On a Much More Comfortable Iron Horse – A Second Class Return To Dottingham Please
Sep 19th, 2016 by 'holic
You have to be of a certain age to appreciate that headline. Sorry kids!
When the topic of conversation turns to Nottingham Forest I usually end up boring people to tears with tales of Alan Ball’s debut, and the night we knocked Cloughie’s 42 matches unbeaten team, forerunner to our Invincibles, out of the FA Cup. Why should you be spared?
Ball’s signing at Christmas 1971 was for a new British record fee of £220,000 and Arsenal, then as now, were careful with the pennies so it caused a real stir. Still only 14, I knew I had to get there and a couple of mates from Marlow agreed. So the day after Boxing Day we made an early trip up to Kings Cross where I think £2 was sufficient to get us on one of the two, or was it three, ‘specials’ to Nottingham.
Being one of the first solo ventures outside London for us we soaked it all up. British Rail packed us on to dilapidated rolling stock and hundreds of like-minded souls swigged from cans and sang heartily, mainly about Ball. That first walk across the Trent was a rite of passage they said, but our numbers ensured that the locals kept themselves at a respectful distance. The match itself was equally unremarkable. Everyone urged Ball to have a go at every opportunity, but in the end it was George Graham who won us an unspectacular point in a 1-1 draw.
The mode of transport was the same for our FA Cup 5th round tie at the seemingly unbeatable Forest nearly eight years later, although by this time our numbers were swollen by a number of unofficial coaches. On a raucous Monday night an Arsenal side missing Willie Young went to the City Ground as lambs to the slaughter and left with a memorable victory thanks to the only goal of the game, a Frank van Stapleton header.
We were massed to the left hand side of the Trent End and so made sure the locals were fully aware of just who had beaten them. Not only did Forest set a record for consecutive top-flight wins that season, only broken by the Invincibles 26 years later, but they also retained the League Cup and won the European Cup beating the holders, Liverpool, along the way. Liverpool gained revenge in the League, reducing Forest to runners-up. How we should have built more on the back of our performances that season.
Now, in a completely different era, we go back to Forest with the boot very much on the other foot. The mighty Arsenal, Premier League runners-up and perennial Champions League combatants, face a Forest for whom things have taken a downturn since those heady days. In it’s latest incarnation the Football League Cup (EFL Cup this season) provides the opportunity for the East Midlanders to extract full retribution for that memorable reverse.
Arsenal will be missing more than Willie Young this time around. This is a competition to provide opportunities to squad players and kids to show what they can do. I cannot even match Arsene’s first choices at the moment so the guesswork involved in suggesting our starting eleven for this one is considerable. David Ospina seems to be the cup goalkeeper and so will get the chance to build on his performance in Paris last week.
Ahead of him Gabriel may be fit again to return to action but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him eased back on the bench behind a starting back four of Mathieu Debuchy, Rob Holding, Krystian Bielik, and Kieran Gibbs. Lots of experience at full-back there.
It would be somewhat baffling if Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka didn’t anchor the midfield, but then again I thought that they would start at Hull. Nothing would surprise me these days. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may get an arm around his shoulders and an opportunity to play in the role vacated by Mesut Ozil, flanked by Lucas Perez and Jeff Reine-Adelaide? If Olivier Giroud isn’t deemed fit to start then Chuba Akpom is likely to get the nod.
Forest themselves have two players who will be keen to produce the goods against their former employers. Henri Lansbury has missed just one match for Forest this season but averages a yellow card every other match. He’ll be remembered for a wonderful goal when a very young Arsenal side whooped Spurs at the Lane in this competition six years ago, so should not get anything other than a warm reception from the travelling Gunners.
It will be interesting to see if the same courtesy is afforded to Nicklas Bendtner. If common sense and application were among his strengths he would surely be sitting this one out awaiting his chance to plunder the Chelsea defence as one of the Premier League’s most feared strikers on Saturday. Instead he has papier-mâché brains and looks set to get his first start for Forest against the club where at his best he would now be undroppable. Forest manager, Philippe Montanier, said of him ahead of the match …
“Nicklas Bendtner is fit and ready to start a match now, he’s a very experienced player. We want him to use his emotion to play well in the game.”
There will be few Gooners who would not be surprised if he did come up with a goal, maybe more, on Tuesday evening, but Forest supporters probably already know enough about him to know he could stink the place out at the weekend, and indeed most weekends, for one reason or another.
