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Kolo took out Gudjohnsen, who seemed to enjoy rolling around on our lush turf, and Markus Merk the German match official made it quite clear that he didn’t want to see a whole load more tackles like that one. I did, I loved it and I thought it was a fabulous statement of intent. Jens dropped the ball that came over from the resulting free kick but the whistle had gone for a foul. Pires who generally had an ineffective night went on a run but ended it with a poor ball. Chelsea meanwhile did little more than over hit some long diagonal balls into touch. The Nike ball being used on the night looked like something you might win at a funfair and was an obvious contender for any crappiest looking football competitions.
A low shot came from Lampard before Lauren found Edu who fired his shot low past the post. Gallas took out Reyes on halfway, it deserved and got the first yellow card of the evening. Sol cut out a reasonable attack before Henry got on the ball to fire one over at the other end. Freddie broke right before Rob and Ash combined well down our left. Henry to Lauren and Chelski hacked it clear in a spell where Arsenal dominated the play. It was all Arsenal and we were SO up for it. JFH into the back of Lauren, typical of the dirty little turd, saw the second booking of the match. We were spreading play and switching it in a controlled spell of committed attacking football. A great break by Reyes found Henry who fired wide. Kolo won a fine header but Chelski won the free kick. Jens was called on to catch a cross from their right.
A great run by Duff, on whom Lauren had until this point been seriously tight, the shot went wide but I was half expecting a corner, so was Duff. Pat set up Thierry who was just wide with his shot. Freddie was caught offside as Arsenal played some whirlwind football. It wasn’t the first time or the last that we commented on how none of the players could keep up this pace for ninety minutes. Lauren on Duff again, a blinding tackle. Cole fouled Parker to give both teams a deserved breather. Arsenal were pressing every inch of the pitch. Lauren then stopped Bridge in his tracks. Kolo stopped another break and JFH took their resulting corner. Bridge crossed and Kolo cleared. Edu on Duff for another Chelski free kick. Pat chopped down but play was waved on as we surged forward.
Pires found Thierry who was offside before play calmed down to about 90 miles an hour. Jeers as Lampard shot from long range and it went well wide. Lauren won a throw but finished up with a yellow card for his protestationsa s it was given the other way. Kolo into Hasselbaink again, JFH was not at the races. Chelski fired a cross come shot in from the Arsenal left but there was no one on the end of it. Pat found Ash who fired across the face of their goal before Pires set up a Henry shot that was blocked. Reyes found Henry who headed across the face of goal. Pat to Ashley, to Pires whose header was into the side netting, this one had me out of my seat. Makelele chopped Freddie and the expected card stayed in the ref’s pocket. Henry to Pires, to Cole for a shot that was blocked, as was Pires’. A poor clearance from Jens from a Lauren back-pass. Duff to Gudjohnsen, to Bridge in a decent move that ended with a piss-poor cross.
A better cross from Bridge skimmed an Arsenal head before rebounding off Gudjohnsen for a goal kick. Pat found Cole for another decent cross. Gudjohnsen was caught miles offside. Bridge hit a ball in that was easy for Jens. Just before half time Lauren, my man of the half, hit a cross to the far post. Henry met it and headed across goal with Melchiot nowhere to be seen, but Freddie couldn’t get on the end of it, no matter though because Jose was there to stab home with his right foot from very close range. 1-0 to the Arsenal and the half time whistle went as soon as the blues kicked off. Perfect timing for a goal. Or at least so I thought at the time.
The second half started with Arsenal seemingly unable to decide on attack or defence and Chelski replacing Parker with Gronjkaer, who for me is little more than a pain-in-the-arse to spell. Chelski broke left and Arsenal countered with one of those almost moments for Thierry. Freddie given offside, no way! JFH crossed and Sol headed over while facing his own goal. Duff’s corner headed over by Pat. Edu headed the next corner clear. Melchiot slipped as Henry passed him but Chelski won a free kick. Out of the blue Makelele, I think, hit a swerving shot that Jens saw late. Our German got his body behind it but it fell to Lampard who slammed home for the equaliser. 1-1.
Freddie found Henry who won a corner, but when was the last time we capitalised from a corner? Henry had two power shots from the edge of the box, one blocked and one wide. Chelski then had a very useful spell as we seemed to wilt. There was no cover in front of Lauren and Rob went missing.
What, why, how and when it went tits up I’m not sure, not even after long reflection. Tiredness played a part, for me the absence of Parlour in such a big match played a part, being outnumbered in midfield played a part, Chelski’s good play played a part, luck played a part. We lacked the killer edge, Henry looked less than 100%. Reyes worked his rocks off. All four centre-backs were superb. It was a terrific game for a neutral but I’m not a fecking neutral so could care less.
When Lampard shot just wide with about half an hour to go I thought that perhaps the writing was on the wall. The match went through a number of strange passages in the second half. There was a great spell of end to end stuff, great for the neutral that is: certainly not good for my heart. There was a niggly patch and a flat period where neither side could take it by the scruff of the neck. But Chelski were in the ascendancy and it maybe changed just after Reyes had a shot saved. A Cole cross hit Gronkjaer full in the face and laid him out. While I was watching the prostrate Danish international it appears that Henry had signalled the bench and was replaced by Dennis soon after. Seeing your best player disappear for a crucial period of the match, not to mention the season, is not uplifting.
A stinging shot from Kolo from all of 40 yards surprised everyone except Ambrosio who tipped it over the bar. Pat went on a solo but there was no one on the left to play the ball where he wanted to play it. Pires had a run and Freddie hit a poor cross as Dennis was called upon to enter the fray. JFH was replaced by Crespo. Joe Cole came on for Duff but was booked for a tackle on Freddie within 90 seconds of arriving. Gudjohnsen had a chance to win the match when Lehmann was caught in no-mans land but Ashley performed his speciality and cleared off the line. We were looking tired enough to get slaughtered in extra time but it never arrived. With three minutes remaining Bridge raced through in what used to known as the inside left channel to feck up our hopes in Europe for another season. A total bummer and no time to do much about it.
I’ve tried thinking of all the money I’ve saved on trips to Cardiff and more salubrious European outposts, but it does nothing to improve my mood or demeanour. Recollecting all the beautiful football I’ve watched all season helps, but doesn’t really do much for me right now either. There’s only one thing that will lift me now and the team that’s played the most beautiful football of any team in the world this season has eight games left to end the season in a way that will leave me with a grin on my face all summer. And anyone who doesn’t know what I’m on about shouldn’t be reading this.