Ground: Middle Eastlands
Referee: Mike Dean
Manchester
City 1-1 Arsenal 23 September 2012
Lescott
[40] Koscielny [82]
I'm
a fan of the kind of odd symmetry football can produce at times. When the
Arsenal last met Manchester City, it was a magnificent strike from Mikel Arteta
that settled the contest, capping off a commanding all action display. On this
instance, given Vermaelen's flu induced absence, the Spaniard stepped
forward to marshal the side and did so with the same level of performance. He
was as immovable as his follicles in the heart of our midfield.
Also
due to the Verminator-shaped hole in our defense, up popped Laurent Koscielny
from Steve Bould's Center-Back Pez Dispenser and into the core of our
burgeoning rearguard. He would enjoy his own brand of symmetry, but we'll get
to that in a moment. Whisper it quietly but such is the depth growing in our
squad that the last minute absence of our captain before visiting the champions
had zero impact on my expectation that we would get something from this game.
So it was with great anticipation that I greeted tEd and Aubrey at the Factory
to take this one in.
We
headed downstairs after partaking of the superior IPA offerings on the main
level, and were soon greeted by Barry’s booming "Oooh to be a Goonah” and
his friend Eric the Villan. We were in the midst of resuming the chant discussion
from the facebook page and wondering whether Steven would join us when the Salt & Pepper MF himself arrived.
TJ
[aka S&PMF]: Somebody tell me where they
found a gun big enough for the bullet United just dodged today.
He
was right and although the Manc mob down there was loath to agree David Hirshey, who was present for both matches, did just that, thusly. As an aside---of course we brought our club bias into play, but it’s hard to
argue with the number of penalties United have been ‘awarded’ in the past year
of football compared to other sides. Between us and them it’s something like 14
to 3. Luckily for us, those charming rivals piss off to Smithfield’s faster the
spudlings leaving a North London Derby, so we tend to have the place to
ourselves if they have the early match. It’s a nice change.
Captain
Friendly rounded out the numbers nicely and we just about had our minyan. Owing
to the aforementioned manxodus, we also cozied right up to the bar for what
turned out to be a absorbing 90 minutes of football. Somewhat early on we came
to grips with the game and every single Arsenal pass was hit to feet. Around
the time I noted that Bould’s influence on team shape improves our attack as
much as defense, Diaby wrangled possession, pinged it to Cazorla, who did that
first touch swivel thing he does so well, then found Ramsey [who had a magnificent first half but
tired visibly in the second].
On
this particular move, the Welshman’s pass to Gervinho was one of the best of
the match. Gervinho’s first touch was one of the worst and Joe Hart collected
easily. We still aired the Tuesday Club’s Fernando song in his honor, although
the shooting boots that inspired it must have been left in the dressing room
after Southampton and Montpelier. No matter, our opening boded well.
We
looked full value for at least a point based on the early exchanges. City didn’t
trouble us too much and to be fair we weren’t exactly stinging Hart’s palms
[cue pun from the Captain here] but it was clear we were holding our own
defensively while dominating possession against the most expensively assembled
side in the world on their own patch. I say “own” loosely there since despite
the petrozillions they got from that ludicrous sponsorship deal, they still
lease the bloody place. FFP my arse.
So
of course, we went behind. Barry was all over Gibbs like a cheap suit for much
of the first half. To be fair, he came by that honestly considering we’ve been
subjected to 7 years of Gael Clichy, so the instinct to eagle-eye whomever
fills the LB spot for the Gunners is as involuntary as breathing. Also to be
fair, he wasn’t quite as well positioned as he could be on a few occasions. I
had just finished pointing out the improvement over Clichy when Gibbs tamely
headed a familiarly woeful cross from the former out for a corner kick, from
which Lescott naturally scored after he out-jumped Koscielny.
This
inspired the lazy criticism of zonal marking. First of all, as pointed out in this
piece, that is a misnomer. Secondly, it gave us a taste of old school TJ of
the Deep Breath, joined with vigor by Barry. It’s a crap argument that betrays
a bias by the majority of commentators against Arsenal defending. That may have
applied in seasons past, but in this case I think you have to accept that when
doing battle with the likes of Toure, Kompany and Lescott on a set piece you might
come off second best.
7amkickoff,
as he is wont to do, noted later it was the first header on target against us
this season. Given we’ve faced Stoke and Liverpool away already this term, no
strangers to the long ball, I think that little statistic puts our defensive
performances thus far in a better perspective than some knee-jerk and frankly
lazy punditry about zonal marking. Still, we took our chance to abuse said
commentators with the appropriate level of NY Gooner gusto.
Either
tEd or the Captain pointed out Arteta’s comically raised hands as the header
went in, as if he thought of just grabbing the ball. “You can’t do that!” No,
you cannot. Thankfully he didn’t or Mike Dean might have had cause to be Mike
Dean and send him off. And fair do’s, the referee was more or less spot on with
his decisions [as much as I cringe writing that] and for once TJ’s penchant of
ensuring we get jobbed by the ref after such a statement did not come to pass.
