By Walter Broeckx
There was no live match report for the final game of the season against Villa as this time as I was sitting next to my wife in the Clock End for this match. And what an event it turned out to be in the end.
I am usually a very optimistic person. I keep on believing in winning till it is mathematically impossible. Only then I will accept defeat. So going to England and London for 3 days with my match tickets in hand I was still dreaming of St. Totteringhamsday. I admit I never really thought that an already relegated Newcastle would win from them but well …you never know.
I also had hoped to see Rosicky on the bench but we had to settle with Arteta alone. But Santi back in the starting line up was great to see. Still a bit rusty at times but what a control and vision… OOOOhhhh Santi how we have missed you for 5 months. Jack having his first start but to be honest I also felt he was rather rusty most of the time.
Arsenal started the match very much on the front foot. And when Morneal threw a cross in front of goal from the left flank it found Giroud in the middle unmarked and his powerful header beat the Aston Villa goalkeeper. 1-0 to the Arsenal.
Arsenal kept on playing for a second goal but it had to be careful when suddenly a Villa player escaped on the flank and got past Gabriel but his effort was well cleared by Koscielny. A first modest cheer in the Emirates indicated “Newcastle might have scored at St. James Park” as they once thought at the tiny totts ground. This time they did. 1-0 but well… the hope grew but still that feeling they would turn that around. After all they were proclaimed as the second best team in the PL this season by all and everyone.
Meanwhile Arsenal had a couple of good chances to score a second goal but Wilshere (rusty) missed the target after an Alexis cross. Clattenburg trying to make an attempt of being a ref but not allowing Arsenal players ever to come too near to Villa players or he would blow his whistle. And then suddenly another cheer a few minutes before half time. “Newcastle might have scored again…” and they did. 2-0 just before half time. The hope grew… but still that nagging feeling at the back of my head that they would surely turn it around.
No more goals in the Emirates and we should have been up by more than the one goal. But it all went wrong with the final ball. Arsenal virtual in second place after 45 minutes.
Arsenal kept on trying to score that second goal in the second half. But was it the sun or not really believing that the tiny totts would be big for once as in collapsing big so it all was rather slow for a long time with not enough tempo. So the attention was somehow diverted to what was happening at Newcastle. Lamela pulling one back for spurs… Mitrovic getting a red card… OK it really was St. Totteringhamsday it seemed.
But I have to take my hat off for Newcastle. Suddenly a modest shout from the crowd (penalty for Newcastle) and then seconds later a big one when they scored it. 3-1 with some 15 minutes to go but only with 10 players… could they hold on to it?
It was as if the cheers from the crowd lifted the team (oh what a surprise….) and suddenly Arsenal sprang to live to make it a great end of the match and the season. Another fine example on how the crowd can get the team going and lift it. Take that you moaners! Just support the players and shout and urge them on.
Giroud converted his second goal with a hard shot after a low cross from the left from Özil. Lovely pass and finish. 2-1 for the Arsenal. And we hardly sat down when Bellerin played Giroud in and Giroud scored his third goal of the match. 3-1 to the Arsenal and 3-1 to Newcastle with some 10 minutes to go. The first it happened again songs were heard. Campbell and Arteta came on.
Newcastle scored a 4th goal! Newcastle scored a 5th goal! The Emirates erupted certainly when the 4th was scored.
Let us end this with a real high… a goal from Arteta (I will count it as an Arteta goal no matter what others do). Campbell winning the ball back, giving it to Alexis who crossed it to Arteta whose shot was pushed on to the bar and then trickled in from the back of the goalkeeper. 4-0 to the Arsenal in extra time.
What a great end to Arteta his Arsenal career. We sang, and kept on singing about how it happened again and again and again….
After the final whistle Arteta got a standing ovation from the crowd, well deserved as he came to us when we were in trouble and kept us in the top 4 and guided us to two FA cup wins despite being injured a lot. Thank you Mikel.
The players formed a guard of honour for another veteran leaving: Rosicky. The man who scored the first goal for Arsenal when I came to the Emirates for the first time so always a special memory for me.
We sang some more about things happening again and again. A certain team was called shit and that is only the truth and nothing but the truth.
Once I had given her all the background about the “happening again” songs found it all very funny and entertaining. I must say being able to really celebrate St. Totteringhamsday together with her was what I had been dreaming for when I first proposed to go to this match and make it a long weekend in to London and Kent.
