, they can beat the best teams in the world. What a classic.

I can't really fault any of our players after the performance they gave as team. Jack Wilshere raised his game on the biggest stage of all and was easily the man of the match for me. He consistently turned and rolled away from the opposition's attempts to dispossess him but he was always aware, eyes up constantly looking for a teammate. A fantastic game for our English prodigy, proving to the masses that he's not just 'one for the future', but he's performing right now. I think credit must also go to Laurent Koscielny who had a wonderful night in defence considering who he was up against. By no means did he have Messi in his back-pocket, but I reckon that Koscielny probably gave the Argentinian the hardest game he's had for some time, and Kos managed to keep Lionel from reeking too much havoc against us. A classy game from the Frenchman and a big "fuck you" to the critics who doubt his ability at this level.

Things got even better this morning (I know what you're saying, "How on earth could things be better?!") when I saw that my Cavaliers had handed the World Champion Lakers their third defeat in a row, recording a momentous win heading into the All-Star break, beating Los Angeles 104-99. Ramon Sessions was a beast, attacking the rim at will, and ended up recording 32 points and 8 assists. Sweet revenge against Kobe and his boys since the last time we played L.A. A memorable win for sure and it deserves a picture of course!

Anyway, I've got a lot of uni work coming up soon so I'll blog what I can when I can. If you've made it this far through this essay of a post, thank you very much for reading!

Time To Bounce Back

Arsenal are in Portugal tonight for their Champions League clash against Braga. The Gunners need just a draw to ensure qualification into the knock-out rounds, but Arsene Wenger's men will undoubtedly be looking for a comprehensive win to bounce back from the crushing defeat at the weekend against Spurs. We'll be looking to take all three points this evening to ensure we finish top of the group - it could be very important later on in the competition.

The less said about the North London derby the better. I didn't watch it, instead I had to suffer through it by checking the BBC Football site whilst I was at work. You can imagine the joy I felt when I saw we were 2-0 up, thanks to Nasri and Chamakh. "Excellent!" I thought. So I checked later on to see it was 2-2, and I knew right then and there that the hurt wasn't over yet. Reluctantly I checked the web again, and to my dismay I saw the final score, 3-2 to Spurs. "Urrrrrrrrrrrgh" was what I came out with, or some rude curse word. It just pisses me off that we, A) Keep dropping points at home, B) We didn't capitalise on Chelsea losing AGAIN, and C) We gave away a two goal lead to the old enemy and lost. No doubt you can expect another classless DVD release from the marketing department in Tottenham very soon.

When you lose in such a fashion as Arsenal did, it is crucial to bounce back with a display that the team and the fans will be proud of, to show us all that the world is not in fact crumbling around us as we speak (maybe a bit dramatic...). Travelling away in the Champions League is never an easy task, as the previous clash against Shakthar demonstrated. I expect Braga to present us with a similar challenge, and I don't imagine the Gunners will cruise to a dominant win like we did when we last faced the Portuguese side. Especially as it appears Arsene will be resting some of our key players tonight.

From my understanding, Arshavin, van Persie and Clichy have not travelled for tonight's game, due to injuries and Wenger wanting to rotate the squad a bit. Clichy has a back problem, but its not such a problem when the young Gibbs can just slot right in. I can understand van Persie being rested, as we all know his track record with injuries - it's probably a smart move to save him for a more important game. I'm still a little disappointed not see Robin on the bench though; he's always been one of my favourite players on the team, so I always like to see him get some minutes. Hopefully it won't be long until he's 100% fit and back in the starting lineup. Arshavin's exclusion from the squad is not a big surprise, as we have adequate cover for him and it won't hurt him to get some rest for a few days.

Apparently Cesc may also be on the bench as a precaution, but he is still in line for a potential start. Again, it makes sense for Wenger not to risk our captain in a game where we realistically only need a point. Given Fabregas's recent troubles with his hamstring, it's a wise decision. Wilshere, Nasri or Rosicky can fill in for Cesc when needed and I expect that will happen tonight. So that's the people who are missing, but who is actually going to play? Well, I'm not Arsene Wenger so I don't know, but I can use the power of prediction and venture a guess or two. I'd like to see Bendtner get a full 90 minutes, and Theo to get a run-out too. In light of Bendtner requesting more playing time in the press recently, it only makes sense to hand him a place in the starting eleven and see if he can back up his words with goals. Don't be surprised to see Bendtner lineup alongside Chamakh this evening, or replace the Moroccan altogether. In midfield, Wilshere, Denilson and Song would be more than acceptable for this type of game, but Nasri could slot back into midfield if Wenger wants a bit more creativity in the middle of the park.