Must be all that podcasting nous bearing fruit. For his part Mike Dean must
have felt light on his feet, what without me on his back all day.
At
the halftime interval I made peace with the thought that we just might not
get something from this match, realizing that the level of performance had not
dropped off from either contest from last season, despite missing our captain
last year and this year’s appointment. We looked every bit the part of a team
capable of challenging for the title. As tEd pointed out, this lot are making
it increasingly hard to choose what name to put on the back of a shirt.
To
give weight to that point, I give you Carl Jenkinson. Last season you’d have
been seriously worried about him facing Aguero all day. This year he’s kicked
on in a significant way, to the degree that Sagna might have a job to do
displacing him. One move in the first half had him skin Lescott and pull the ball
back perfectly for Podolski who skied his first time shot with his ball-pein
right foot [as opposed to his Mjölnir
left]. Such was the level of Carl’s performance that we took to chanting his
name a la another nutty Arsenal fullback.
Corporal! Jenkinson! Corporal Corporal Jenkinson!
Speaking
of song-worthy, Mertesacker was also having the kind of display that plants
feet in the mouths of lazy hacks. Sure he can’t match City’s forwards for pace,
but his positioning was so spot on that he has rarely needed it, ever since he
arrived. He had a standout showing on Sunday, perhaps his best, and when he
didn’t just stop moves cold he stretched out a gangly leg to prod the ball to a
teammate.
Six foot six and his name is Mertesacker, telescopic leg and
his name is Mertesacker, he’ll fucking knock you out and his name is Mertesacker,
Peeeerrrrrrrr Mertesacker. *
City
clearly made adjustments at the break and as such started on the stronger foot
for the first 15 minutes or so of the second half. We were in agreement that
Ramsey should come off in favor of Chamberlain, when inevitably Theo and Giroud
popped up on the touchline to take Diaby’s and Podolski’s places. It was hard
to argue with either move, since the latter two weren’t at their best. Theo’s
pace and Giroud’s good looks, I mean power, surely would play a part in
proceedings with the match entering the latter stages.
TJ:
You know Giroud really does have nice
hair.
Me:
WHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAH
HE’S GOT NICE HAIR!**
TJ:
[puts head down on bar]
Me:
WHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAH-OOOOOOH BIG
OLIVVY AIIIRR
[credit belongs to @GeezyPeas for
this one. Give him a follow.]
We
weathered the storm and perhaps the changes gave us that extra lift we needed
to go and grab an equalizer. After another nice series of interplaying passes,
Cazorla ended up with the ball at his feet near the D and he thumped a shot
toward the top left corner that Joe Hart did just enough to paw around the upright
for a corner. The little maestro quickly set the ball down and as I channeled
Tin Lid and yelled “Mertesacker at the near post” Santi did just that and served
a sharp curling ball towards the BFG for the now customary Bould near post
routine.
So
here comes the symmetry. The ball goes
over Franz [I’m here to pump, you up] at the near post, Lescott couldn't clear
it and it landed at Koscielny’s feet. His first touch was decent. His second touch
was magnificent. Dave absolutely leathered a half volley into the top
corner, City players to a man slumped, dejected, and the effect was to
emphatically announce that we are a side to be reckoned with. Mertesacker tried
to grapple Dave but he shucked him off quite unlike someone would do to a
massive raging German. Sprint to the corner. Huge jostle in the away section.
Kos knee slide to Cazorla’s arms. Per 360 knee slide into them lot. Man pile.
One fucking one, and point taken.
We
closed the match out looking the more likely winners, but still dodged a bullet
when Mannone palmed Kompany’s overhead kick back into the box, Kos cleared only
to Aguero, and the little Argentine screwed his shot wide. Meanwhile we serenaded
the oncoming Tevez and Balotelli, who
appeared from the bench after sharing a big puffy jacket worthy of Arsene
himself.
Cuddled in a blanket, we saw you cuddled in a blanket,
cuddled in a blaaaaaaaaaaankett…***
And
an old chestnut from the Nevada days, that the Captain mightily resuscitated:
I think we found the missing link, missing link, missing
link. I think we found the missing link….Caaaarlos Tevez. ****
Jack
Keane, suitably pleased that we took points from City, served up a celebratory
round as Robbie showed us our Fox Soccer Plus cameo from
the week prior, and because this ain’t our first rodeo, not only did our full
of awesome flag get featured on air as a backdrop for TJ, tEd and yours truly,
but we got the longest segment because we paid respect to the place that makes
the football for us and so many supporters every week.
So the tale of two center-backs ended 1-1. After
a draw like this, one often reflects whether it was a point dropped or a point
gained. Considering we were out to prove our worth in the league, and
that you generally want keep rivals from getting points on your own turf, I’d
very much call this a point taken. I
am looking forward to the next match against Chelsea.
At
Barry’s request, tunes for the chants:
*Macarena
**Living
on a Prayer
***Guantanamera
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