Arsenal arrived in September in mint condition, competing at the top of the table, safely into the group stages of the Champions League and with Emmanuel Adebayor back to full fitness. The first match of the month made me very unpopular with my friends. In the summer we had booked the first weekend in September for a lads trip to Prague, me mistakenly believing the first weekend in September would be an international weekend. Usurping people for a home fixture to Portsmouth isn`t a good way to endear yourself to friends, take my word for it!
As it turned out, Arsenal would reward my lamentable negligence, turning in a performance of free flowing excellence against Pompey. Cesc Fabregas continued his rich vein of scoring form, scrambling home from van Persie`s corner. An Adebayor penalty made it 2-0 after Distin fouled van Persie. Philippe Senderos` professional foul early in the second period saw the Gunners reduced to ten men; but a quick free kick from Fabregas set Tomas Rosicky up for 3-0. A Kanu backheel reduced the deficit but Arsenal`s superiority had already made the Nigerian`s trickery a redundant side show. September`s pinnacle was lurking around the corner of another pointless international break. Let me put the weekend of September 15th into perspective. On the Thursday, I get a pay rise, on the Friday my sister announces her engagement, on the Friday evening I go out on the tiles and, let`s just say, achieve a pleasing result. So it was with some trepidation I travelled to White Hart Lane on the Saturday. Mindful of that line from Fever Pitch, "I still remember the League Cup defeat at Walsall. I got a pay rise; I got off with Caroline Walsh the night before. This lot (i.e. Arsenal) did a good job of fucking that up!"
Early fears appeared to be realised as Spurs took their traditional first half lead with Bale`s daisy cutter free kick. Adebayor missed an open goal and it all looked very, very doomed. Ade atoned for his error in the second half, heading home Cesc Fabregas` free kick. Hilariously, Fabregas` original free kick went horribly wrong, but the referee ordered a retake after a Spurs fan moronically ran onto the pitch to try and attack Cesc. Cheers pal. A Fabregas thunderbolt gave the Gunners a late lead before my moment of the season arrived. It`s 2-1 with five minutes to go, and Darren "I can`t believe I cost as much money as Henry" Bent inexplicably fluffed an absolute sitter with a comedy miscue with the goal gaping. How we laughed. Still counting the change from that £16m are we Darren? Adebayor`s sensational swivel and smash volley sealed the points in injury time, Liverpool`s draw at Pompey meant Arsenal were top of the league by virtue of taking the points at Three Point Lane. Carlsberg don`t do weekends blah, blah, blah etc. With spirits high on planet Arsenal, Juande Ramos` Sevilla side were battered 3-0 at the Grove. Fabregas` speculative shot deflected in off Escude, everything he was touching was turning to goal. Van Persie added a second before an injury time Eduardo strike. Though Ramos would exact a grizzly revenge later in the season.
You know the football Gods are smiling on you when you have just sauntered to the top of the league and the fixture computer throws out DERBY HOME at you. Diaby`s early range finder and Fabregas` customary long range strike sandwiched an Adebayor hat trick as the Rams were consummately swept aside 5-0. The younger players would now step up and leech parasitically onto the good times, as they masterfully overpowered Fat Sam`s full strength Newcastle side. Bendtner headed home a Traore cross and a late Denilson cracker ensured a 2-0 victory and progression to the Fourth Round. The month finished with a hard fought 1-0 win over West Ham at Upton Park, van Persie`s header from Hleb`s cross providing the solitary goal. That sentence seemed unimaginable last season. The game also saw Hleb stretchered off following a studs up lunge from Mark Noble. His rather ignoble challenge yielding only a yellow card. The effects of the leniency of the Premier League towards such acts of brutality would be tragically chrystallized in February.
If August was the launchpad, September was the take off as Arsenal won all of their games, most of them in style. Despite injury to Gallas, Senderos stepped in admirably. (I`ve said it before, but if you look at Arsenal`s best runs of form in the last three years, Senderos is usually an ever present. Coincidence? He also didn`t play in any of our domestic defeats this season scapegoat fans). Flamini was ubiquitous to the extent that Gilberto Silva found himself on the bench, Fabregas, van Persie and Adebayor were amongst the goals, Hleb was majestic and the team were revelling in their gregarious spirit. Chelsea and United were in the wilderness with indifferent early season form, Tottenham were still in relegation trouble. Summer may have been over, but the time was still right for Dancin` in the Street.LD.
Writer: Tim Stillman Date: Wednesday May 14 2008 Time: 2:36PM
What you think...
I also was on holiday in september and missed the game against Spurs. I watched it from my hotel room in Rio at 9am. When ade scored i ran to the window shouting like a mad man. I got some strange looks, but could care lesspaul_ownz
that Fabregas goal vs Sevilla won me £300, Good times :)ExRox
"The effects of the leniency of the Premier League towards such acts of brutality would be tragically chrystallized in February." - amen, brother, amen! I remember how I felt when I first saw Arsenal on top of the league. I thought "huh? How did that happen?" It was almost a surreal moment. I couldn't get my head around it when each week passed by and we were still on top.jaelle
speak up we cant hear you from all the way down there!Unwell
I think about that game more than the 5-1 demolition in the CC even though it meant more to me, and for so many reasons. The first time i thought to myself "has Martin Jol really spent a club record of £44million and not improved our first XI?? Adebayors wondergoal (what a goal) Gareth Bale showing how good a prospect he really is, Berbatovs sitter to make it 2-0 and game over and probably still Mr Jol in a job, and of course that Darren Bent miss. Of course the 3-1 result was worthless to both come the end of the season and in a weird sort of way glad it happened as it aided the arrival of Ramos who im so glad is our manager and not Chelseas.HuddersfieldYiddo
Dear SPUDS, the yelling from below is pointless, we can't hear youuuuuuuuu...............................try to climb up...you are getting further behind........when u look up..you can only see our ARSE......hehehelhchye
September was my most enjoyable month of the season. I still rate that 3-0 win over Sevilla is our best CL game at the Emirates so far... Yesterday I was singing the Vieira song (I STILL miss that guy!) and I was thinking of a song for Cesc next season. Here's the results of that spur of the moment song thought, hope to hear it when I tune in for our first game next season!