It is important to keep on dreaming even when things look out of reach. Not just in football but also in life. I found out dreams can come true if only you keep on believing in it.
Thank you Arsenal for making this a great day (and thank you Newcastle for helping us out!).
Bring on next season! Best finish since going to the Emirates position wise. Lets go for the top next season!
COYG!
- Arsenal 2015/16: A Faltering Season with a Flattering Finish.
- Danny Murphy as pundit of the year, refs are perfect, Arsenal are useless at every single level.
- How Tottenham always fall apart how Arry is always good for a larf, and how Motd rearranges reality.
– aUntold Arsenal has published five books on Arsenal ll are available as paperback and three are now available on Kindle. The books are
- The Arsenal Yankee by Danny Karbassiyoon with a foreword by Arsene Wenger.
- Arsenal: the long sleep 1953 – 1970; a view from the terrace. By John Sowman with an introduction by Bob Wilson.
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football. By Tony Attwood, Andy Kelly and Mark Andrews.
- Making the Arsenal: a novel by Tony Attwood.
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal by Mark Andrews.
You can find details of all five on our new Arsenal Books page
I’ll tell you what Walter, you’re obviously trying to get “Old Mother” Riley to give you a job … half way through that article you awarded Villa a goal they never scored, but by the end of the article you took it away again …
Mike Dean would be proud of you 🙂
Nice to relive the day again. What good fun Spurs are! Hahaha!
PS: Sorry to be pedantic but you have Arsenal ahead 2-1 and then 3-1 in a game that they won 4-0.
LOL Minesy… I thought the barman had put something in my coke…. now I am sure… 🙂 oh what a mistake to make… early to bed this evening will cure it I hope…
Now I could have talked myself out of this and pretend that I did this on purpose to see if you would be well awake and really did read what I wrote (what you obviously did).
I gave them a goal in my article as their fans made as much noise as if they scored when they only got a corner…
I take the blame….. I don’t know how on earth I could write it like that…
Never mind the mistakes, Walter. A nice reminder of a fantastic match. A great end to the season indeed. I never thought I would be in the stadium to celebrate such a fun St Totteringham’s Day. There are some very good tiny footballers among the team’s families as well. All in all, the Arsenal family at its best.
Glad you and your wife had a great time Walter,and glad shes having some health improvements too.If only you could both go to every game as our lucky mascots!
Thanks to you and Tony and everyone that wrote articles in what was a vitriolic season, especially after the Xmas game with the Sotonists,Im always impressed how you can all keep writing in difficult circumstances and doing it to such a high standard, even if you have to wear a tin hat to deflect the shrapnel from the polemical.Not much fun in the trenches or going over the top.
Im sure you were just being gentlemanly to award the Villains a last consolation goal!
All the best to you all over the summer. And as you say, lets make number one next season.Thanks for keeping the faith!
What about an article mixing up Arsenal and the Van Eyck altar piece one day? Maybe the best painting in the world with the best club in the world?
Thanks again and also for your amazing ref reviews with Usama,hope youve passed them onto the club.
COYG!!!!
Was it Santi or his little lad. He will be a star – he already ran rings round Coq, Arty and Alexis 😉
It was a memorable Sunday afternoon for someone like me who has been an Arsenal supporter for decades. 1st on the Radio, 2ndly on the TV and 3rdly on the Internet. I had followed on my handset browsing, the collapse of Tottenham Hotspur to Newcastle by 5-1 at St James Park.
The onus were on Spurs to finish above Arsenal this season. Arsenal their North London rivals have been the jinx to Spurs in the final table for the last 20 seasons. And Spurs believed that jinx was set to be broken last Sunday when they only need a draw to break that 20 year old jinx.
But Alas! A late friend of mine once said to me that, the most uncertain thing, is the result of a football match. And truly, it turned out to be the case for Tottenham Hotspur.
I must say, I was very happy and relieved last Sunday as Arsenal once again topped Spurs and came 2nd in the final table.
Thanks for the write up Walter, I am very pleased that you and your wife had such a good day!
I think all fans enjoyed the match, we did play some good football and scored good goals, but the drama of the whole occasion (the spontaneous joy of our fans, the misery of the unfortunate Spurs fans and not least the shock, disbelief and what script can we follow in the media studios) was the icing on the cake.