The ‘holic pound
Always tricky against decent Championship outfits. Forest have had no trouble scoring goals this season, averaging two a match in the League and EFL Cup, having already knocked out Doncaster Rovers and Millwall away from home. Against a makeshift defence they might grab another two. Have we three in us? Of course we do. One more maybe? Shop around for 2-4 at 33/1, which seems generous despite it undoubtedly being a longshot.
To those making the journey appreciate the quality of the rolling stock that will convey you to Nottingham, a far cry from days thankfully past. And they wondered why people reacted to such conditions. Enjoy what should be an entertaining evening, unless Lord Bendtner and Henri put us to the sword. Let’s hope not, for as maligned as it seems to be these days the League Cup was always a piece of silverware that brought joy to those that won it.
It still would today.
147 Responses to “On a Much More Comfortable Iron Horse – A Second Class Return To Dottingham Please”
Well I ‘ad to get some sorta job when Please Sir finished didn’t I, and it was either a Tunes ad or playin’ second fiddle to a fuckin’ fox.
It did nuffink for Roy North, that gig, I tell yer!
The very fella. My money would have been on And Lester to post something like that, but you would have been a close second, man of mystery! 🙂
I can still picture getting on the train home from Ball’s debut. We didn’t go anywhere for over an hour, and then plod came on. Apparently a Forest lad had been stabbed by a Gooner in a red Brutus, navy Crombie, and navy Sta-Prest with black brogues.
I was wearing… you’re ahead of me, aren’t you. 🙁
Shame you’re not in here more often, I said, and what do you know ?
I know nuffink, he tells me ?
Nice write up, H.
Will the travelling Gooners appreciate the rolling stock, or deride the laughing stock that is The Greatest Striker That Ever Lived according to, well, just him really ?
Beige jumper, slacks and Hush-Puppies ? ?
Sounds smart enough to me Trev 🙂
Cheers H! I was there in 79, and a few times since. Always a great away trip (to Jerusalem) for some decent boozing.
Looking forward to my second away trip of the season with keen anticipation. A Perez hatrick would be nice.
Chilling nicely with a Courvoisier night cap and Tom Waits’s first album (Closing Time) in my ears while the missus watches Poldark.
I hope we are breathing more easily after the game.
Nice memories H ! I remember the Ball signing, a real bombshell for a club as conservative as us. That made for a very interesting Christmas! As for the other game I listened on the radio. As you said we should have achieved much more with that side. If Brady had stayed the next season when the league was disputed by Villa and Ipswich with us third who knows what would have happened ? Maybe van Stapleton would have stayed but those were the pre- Dein days when PHW was ultra- conservative.
As for tomorrow I think you overdid the Bendtner might have been a world- beater bit.He might get a hat- trick tomorrow but he’s never been consistent, was played wide right when he’s as slow as old Nick but he is good in the air. We gave him every chance. I’m expecting a comfortable 3-1 tomorrow with Lucas Perez scoring at least once.
Worryingly our u 23s were thrashed 5-0 at home by Everton tonight. They’ve started the season very poorly indeed
Thanks countryman. I would join you, but this is night eight of ten off the sauce.
Ned, I see what you did there 🙂
Esso, a great night, wasn’t it? 🙂
Evening TTG. I suspect, but don’t know, that the U-23’s were stripped bare to provide a bench at Nottingham tomorrow?
Brutus is back in business, relaunched by the original founder’s son.
Younger ‘Holics may not know the name, but they’ll know the look.
https://brutus.london/story/
And non-London ‘holics should read this to understand the Guv’nor @3.
https://theballroomblitz.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/meet-the-crombie-boys/
‘Holic@11: Well, I am of a certain age…
You what … I ‘eard dat.
Neat write-up ‘H. Up The Arse.
Haha AL, UTA indeed. 🙂
Cheers Ned, yes, red silk handkerchief with diamond tie-pin. Chucklin’. 🙂
Nice write up indeed H. Hard to know what to expect team-wise. I’d like to see the Jeff and Perez get some game time. It’ll be nice to see how some of the younger players perform.
Countryman: Hard to believe Waits could write a song like “Martha” at 24. Superb album.