I'd really like to be in the pub tonight to watch the game, but I'm still unsure if I will. Other commitments and the like, you know how it is. All I want to see, hear, and know is that Arsenal play to their best and just get the job done. No more mental lapses, no more gifting teams easy goals. Just win. Check out Arseblog's match preview for a more in-depth look ahead of tonight's clash; he doesn't bullshit anyone.

Thanks for reading.

Something To Braga About

At last I have returned from my Spanish adventure, and have had a lot of catching up to do in the world of the internet. My Browns lost the season opener (not much of a surprise), my Indians have already decided where they're going on holiday as they are just going through the motions now, and the Buckeyes are 2-0 with wins over Marshall and Miami. Ohio State football is my new passion this year, as I have yet to really get into the college game, so I will just refer to them as THE Buckeyes, as they are not yet MY Buckeyes (give it some more time and devotion though).

However, my Arsenal were kind enough to wait for me to get home before they started their Champions League campaign, against Portuguese side S.C. Braga. I did miss the weekend game against Bolton, but I caught the highlights on Match of the Day and that was satisfactory enough for me considering I was on holiday. But I was lucky enough to get home just in time for last night's game, and I'm extremely glad I was able to see it. I was pretty confident ahead of the match, we usually seem to do well in the group stage of the CL, especially at home. My confidence was rewarded in the end thanks to a dominating performance and a thumping 6-0 victory. I won't bother giving a match review as you can everything you need to know right here. But I will share a few thoughts and feelings on what I saw; I'll try to be brief!

Fabregas was magnificent as always. His penalty was very well taken, and his header was a nice finish also (it's always nice to see a midfielder like him score a goal with his head - it just doesn't look like it should happen). His passing was exemplary and yet again he proved how valuable he really is to us. From what I saw against Bolton, Cesc was at his play-making best as it looked like he had a big part to play in all four goals that day. Against Braga last night, he carried on his brilliance from the weekend and he completely ran the show. Arshavin continued his good start to the season as well; he looked dangerous on the ball, took his goal well, and apart from a few wayward passes the little Russian put in a fine display. I was glad to see Chamakh get another goal for himself at the Emirates, after a some nifty but very odd work from Jack Wilshere (like a back-heel pass, but with his standing foot... it was really weird). Carlos Vela, the "king of the chip shot", also played well when he came on for Chamakh. His first goal, which of course was a chip over the keeper, was beautiful and his second goal was finished nicely from a pretty tight angle. I am still unsure if young Carlos will fulfil his potential - the hype surrounding him a couple of years ago was pretty high, with many fans (high expectations attached) itching to see him in the red and white. Vela has struggled so far in his still-early Arsenal career, but I don't think this can be entirely blamed on his performances alone. I believe that Wenger has yet to give him a real chance to show off his stuff, and I don't really know why. When we had a few strikers out with injury a season or two ago, Wenger seemed reluctant to hand Vela a place in the starting eleven on a regular basis, and when he did Vela was stuck up front alone against teams like Stoke and Hull, who would kick the crap out of the young Mexican. However, so far Vela has started this new season impressively and if he keeps scoring goals in the minutes he's given, I hope Wenger will provide Carlos with more opportunities, not just 10 minute cameos in games with lost causes or blowouts. Keep on trucking Vela, I'd like nothing more than to see you become an Arsenal great.

All in all, last night's win was the beautiful game at it's best, and an Arsenal win with plenty of goals never fails to put a smile on my face. Now that the Indians' season is practically over, the posts here on Escape To Forest City will start to take on a dominant Arsenal theme (didn't they already?). If I can get down to Twerton Park a few times this year I will also write some stuff about Bath City, so this blog will end up being pretty football filled. I will still be writing about the Browns, but if they are too hideous to watch, I may end up avoiding them like the plague, and we'll see how the Cavs get on too in the post-LBJ era. So apologies to any of my readers who are not interested in the Arsenal stuff... maybe you'll learn to love it, with time... right?

Thanks for reading.