A great end to the season.
Sorry for the interuption.
Go Bournemouth!
Great, Bournemouth was credited with a goal. Cech gets the Golden Gloves all to himself.
As mentioned somewhere else, a change I would like to see for Arsenal, is to get rid of flash as part of the Arsenal.com website.
I would like to see support for Linux, but I am not going to hold my breath on that one.
I see that players are publishing twits, but many times they are in another language. While I seem to be capable of learning many kinds of computer languages, human languages beyond my mother tongue (English) escape me. Having translated messages available would be nice.
Players have interviews in many places, and then we have the hacks regurgitating (usually with substantial errors) this interviews for their own purposes. I think it would be nice if Arsenal had available the original on their website. If the original article is in another language, a translation to English as well.
For example, Flamini had an interview in Financial Times published. The article is by subscription only at Financial Times. Maybe Arsenal.com could arrange something so that members could get to read the article? I am not a member of Arsenal.com for more than one reason. But the biggest reasons are that I run Linux on all my computers, and I don’t have any disposable income. I cannot afford to throw money at anything. Time? Knowledge? Sure, I have that in some circumstances, and I am willing to think about throwing them at “problems”. But for lots of other people, having these kinds of things available as part of a membership at Arsenal.com might make a lot of sense.
Here’s one from out in left field. A while ago Jerry wanted me to look at something he had written. I don’t know Jerry’s email, nor does he know mine. Maybe Arsenal.com could run something like dropbox for Arsenal blogsphere members? I can imagine problems big enough to drive a Leopard tank through, so maybe that isn’t a good idea.
Oh well, enough break. Back to arguing with numbers.
Glad to hear you and your wife had a good day out Walter.
If any Arsenal representative reading this blog, could you please provide Walter and his wife season tickets for next season.
Walter and his wife went to watch the last match and St. Totteringham’s Day occurred, was it a coincidence? ?
This is Joy. Thanks Walter.
Nice article , Walter ,and like the rest of the regulars am glad that you had a great time out and that your Mrs, is feeling better .
Do try to get more often to the Ems , as you seem to be our lucky charm !
Well, there is a steady improvement in Arsenal.
Now 2nd this season so lets all wish for 1st next season however we manage to do it.
And talking about happy couples …..
Three couples went to visit the minister to see how to become members of his church. The minister said that they would have to go without sex for two months and then come back and tell him how it went.
The first couple was retired, the second couple was middle-aged and the final couple was newlywed.
Two months went by, and the couples returned to the minister. The retired couple said it was no problem at all. The middle-aged couple said it was a bit tough the first month but then it was not a problem. The newlyweds said it was fine until the woman dropped a can of paint.
“A can of PAINT??!” exclaimed the minister.
“Yeah,” said the newlywed husband. “She dropped the can and when she bent over to pick it up I had to have her right there and then. Lust just took over.”
The minister just shook his head and said: “You two sinners are not welcome in my church!”
“That’s okay,” said the man. “We’re not welcome at Home Depot, either.”
Walter,
I might have drifted away from this site (it was the trolls that drove me out. I don’t have your fortitude) but I still often think of you and send you my best wishes. I’m so happy to learn that you travelled with your wife to watch the Arsenal, and picked such a great occasion for it too. St Totts may have been delayed, but he made his customary appearance and perhaps your pilgrimage had something to do with it. Thank you for all your efforts over the years, and long may that continue. Wish you all the best.
Going the distance ….
An old man asks his wife: “Martha, soon we will be married 50 years, and there’s something I have to know. In all of these 50 years, have you ever been unfaithful to me?”
Martha replied, “Well Henry, I have to be honest with you.. Yes, I’ve been unfaithful to you three times during these 50 years, but always for a good reason.”
Henry was obviously hurt by his wife’s confession, but said, “I never suspected. Can you tell me what you mean by ‘good reasons’?”
Martha said, “The first time was shortly after we were married, and we were about to lose our little house because we couldn’t pay the mortgage. Do you remember that one evening I went to see the banker and the next day he notified you that the loan would be extended?”
Henry recalled the visit to the banker and said, “I can forgive you for that.. You saved our home, but what about the second time?”