You’re right about the u 23 team Holic but one would have thought Everton might have a similar issue. It’s quite clear that Macey, Bielik, Zelalem, Sheaf, Willock, Holding , Maitland- Niles are all in contention to play some part tomorrow. Most of those will start but Sheaf may be on the bench along with Macey and Mavididi.
It’s nice to see the youngsters coming through but a lot of very highly rated U 18s were apparently poor tonight. Bennacer who played is already a full international
Looks like we may see Akpom and Perez tomorrow
I had a guess at the team before I knew the injuries.Im very close to Holics team with Macey, Sheaf, Gabriel, Zelalem, Willock, Mavididi and the Jeff on the bench
So Crombie is nothing to do with Abercrombie (and Fitch) popular today among millennials and Gen X retards. Coincidentally I have something c1995 that looks identical, but labelled Calvin Klein, which I still wear on colder NZ days (hardly cold at all by proper Euro standards).
Also reminiscent of David Essex in his day.
Thanks Ned for the academies info in last drinks. No surprise to see Barca top, but Lyon and Rennes in the top 5? What is their secret I wonder, and why isn’t AW party to it?
Christ. a weekend of telly sport caught up on and the hours have … really dragged by to be honest.
I think that Alan Ball was the first player I saw wear white boots. He took a lot of stick for it but was good enough to get away with it although, personally, I think he was a better player for Everton than he was for us.
UTA.
Tune(s)!
Chris@21: Here is an article on the Rennes Academy, producer of Sylvain Wiltord among others (Silvestre). It is from 2012 but goes through the principles behind it. “There is no secret,” says the founder. “The owners want the academy to provide players for the first team.”
http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/article/inside-the-rennes-academy.htm
Predicted line up:
Ospina, Debuchy, Holding, Gabriel, Gibbs
Xhaka, Elneny, The Jeff
Ox Perez Akpom
TTG @19: I don’t think Macey will make the bench, as we have Martinez available.
We should be able to win and give the youngsters like Willock, some invaluable experience. I really like Willock and hope he gets a little run. COYG!
Help you breathe more easily, Tone. 🙂
Oh, Mum !?
That isn’t how it sounded Trev, and you know it! 😉
For those of a certain age who still don’t get the header.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XZpLmeTdcBA
?
An interesting night ahead. I used to enjoy these away league cup trips. Watching a side made up of NBT’a, had beens and those deemed fit enough to progress from in infirmary. You never did know what to expect. As you said H, it’s a nice pot to win but we hardly place any real importance on it.
Nicky B sadly epitomises everything that is wrong with football today. I actually think that he had bundles of ability. However, there were those in front of him with, at the time, a bit more. So he now had a choice. Work twice as hard in training, fulfill his potential, (be the best he can be ?) and become a top player. Or, pick up £60k a week, kick a ball about in training, keep the bench warm, be a national hero back in Denmark and bonk a gorgeous princess all day, every day. I can’t believe that he didn’t put more effort in on the training pitch?
Nice nostalgia price about Bally as well H.
27-1 to the mighty Arse. Super Nic to get a consolation in injury time.
Up the Gunners.
One of my best mates is a long time Forest fan, and as such we have both been waiting since ’99 for another away game up there.
So what happens ? – The guy is on holiday in Cornwall (booked months before the draw) with his missus and new born son – typical !
Hoping that is some sort of omen for a convincing Arsenal win.
Thank you Steve T for that link @30. Train nostalgia for the masses!
Continued Arsenal TV blackout leaves me wondering, When will it end??
not even beinsports, bt?
?
Bt8: Today’s game is not in beIN, but why continued? Weekend’s was broadcast in NBC Sports Live Extra and the mid-week CL was on Fox Soccer streaming, admittedly not in Fox Sports 1 or 2.
I always rely on this page for announcements of the US TV coverage:
http://www.arsenal.com/usa/news/features/where-to-watch-arsenal
And it lists nothing for today’s game (although Arsenal-Chelsea will be televised, quite possibly because the TV execs are Chelsea fans).
Doctor Faustus, I could not find last weekend’s game on my TV. I saw it was listed on NBC Sports Live Extra but when I looked through the Comcast listings the Arsenal game was not there. If I recall correctly, NBC Sports Live Extra was described as an online service (the first time I saw this, as the last two seasons all games listed as NBC Sports Live Extra were available for free through Comcast, as you explained for me in the drinks a while back). If I am wrong about that, as I hope I am, please let me know. 🙂
Fox Soccer streaming also is not something I know how to get, not wanting to pay additional money to Fox.
