Ian Tanner
With the benefit of hindsight, The Young Pretender never stood an earthly. What a resounding victory on Saturday for perhaps Islington’s most infamous pensioner, a “Marmite” character if ever there was one; a man who has, perhaps unwittingly, created divisions among supporters that will take many years to heal! But enough of Jeremy Corbyn, whose smile was as wide as the River Mersey, and the Labour Party.
Concurrently, less than two-hundred miles away in a south easterly direction, momentum of a different kind was on display at THOF. Esteemed Ed noted in his match report that, of the Arsenal starting eleven, only Shkodran Mustafi was not at the club last season. True. And so much for teams playing on paper. This is not the Hector Bellerin that I lauded in Hector’s House after the 2-2 draw at home to Hull City in October 2014.
In his post-match press conference, Islington’s other infamous pensioner, sporting a smile as wide as the River Thames, noted that “he [Bellerin] has gained a lot defensively”. When, in the 73rd minute, Pedro looked to have finally gotten clear, I worried not a jot. Bellerin was always going to catch him, though the timing of his tackle was one of the game’s many highlights (for Arsenal fans, at least). This side has pace running through it (geddit?). It would be another nine minutes before Chelsea’s one and only shot on target (Petr Cech’s “save for the cameras” was going wide).
As for the two other most significant contributors to our “team-goal”, Theo, who scored it, is playing better than he ever has (when fit) and this is not the Alex Iwobi I lauded as recently as April [see Arsenal’s Gain, England’s Loss]. Does our Nigeria international have ice running through his veins? He never panics, even when surrounded by three opponents whilst facing his own goal and in “our” third of the pitch.
Perhaps the day’s only negative was a repeat of Francis Coquelin’s knee Ian Jury. But if anyone can cover for Le Coq, Xhaka can (here’s one for ‘80s music nostalgia fans not already groaning at that pun). If I was a betting man, I’d have grabbed the generous 12-1 on offer for Arsenal to win the league before Saturday’s Demolition Derby. Although now at “10s”, as members of the betting fraternity would say, Arsenal are arguably even better value. When I made my Podcast debut (Gooner podcast 146) in the final throes of last season, I forecast Arsenal to win the league this time. But whatever we achieve, we’ll have done so with and within our own resources, something fans of Manchester City and, indeed, Saturday’s ghastly opponents will never be able to say. I pity them.
Many people, Gooners and non-Gooners alike, think that Arsene is a has-been. I continue to think differently, the more so after Saturday. As for Jeremy Corbyn, he’s definitely not a has-been; he’s a never-was.