Exciting Day Out At The Emirates

Finally, it was my time. Yesterday was, much to my shame, my very first proper Arsenal game, as the Gunners took on AC Milan in the Emirates Cup. I have been a Gooner since I was 6 years old, a member since I was 7, but I had still never been to Highbury or the Emirates in my time as a devoted fan. There are many reasons for this; I live about 3 hours away from North London, so travelling there takes some preparation. Possibly the largest obstacle in my way has been the cost of seeing my team, as tickets in my lifetime have increased to stupid amounts and the availability is usually limited. So the cost of the ticket is pricey enough, but then I have to take into account travel expenses also; it makes attending Arsenal games a bit tricky.

However, there has been one shining light in recent years - The Emirates Cup. A pre-season tournament, only friendlies, but nevertheless a chance to see Arsenal, my beloved Arsenal, in the flesh and with most of the first team in attendance. Since it's existence at the beginning of the 07/08 season, I knew this would be my best chance to get tickets at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, I have been unable to attend the previous tournaments due to a variety of reasons: a sister's wedding, a holiday abroad etc. But this was the year, I had waited long enough, and at the age of 21 it was embarrassing that I still not been to see my team in the flesh. My Dad and I managed to get tickets back in April or May I think it was, and the excitement began to build.

We travelled up to London yesterday morning and managed to arrive at the stadium around 1 o'clock, which gave us an hour to look around and relax before the first game of the day, Celtic vs. Lyon at 2pm. I had been to the Emirates before, on a trip to London for university research purposes, but it was a totally new experience for my Dad. We came out of Arsenal station into a mass of fellow Gooners and we hit the refreshments first for some munch and lunch. I purchased the new issue of Gooner magazine and after chowing down our bacon rolls and chips (healthy right?), we made our way to the stadium. First stop was The Armoury, as a bit of browsing the official store was essential. I was very keen to purchase the new home shirt, but alas, I am but a poor student and shouldn't really be splashing the cash on a £50 shirt when I'm about to go and visit my girlfriend the very next day. After teasing myself with stuff I couldn't really afford, and my Dad leaving disappointed that the shirt he wanted wasn't in his size, we made our way up to our seats, block 91 in the Upper Tier, right on the half way line - a brilliant view. On my way I bought a programme, like I do at every sporting event I go to. The special Emirates Cup edition was very smart, worth the £5 easily.

We settled down just in time for Celtic and Lyon to begin their game, and what a brilliant game it was. Both sides had early chances, but Lyon's movement and quality passing soon came into effect as they began to dominate possession. I hardly knew any of Lyon's players, only Makoun and Michel Bastos really, but they were all very composed and confident on the ball. It was Bastos who got the first goal of the day, a rocket of a free kick that flew into the top corner, a stunner! 1-0 to Lyon, and Celtic were on the ropes early on. I was really impressed with the Scottish contingent that had travelled down to London for the day. They packed their corner of the stadium and were singing and chanting for practically the entire game, even when Lyon took a 2-0 lead through Harry Novillo's goal from a well worked move. Nothing dampened their spirits and they were rewarded for their support with a goal from new signing Gary Hooper, who volleyed home from point blank range, completely unmarked. A nice finish but he was quiet for most of the game and I was constantly wondering why he decided to choose 88 as his squad number. Apparently its because that's when he was born (snap!) and it's his lucky number... ok then. The Celtic faithful were really celebrating now, and had more to look forward to. Substitute Georgios Samaras scored at the death to steal a draw from Lyon, who to be honest chucked the game away after having a comfortable 2-0 lead. But credit to Celtic, who never gave up and got a fine result in the end.

The Arsenal and Milan players soon emerged from the tunnel and came out to warm up. I instantly started trying to identify who I could see and recognise (all of them as it turns out). Before I knew it the players vacated the pitch to get changed, and were back out ready for the start of the match. However, the Celitc fans had all left their seats and were never to return as they spent the rest of the day getting pissed at the bars. I thought it was a bit of a joke really, you pay all that money to come and see a football match, you're essentially getting one for free, and they all buggered off to get drunk leaving masses of empty red seats. It was a real shame, as apart from that corner designated for the away fans, the stadium was absolutely packed. Despite that one small gripe, nothing could ruin my mood as Milan kicked off for my first live Arsenal game. And what a first half it was.

