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Anyway the Friday night hangovers were still evident as we called off for breakfast in the back of beyond. Needless to say an early kick-off meant 'The Old Peacock' Pub wasn't open on our arrival and we had to queue till eleven o'clock for the bars to open in the ground, this despite pleas that we are a French team and it was already eleven in la belle France.
The hardships of enduring an early start on a Saturday morning were however greatly diminished, due mainly to yet another amazing performance by the mighty Arse. Another day another record and another awesome display. No Dennis or Martin so in stepped Cygan and Kanu, Freddie was given a break so in stepped Toure and all three did us proud. In fact everyone in a blue shirt did us proud.
Sitting low behind the goal was not the greatest of views but you can sit anywhere within 400 yards of Arsenal these days and just lap up the sheer brilliance. Cygan won the first header. Kanu found Henry. Lauren in well early on and those who last season showed concern about our two full backs ability to defend have gone very quiet, and so they should. Gilberto who had another fine match fouled Bowyer shortly after their number eleven hand balled. Some neat tidying up by Ralph. Alan Smith was very late on the most fouled player in the Premiership. He then chopped Kolo and got a yellow card, couldn't happen to a nicer fellow. Kolo appeared to be hurt quite badly. I do like Smith though, he was the only player in a white shirt who gave 100% for 90 minutes, he may be a vicious little thug but he alone didn't roll over and die at any point in the game.
Having endured some rough stuff we hit a rhythm and started to play. Cygan to Kanu to Henry and on to Gilberto who headed across the face of goal. A fine ball from Wiltord to Kanu. Then Toure and Henry worked some neat one- twos. Cole joined an attack down the left at speed, put a neat ball inside to Kolo who drove into their box. Toure slipped a great cut back into the path of our leggy Nigerian who's good run found him in enough space for a tap in. 0-1 to Arsenal and the goals in every game record was exclusively ours.
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Still the fouls, and vicious fouls at that, flew in. Dacourt in the back of Vieira got a well deserved yellow. This just after Bakke had taken out Cole. Henry had a shot saved. The biggest plus for me at this time was Cygan who was reading the game well at the back and not reacting to the fouls, he even found time to hit an superb long ball to Henry, our new French defender has a very sweet left foot indeed. Wiltord down the right skinned Mills leaving him for dead and slung in a peachy high cross which Kolo gleefully headed home with real power. 0-2 to Arsenal, twenty four minutes gone and 'Go home, you might as
well go home' rang out from the Gooners in the South Stand.
Henry broke and crossed to Toure. Great move down the touch line started by Ashley and ended with Kolo winning a corner. We were just oozing class. Gilberto had a header cleared off the line. Toure tried to be too clever in his own half and Bowyer had an overhead attempt which he hit wide. 'You're supposed to be in jail' was our response from behind Dave's goal. Kanu backing in. The Gooners then sung the praises of Bob, Freddie, Dennis and Martin just to remind everyone that we're not even at full strength but still toying with Leeds rather than playing them.
Seaman out fast to save and immediately set up an attack. Kelly was giving it a go but it's a losing battle for their defenders, Arsenal are scoring for fun these days. Bakke had a shot that went wide but he'd been flagged offside anyway. Cygan was limping, Arsene came out to show concern but he seemed to run it off. Sylv off down the right again, there is just so much to admire about Arsenal right now. Cole made Dave work hard with a tough back pass and Seaman was forced to concede a throw. Smith fouled again. Great move by Sylv and Lauren down the wing wins a corner and a near post header flew over. Kanu shoved off the ball as Henry was about to fly away in space down the left.
Sol proving he was far too good for Smith. We maintained control and continued to have good possession. Pat got a yellow card as Dacourt went down like a pack of spuds. Cole was hurt when Viduka landed on him. Leeds had a bit of a rally and Seaman was out and down at the feet of Kewell for a great block. Leeds got their first corner after 42 minutes, which summed up our domination. Mills had time to blast over and Kewell, playing wide left today, hit a cross far to deep. 2 minutes of added time during which Pascal hoofed it over the West Stand. Dacourt fired over after Cygan had headed clear. Half time and we had control of the game with Freddie, amongst others, waiting on the bench.