"Fabregas, ohohoh,
Fabregas, ohohoh,
He's 21 years old, he makes and scores the goals"
OR better yet
"Fabregas, ohohoh
Fabregas, ohohoh,
He's 21 years old, He's better than Paul Scholes"Patresc Vieiragas
"Flamini Player of the month, ain't he the one who just f11cked off, coz you lot ain't good enough." Incorrect, Flamini's the one who left us to compete against the Spuds in the UEFA Cup.
Little Dutch
At Wham you sure it wasn't Eboue's only assist of the season?? WHL Weekend - what a day! Sun was shining, we were in full voice, full of optimism with a 'an naw you're gonna believe us..' at the end - chant of the day tho for about 10minutes 'England's, number 1' after fat boy flailed at Cesc's cross. Lovely sunshine, went down the Fulham road after and as you say LD, had a 'pleasing result' - ahh, wish we could rewindAFC85Lew
My bad - was Hleb. Quick one, when was Eboue's only assist of the season?AFC85Lew
Eboue actually got two assists, he missed an open goal at Derby, but Ade was on hand to tap in. His other was Man Ciyt at home I believe in August, I think it was him who tucked the ball inside to Cesc. I might be wrong.Little Dutch
bent never went to us... lol...nothing more to say to that really!Unwell
end of season results.....arse no silverware spurs one cup, do there maths also help line for gunner fans 08000 51 51 51123spurs
was jan an feb lifted the cup...hammere dthe scum an then look what happened the demise of arse out of fa cup out of cl an out of the league..........123spurs
whats he on about? speaka ze eengleesh??Unwell
lhchye, be careful. Your arse will be the target next season. Make sure its wet and greased or it will bleed after its being engaged.ivanskg
Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, every single summer since the year dot. Keep dreaming mate.Little Dutch
oh my goodness!!! ivanskg..i didnt know u have such an interest!!....AND I DARE U TO TOUCH MY ARSE!!!! U sound pathetic just like the rest of those SPUDS that can't leave any meaningful lines here...but i must applause those small handful that are sensible...lhchye
lhchye, name the place and I'll be there. BTW make sure its clean :) "SPURS Fans can't leave any meaningful lines here ...." Come over to Vital SPURS and see what you arse-holes left behind.ivanskg
ok..i am staying in Singapore...meet me here then..PUI!!! i check SPUD vital...and i see not many gooners left lines...but i see so many spuds here amusing us like u are doing now!!!! AND I didnt say all SPURs fan cant leave meaning full lines...there only a few which does, but u are not one apparently...lhchye
Boy's Boy's now common thi's is getting out of hand is it not?? The Yid's, Spud's C***s what ever you wish to call us had a TERRIBLE SEASON!! and I am Embarrssed to call my self a Spur's supporter BUT Boy's, Scum, Pr***s !! What ever I wish to call you LOL!!!
I would be ten fold more Embaressed if I was an Arse hole supporter!! Fair play i know good football when i see it and i admit i like watching the SCUM play due to a good style of football and some lovley passing skill BUT ARSENAL F****D it up worse than Tottenham! you had it all on a plate and screwed it all up in a matter of 3 month's cause your manager is losing a once tight grip and your once tight team lost it''s BOTTLE you screwed all 3 cup's and one was 5-1 to tottenham which must of hurt ? Minor cup or not!! fine another to Man Utd who are twice the team you are now and a 3rd to the bloody Scoucer's which pi***s any one off!! AND you lost a what was it ??? 5, 8?? point lead in the leauge and finished 3rd!!! fine better than us but we screwed it from day id rather do that than BOTTLE it like little boy's at the end and have our Captain cry like a fool over a penelty!!!!
YOU BOTTLED IT!!!! I'D BE MORE EMBARSSED TO BE A FU****G GOONE THAN A YID !!!!!!! 99%TwIsTeD
Out of hand?, I dnt think so..if the truth hurts, why come over to get humiliated. If any SPUDS wanted to drop a scarcasm, we just point to u the fact, the difference between your team and ours. If u can't take it, dnt bother to appear here and stick to your site. Until now, I didnt leave crap in vital spuds...so, thats the difference between me and U....lhchye
lhchye, you cannot compare ar5ena1 with SPURS. SPURS is definetly BETTER you stupid arse-hole. ar5ena1 is a team without English tradition, whinges a lot, trophyless, proud, arrogant, etc etc ets and the list goes on ....... Its a shame to be associated with this football club.ivanskg
BTW, I have seen you leaving meaningless and sarcastic remarks at Vital SPURS too. So don't portray yourself like a saint over here idiot.ivanskg