Thank you for the link, SteveT; I recognised the quote but couldn’t place it. Anyone else remember Quilleys, the Radio Active tribute to the Tunes franchise? The strapline on their ads was that, in case of sore throat you need only pop one of their sweeties into you mouth and, “Suck Quilleys, suck Quilleys, suck Quilleys all day long”. Sorry, I can’t find a YouTube clip, but it did appear in Episode 2 of the Radio 4 program “Frequency of Laughter”, available (at least currently, in the UK) hereon the BBC iPlayer.
Like all else here I cannot predict tonight’s result; as ever, I will have to cross my fingers and hope.
COYG
Holic
Great recap of great memories alike! Would love to go back in time and see it with my own eyes to tell the tale, wonderful stuff!
As for ther game tonight I might be able to get find a streaming link later, not sure if the game is televised at all.
Bt8: yes, last year Live Extra used to be routed through Comcast On Demand streaming but they stopped it. I get it through Roku now. You don’t have to pay extra except for the device itself, of course. You will need to use the live extra app by logging in using your Comcast credentials. You can also stream on your laptop, iPad etc. similarly as you already have NBC Sportd you don’t have to pay extra.
FOX Soccer though you will have to pay extra for watching games that are not on the TV channels.
The game is live at SuperSport Six in New Zeland/EuroSport 2 Denmark/beIN Sports MENA 8 HD (not sure where that is though)
new zealand , eh
chris , any chance ye could open yer front room curtains
let’s see how mahoosive yer famous screen really is
?
bt, it’s on fubotv, which is offering a 24 hour free trial. not too sure i want to risk that, given how hard it is to separate from things like that these days.
faustus, i watched it on appletv’s implementation of nbcsportsliveextra. worked just fine, though it was about a minute late. i couldn’t find it either on the xfinity on demand. bastards. not sure why the change, they made a big deal of every game being vieweable on your tv when they took the contract from fox.
streaming looks like the best idea. IF we can find a good stream.
2-0 to the good guys, with bendtner missing a penalty.
Pick up 60k a week and bonk a beautiful princess all day, every day…..
Career guidance teachers, eh?
lol, cba @ 45. i’ll pop some popcorn and hook up the guinness nitro keg.
@46: I think their technology is not matured enough yet to overlay streaming on top of their on demand channels without suffering significant bandwidth and latency issues which are what started to happen last season once everyone came to know about it. I am sure sometimes in future their DVRs will have embedded streaming support like Roku or Apple TV etc. The NBC Sports Luve Extra app is of decent quality on Roku and from your experience seems to be similarly acceptable on Apple TV.
Fox soccer not I cling such a device-centric streaming with the subscription of Fox Spots is somewhat of a rip-off, but not entirely unexpected. ?
NBC Sports Live even…
And I meant Fox Soccer not offering…”I Cling” is but the meditation practice of needy people…
top man scruz
i’ll be up a ladder on me roof
about half seven
binoculars at the ready
give us
give us
give us a wave
cba, when i wave, sling me a bottle of that treacle stout you’ve been touting 🙂
faustus, it’s a mess right now, with so many competitions and so many channels. problems of the first world, and all that. i am not quite sure why nbc stopped using cnbc, espn2, nbc, nbcsports, to show the games. last year i could choose between four or five on actual tv channels. not this year.
apple tv was just fine streaming it. of course, i was the only one on the wireless that early in the am. 🙂
by the way, i just want to cluck a bit about my son: we dropped him off at university of california, santa barbara this past weekend to study physics at its college of creative studies. i’m a proud, proud papa.
Thanks again Dr. Faustus and scruz for the TV coverage updates. The Roku (and possibly Apple TV) works for me so this is particularly useful information. But also it’s good to know that somebody else is pissed off about the ripoff of Fox charging twice for games they reserve for streaming. I refuse to pay the bastards knowing who they are.
Now looking into a ticket to New Zealand for today’s game but doubt the arrival will be quite on time. 😉
scruz, ucsb is a good school and could be a bit less foggy than up north so many congratulations to the young man and to you. 😀
Looks like the streaming sites are confident of showing the game tonight (see cricfree.sx/watch/live/nottingham-forest-fc-vs-arsenal-live-streaming for example).
Someone yesterday said the game was on Bein8. I don’t know how many channels they have in each country but that sounds promising.
