Morning all.
Hopefully you’re nonetheless having fun with the nice and cozy glow of Sunday’s recreation. I can’t lie, and I do know everybody’s feeling on this specific fixture is completely different, nevertheless it’s one I by no means look ahead to – regardless of our vastly superior document in it. Which is a bit mad, as a result of I’m not Tottenham adjoining like a lot of our followers. I don’t dwell in North London. If it doesn’t go properly, I don’t must cope with their followers in work or in my private life (I don’t have any shut associates who’re followers of them). I definitely don’t have interaction with any of their followers on-line, though for years there was an American Sp*rs fan who would try to bait me on Twitter on a regular basis, however I by no means as soon as replied and I believe he received bored and stopped. I do not know, perhaps he’s nonetheless at it. I hope so really, as a result of what a colossal waste of his personal time that might be.
The North London derby, for me, is factor to be endured till it’s a factor to be loved, which comes on the remaining whistle. Even at 3-1 up, and understanding they have been clearly inferior to us in each facet, when the away followers had some enjoyable and began OLEing each Arsenal move, I couldn’t discover it in me to have fun at that. When David Raya made that unbelievable save, I assumed ‘Oooof, think about if that had gone in after these OLEs!’.
Which is my problem, I get that, however as soon as it’s carried out and dusted and the factors are within the bag, there’s a way of aid that provides just a little icing to the cake of the North London derby win. I don’t fairly know tips on how to clarify it. It’s like if you happen to, for some inexplicable motive, put your head between some railings and also you thought you have been caught, however then you definitely wiggle your manner free with out anybody seeing and have averted the humiliation of ready for a passer-by to ask for assist.
There’s no good motive to stay your head between some railings, everyone knows that, and there’s good motive for the North London derby which, this season, has netted Arsenal 6 factors throughout each video games, whereas additionally including +6 to our purpose distinction, with 5 of them coming from a person who got here inside a (horrible) whisker of being one in all their gamers. On this extremely tight title race, Man Metropolis have taken simply 1 level from Spurs this season, and there’s the potential for these video games to be important within the remaining end result. They clearly have some greater fish to strive by way of their very own priorities. Relegation isn’t essentially probably, however removed from unattainable, however no matter occurs to that state of affairs, there would absolutely be a stage of depressing introspection for his or her followers in understanding that if we go on to win the title, they’ve performed an important half in it.
Clearly Arsenal success is much extra essential to me than the failings of another crew. I wouldn’t swap any trophy for his or her relegation, but when it did occur, I don’t suppose I’d cease laughing for per week. Or many weeks. I would even get my head caught between railings on goal and when somebody requested why I did that, I’d say ‘It doesn’t matter, as a result of subsequent season we’re going to play Middlesbrough’, they usually’d wander away and ultimately the fireplace brigade would come together with an angle grinder or one thing and get me free.
They could even simply go away me there, eternally. Ultimately I’d calcify in that very spot, maybe a few of my associates may put up a plaque, and a few years later some child will ask his dad what that bizarre decoration is, and he’ll say ‘That was a foolish man who received his head caught within the railings’, and he’ll clarify precisely why they usually’ll each go off down the street having nice chortle. At Tottenham, after all, not me. I’m only a statue at that time. Nothing can harm my emotions.
Anyway, we now have a pleasant free week, and I don’t fairly know what to do with that. Maybe I’ll examine the information and see what’s occurring on the planet.
*A couple of minutes later…*
Nicely, completely fuck that. Nonetheless, at the very least my head isn’t between any railings proper now, and that’s the most effective any of us can hope for.
Right here’s a bit of additional studying for you, Lewis Ambrose examines the derby from a tactical viewpoint, and appears at large performances from 4 gamers who made an actual distinction. And if you happen to haven’t had an opportunity to pay attention but, a really enjoyable Arsecast Further is beneath, together with some implausible tempting of destiny from their stadium announcer – you possibly can see it right here on this video (thanks SilverArrows47 on Bluesky for sending this by 👊).
Oooops!
Proper, I’ll go away it there for this morning, have a superb one of us.