Leeds fans applauded Seaman into his goal for the second half while we applauded Robinson to his. They may have worn the same grey and yellow kits but Dave looks better in his. McPhail who was pretty anonymous replaced Dacourt. We'd barely got going when Henry powered in from the left at speed and beat Robinson at his near post to make it 0-3 to Arsenal. Game over. Had Dave been beaten at his near post he'd be slagged off as being too old. Be interesting to see if any of the Sunday papers even mention it, or proclaim Robinson too young.
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More multi-passing stuff from the good guys which included a great long cross field ball from Henry to Wiltord. The move ended with a shot from Kanu, who looked good today. Pascal's made his first, and only, mistake as he sliced clear. He made up for it with a perfect ball to Sylv who was chopped by Bakke to prevent another lightning break by Arsenal. Bowyer fouled Cole and got away with it. Kewell on the right hit another cross far too deep. Pat and Thierry ganged up on McPhail to retrieve the ball. Lauren and Smith were at it and Smith refused to shake hands. They had a header by Smith (?) that hit our bar but little else was going Leeds way.
Bakke headed clear. Kanu was hacked down by Matteo following a long Arsenal clearance. Then Matteo climbed all over Kanu but still won the free kick. Next up something happened just outside our box as Bowyer, in late, appeared to clash with Cygan on the floor. I was too far away for me to see what happened but the Leeds fans were very upset, oh dear how very sad. Oleg came on for the tiring Kolo just before Smith quite clearly and quite deliberately threw the ball at Cygan in front of the ref. The spineless Alan Wiley bottled on Smith's second yellow.
Bakke finally got an overdue yellow card when he took out Pat with a positively evil tackle. Pat would have got a red had it been him perpetrating the foul. Bowyer was another piss poor loser and charged into Cygan late, he also got himself a yellow card. Radebe climbed all over Kanu and we got a free kick. Leeds were merely trying to ruffle us so Henry wound up Bowyer to even the score. The game had become bitty, far too many free kicks and we stopped playing for a while. Wiltord was replaced by Jermaine Pennant as the Leeds fans started to leave the ground. 'We're surprised you stayed so long' rang out from the Gooners.
Fouls continued as Seaman saved again and got the ball quickly to Thierry. More Arsenal keep ball and Elland Road was like a morgue on three sides of the pitch. We passed too deep however, and Dave had to rush out to clear. Our concentration went for a bit and Seaman was called upon to make a great double save, but this was followed up by a Kewell shot that hit the back of our net. 1-3 but Leeds were not back in the game, despite the fact that Dave had to save again shortly after their goal.
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Jeffers replaced Kanu. Smith won a free kick against Lauren and Mills won a corner from the free kick, only to head over when the corner came in. 3 minutes added time during which Kelly just shrugged at the ref after he'd fouled Henry in the corner. As if to say how the hell else was I going to stop him. An Oleg cross was sliced away for another corner. Radebe was replaced by Duberry. In the final throws of the match Jeffers found Oleg in their box and the Ukrainian was tripped. Wiley pointed to the penalty spot, then pretended he hadn't really when he eventually spotted the offside flag.
That's 21 league goals in 8 games, double figures home and away. The quality of our play right now is stupendous. It's poetry in motion, it's total dogs bollocks football, yes it really is that good. The chant of 'It's just like watching Brazil' is totally justified, except that we're probably better them at this moment in time.
Listening to the Scum and Bluescum getting rammed for three goals apiece while we shot back down the motorway rounded the day off sweetly. The other results pointed to a one horse race for the Championship with two also-rans. I can't wait to watch tonight's highlights programme and drool all over the sofa.