Everything crossed.
bt, i think if you just face southwest (draw a line from minnesota to new zealand) you should be able to see chris’s bigscreen. unless my big head is getting in the way 🙂
thanks about the boy; it’s a great school, and ccs is a top 10 physics program for undergrads here in the states. not so sure about less foggy, it was socked in all day sunday. usually burns off late morning here…at least in the mountains outside of town where we live.
will do scruz
and congratulations
but i’ll sling ye a half dozen bottles
they get separation anxiety
8ball
no need
chris is a team player
we’ll soon hear the rumbles
of a jumbotron lumbering up to a window
outstanding, cba. they’ll all intertwine in my belly. it’ll help *my* separation anxiety from the boy, too 🙂 thanks.
please say hello to the cows for me. i’d low for them, but am at work and can only do so quietly. make sure they’re on a clear path to enzedd, too.
i suspect they’ll have a raffle
form a cow pyramid
winner gets the first half at the top
standing on the shoulders of ruminants
?
*apologises to everyone*
*doesn’t deserve a coat*
An average pitch, our ex-players and a game wherein no first teamers feature. Shall I dare say it looks a draw this game? win or lose, no replay, please. If Perez has his shooting boots and ox his brains, we very well may win this by the odd goal in 3.
Scruz @ 53: Congratulations! And best wishes to your son. I am possibly biased, but studying to be a Physicist is the best education academia can offer: rigors of mathematics, honing the power of abstract conceptualised like a philosopher, learning to apply science as an engineer, apply creativity like an artist, and a fantastic ability to dominate conversations without saying anything substantial like an economist. ?
Abstract conceptualisation even…
Maitland-Niles as RB??
faustus, my son already has those economist skills; he gets them from his dad 😉
we’re hoping for all the points above. he’s a bright kid, with a great heart. if he can combine them, he’ll fly.
liking that maitland-niles is playing; hopefully he succeeds well today. especially as barca is tapping-up bellerin with dna talk. fuck them.
COYG!
Holic , Impec and I ( see previous) did extremely well with predictions for the 18.
I like the look of the team. I thought Debuchy was in line but Wenger believes he will make a full- back( he did the same with Gibbs). Xhaka and Elneny are very strong and I hope Ox can show how good he can be. Akpom has the Jeff and Perez flanking him.
I’d have liked to have seen Ospina playing but let’s see how we do. It’s a decent squad but options from the bench are inexperienced!
Come on.
http://www.drhtv.com.pl/drhtv5.html
For US watchers, game today is streamed on Bein Sports Connect. If you have a cable/satellite subscription, click on the streaming channel (there are several) and it will ask for your cable/satellite username and password. COYR!!!!
claps nick, eyes rolling. tgstel, eh? better have a bad game today.
Vinay
There are no replays in this Cup!
you can also sign up online for a 24-hour trial on fubotv, which you can use to log in to bein sports connect. it’s working a treat.
3 minutes in, Ox 2 turnovers….geez
the jeff reminds me of abou diaby in his movement with the ball.
lucky break there.
Lansbury’s only goal for Arsenal was against the Tots in the League Cup 🙂
oooh, close chuba! great ball from the jeff. corner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UKDZggz0N8
lovely indeed.
why’d the ref not play advantage?
Thinking the Ox n the Jeff ahould switch positions, non? The Jeff glides with the ball a la Diaby
Scruz
Should have played it indeed
that was, without a doubt, the worst corner kick i’ve seen the ox take.
lansbury is a naughty boy. he left his foot in on mo.
Xhaka Khan!!!!!!!!
what a shot by xhaka! GOLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Laser guided missile!!!!!!!!!!
took a deflection on the way in. 1-0 to the arsenal!
Xhaka…scores Wherever he wants?!
😀
Get In!
reporter: can xhaka keep taking those shots from outside the box?
arsene: yes, please.
granit xhaka
granit xhaka
score a goal
score a goal
win the game for arsenal
win the game for arsenal
we love you
we love you.
to the tune of frere jacques.
sweet lord xhaka!
Xhaka didn’t even look like he was taking the shot..until he did!
Hope Arsene doesn’t drill the tippy tappy into him.
Come ON!
Sounds like a great hit by xhaka, (Arsenal Player) but a howler from their goalie. Quite a weapon, Xhaka’s left foot, hope he gets one against Chelsea.
ksn, it wasn’t a howler, it took quite the deflection. i thought he did well to get a hand on it.