Martha asked, “And do you remember when you were so sick, but we didn’t have the money to pay for the heart surgery you needed? Well, I went to see your doctor one night and, if you recall, he performed the surgery at no charge.”
“I recall that,” said Henry. “And you did it to save my life, so of course I can forgive you for that. Now tell me about the third time.”
“Alright,” Martha said. “Do you remember when you ran for president of your golf club, and you needed 73 more votes?”
Henry fainted…
What is maturity? – by Adi Shankara
1. Maturity is when you stop trying to change others, …instead focus on changing yourself.
2. Maturity is when you accept people as they are.
3. Maturity is when you understand everyone is right in their own perspective.
4. Maturity is when you learn to “let go”.
5. Maturity is when you are able to drop “expectations” from a relationship and give for the sake of giving.
6. Maturity is when you understand whatever you do, you do for your own peace.
7. Maturity is when you stop proving to the world, how intelligent you are.
8. Maturity is when you don’t seek approval from others.
9. Maturity is when you stop comparing with others.
10. Maturity is when you are at peace with yourself.
11. Maturity is when you are able to differentiate between “need” and “want” and are able to let go of your wants.
last but most meaningful !
12. You gain Maturity when you stop attaching “happiness” to material things !!
_Wishing all AKBs a happy matured life.
@ Shard -May 18, 2016 at 7:42 am – Hello , and nice to see you back .Welcome! UA has always been an oasis of sanity , in a sea of stupidity and negativity. At least it should be peaceful around here till the transfer window opens !
Cheers !
A husband asks his wife , “You never argue when I get mad at you . How do you always control your anger ?”
“I clean the toilets. ” , she replies .
” How does that help ?” he asks.
” I use your toothbrush !”
And that is why we always get shitty comments from ‘them’!
Thanks Brickfields. Maybe we’ll even have quiet here till after the Euros (unless someone score a wonder goal and becomes a must buy)The malcontents have been licking their wounds and re-strategising since the washout of their huge protest and the One Arsene Wenger song being sung at every match since (clearly audible even on TV)
Hi Shard, good to see you back.
Reading that some regulars left because of some people being allowed to post their negative post should get me thinking of being more strict in allowing comments or better said not allowing them….
Things to change at Arsenal.com.
If you know nothing of other places, it is easy to develop an incorrect attitude. When I was athletic first aid person for a team in Edmonton, our goaltender was from Belfast. He mentioned that he knew of several people who had never lived further than 12 miles from where they were born, and who were over 60. And yet, many Irish crossed the pond to come to North America in the famine.
Alexis is an interest for me. I live in an agricultural community which expects about 16 inches of precipitation per year (who knows where climate change is going to shift this)? Vancouver, BC is a coastal city with mountains to the east, which sees a lot of rain. Tocopilla, Chile is a coastal city with mountains to the east, which see almost no rain. Average annual rainfall is 4mm. This is about 1% of the precipitation my city sees.
In any event, I think that Arsenal.com should have player profiles full of links. So that you can learn about where a player was born, where he grew up, what teams he played for, what cities he lived in, and so on.
Have physical data on the players would be nice. How tall was the player (this is a moving target for the youths). Maybe you put weight at beginning of season? I would like to see other miscellaneous stuff: how long is the tibia, femur and radius, how wide is the ankle, knee, elbow and wrist joints. Why? You remember that thing Arsenal did in mid season, where they set up what is nominally a pool table where soccer balls are used instead of billiard balls? If you know dimensions on the athletes, with a bit of care you can derive a set of blueprints for the “pool table”.
Thats why I cleared off too Walter.Didnt want to,I must say. And I think it probably accounts for a few other of the regulars too? Good to see Jambug on here the other day but I often wonder how Bootomee is? Has he clocked in recently?
I realise it on another thread,but I enjoyed the debate from fishpie,and the comments it brought up from the posters, and Tonys counter argument-at least it was all done fair and square.Good on Tony for publishing it too.
Kenneth Widmerpool,
I’m alright pal. Thanks for caring. Only if Tony Attwood would feel the same about one of his most loyal readers and contributors. He has my email address afterall but I guess he just doesn’t care.
Thank you and my best to you and your family.
Hi Boo, good to see youre still looking in though.All the best to you and yours, and hope things are still going well up in the North West.And hope you get back to posting again soon. UA’s not the same without you.
Cheers!