I'm not going to provide a play by play review of the game, you can find that anywhere on the web. I'd rather comment on the players I saw and how I felt they performed on the day. A natural place to begin is with our new signings, Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny: I was very impressed with both of them. Chamakh, who scored our only goal of the game, was brilliant and I reckon we have got quite a bargain here - he looks to be quite a player. He lead the line well as a lone striker, and his touch was brilliant, confident control on the ball at all times. He showed off a few neat skills and tricks, and his goal was taken extremely well. Arshavin came alive on the wing and brought the ball into the middle before playing a perfect pass into the path of Chamakh, who controlled the ball well before stroking it past Abbiati into the bottom corner. A beautiful goal, and I can proudly say "I was there when Chamakh scored his first Arsenal goal at the Emirates". He came off in the second half to a well-deserved standing ovation, and took home the Man of the Match award. Koscielny, our new centre back from Lorient, was also superb. You can see he reads the game extremely well, making quite a few excellent interceptions and perfectly timed tackles. I had previously read he had been rather shaky this pre-season, but I only saw a very confident player yesterday who looks like he could do well with us. I hope he enjoys the same sort of year Vermaelen enjoyed last season - they could be a very good partnership now Gallas has left the club.

My other impressions of the players are as follows: First of all, it was just amazing to finally see everybody in person. I have seen Gibbs and Randall before, at a testimonial game in Dorchester a couple of years ago. Gibbs started the game at left back, and as much as I love Clichy, I think Gibbs is going to take over that position by the end of this season. He was very good yesterday, always breaking into space going forward and secure at the back. Randall came on in the second half and had two brilliant opportunities late on to win the game for us but he could not finish the game off. Samir Nasri was his usual mesmerising self, a wizard on the ball who twisted the Milan players in knots. He's had a very good pre-season and hopefully he can retain this form when the real season begins in a couple of weeks time. Arshavin put his mark on the game, with that brilliant run, shrugging off Gattuso, on his way to setting up Chamakh for the goal in the 36th minute. The little Russian is always puzzling to me. He often does nothing for long periods of the game, but will suddenly burst into action and create something from nothing. Quite the enigma is our Arshavin. Vermaelen was as dominating as always, strong at the back, and was unlucky not to score early on when his powerful header was just tipped over the bar by the Milan keeper.

Our midfield at the beginning of the game played very good together. Young Emmanuel Frimpong, playing in the Alexander Song position, was impressive and he's very physical, the kind of player Arsenal needs. He never pulled out of a tackle and was always scrapping for the ball - another promising talent for the near future. Jack Wilshere was good, as I expected him to be. He was doing his best Fabregas impression, pulling the strings in midfield, but I felt he was lacking that final pass or touch, that extra something that Cesc has, and what I'm used to watching every week. Still, Wilshere is only 18 and has plenty of time to grow into a complete player. Rosicky, on the right wing in the first half, was good in his time on the pitch, and was unlucky not to score after some good trickery by Nasri. I just like to see him make it through a game without being hurt if I'm honest! The substitutes in the second half were decent, but Milan took advantage of the dip in quality and Pato got them the draw after 76 minutes. Giving away such a soft goal was annoying, but its pre-season so not really a big deal. I felt Fabianski could have claimed Seedorf's free kick but he hesitated, and Djourou didn't deal with it either. Pato couldn't have missed, and he clipped it in to level the game. It finished 1-1, but Milan nearly stole the game when Zambrotta hit the bar in the dieing minutes.

All in all it was a brilliant day out, and everything I expected it to be for my first Arsenal match. I wasn't too disappointed I couldn't see Cesc and Van Persie, I knew they wouldn't be there after their World Cup adventures - I'll just have to catch them in the future (before Cesc goes to Barca I hope!). I also wasn't let down that we only drew after playing so well, because I knew it was only a pre-season game and it was the experience that mattered, the fact I got to see "my boys" in the flesh. We left our seats and checked out The Armoury one last time, where I was even more tempted to get the new home shirt, complete with Chamakh 29 on the back. The lines for the tube were horrendous, but I knew they would be, so I just enjoyed the experience and it was no problem at all. Now I want to go again, for a real game that means something, but I expect I'll have to be patient and save my pennies for that day. We'll see what I can get, maybe a midweek trip to a Champions League group match, or a Carling Cup/ FA Cup game. Anything I can get really! But I'm looking forward to it already.

Thanks for reading, apologies for the essay length!