Anyone looking for a stream?
http://www.streamhd.eu/football/nottingham-forest-vs-arsenal-live-stream-700.php
There is a popup even on a Mac but just close it.
C’mon OX WTH
seriously, gedo. he’s looking really poor.
oooh, that would have been a special goal by the jeff.
lansbury needs a card right *now*.
Nice attempt Adelaide
ping. for the yellow.
tabsed it.
halftime. not a very good half, we got lucky not to be behind, then lucky on xhaka’s deflected goal. i’d like to see more application by ox, and perez actually up front rather than the floating four we’re seeming to play. or put chuba there, he’s looked very lively.
Thanks Scruz, wish we could see the match live. Chelsea get one back to trail Leicester 2-1 at half time.
Actually we were good considering who’s playing…
but where the fuck is Perez?
Thanks to gedo (BeinSports is not in my cable package though) and those who recommended streams. I would try those streams if any of them did not force me to supply credit card information but they all seem to do so. Am I wrong?
Ox is not himself…what is going on with this boy? Jeff is a gem…Chuba is lively and Perez made some good movements.
I hope we will have one or two more in the second half. COYG
BT8…This is the stream I am watching…no problems at all: http://livetv.sx/en/eventinfo/448569_nottingham_forest_arsenal/#webplayer_ifr|486240|448569|486240|143|1|en
Scruz or Scrooge? Geeze.. Everyone in this click era wants perfection. We scored, they havent. We’re up, they’re not.
cute, ochi. but, huh?
It’s a real shame but OX is a shadow of the promise player he was going to be.
We need to calm down and start dictating the pace of this half
Xhaka has absolutely no chance of getting a regular starting place if he’s going to score goals like that. He has to learn to pass the ball 193 times before hitting it.
PEN!!
nice. definitely a penno. should the forest player be sent off? last man, and all that.
Get on Perez!
come on LUCAS! YES!
Perez Pen baby!! 2-0
Get in rather he he
Peeeeeerrrrrrrrrrez!
Get In!
Cool as a cucumber.
steve, damn straight. i guess they haven’t given him the infusions of tippy tappy yet. or his xhaka can keep that at bay…
There he is!
Soft pen?
attaboy perez
lol, arthur. a glass of sobieski on the bar for you.
the jeff: the spirit of diaby, hopefully the body of anyone who doesn’t get injured much.
this jeff-Adelaide fella is a treat
Scruz
That’s stuff could run my car he he
ok, well, what would you like, then 🙂
Jeff/Diaby 2.0 n Ox, Chuba/Perez should switch positions i think. We’re up 2. “Width n spread,” she said
I’ll have a shot don’t get me wrong and one for yourself kind sir ?
oooohhhhh yes, lucas….
Perez number 2 ?
and, cheers, arthur 🙂
Get In Pereeeeeeeez!
Walking it in…
😀
he never gives up
he never gives uuuuuup
lucas perez
he never gives up
lucas, it’s ok to be selfish.
Away support enjoying themselves.. and rightly so!
Come On!
Scruz. Just wondering why again with the what ifs (we are lucky quote).
Forest arent dominating, and we’re leading. We have a mixed team playing as a unit for the first time. A little slack maybe..(def not what she…)
i wasn’t particularly impressed with the first half performance, ochi. nothing to do with “click era perfection”. i wasn’t down that we were up, i just think we were lucky to be so, considering they had a 1-on-1 with damien and fluffed it, and xhaka’s was deflected. nothing *bad*, nothing other than i’d’ve liked to see us play better against this opposition.
and lo! in the second half, we did. and it’s tidily wrapped for us to take on to the next round.
claps off chuba and the jeff. well played, boys.
arsenalist.com highlights the best site I have found. Perez looking a confident striker. COYG.
finally, ox! lovely, flowy move. well done.
Yeeeaaasss >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lucassist ?
A 4-0 win with a team that is effectively a second string side is very satisfactory. It may be that Xhaka and Petez graduate soon but it’s interesting to compare the team we fielded tonight with the team that were so poor at Sheffield last year. We had worse injuries then but at the same time we had a much weaker squad.
And we have defied the might of TGSTEL
Well done in the end. Adelaide is a pleasure to watch. Happy for Perez and (especially) Ox. Bring on Chelski! COYG