The North London One-sided Derby

Carling cup tonight gents, and what better way to start my first column of the year in preparation of a Semi final 1st leg clash against the Spuds at the Emirates tonight. Ooooh Yes!!

Team news for the U12’s, and the real big news is that Robin Van Persie looks set to make his second come back of the season. Whether he’ll start or not begs to question, and chances are that he won’t. With Wenger wanting to give him a run out in the final 20 maybe – dependant on the score line and the situation of the game. This should mean the Danish Milk float and Crozilian Eduardo should continue with what has been an impressive partnership to say the least. They seem as if they know each others game very well. Inside out and back to front. Eyes shut. Standing on their heads… you do the okey cokey and you turn around… Having played alongside each other several times this season, both have supplied assists for one another, and one always seems to score when partnered. So us Gooners will be hoping to see Bendtner and Eduardo’s partnership on song once again this evening.

Fabianski will get the chance to show us a little of what he’s about in goal again tonight, with the Italian 12 year old Vito Mannone no doubt the back up keeper for the fixture. Professor Wenger-Hawkins has revealed that Johan Djourou will be starting at the back with international tit-wank, erm, team-mate sorry, Philip Senderos. I feel for Senderos of a late, I have always stood my ground in defending him, and insisted that somewhere lurking in the depths of his school boy errors, child like defending, and Sheep like looks, that there is a good player somewhere?? Anywhere?? Helloooo?? But I have lost count the amount of times in a build up to a fixture I have uttered the immortal words, “Senderos needs to impress tonight”, and like wise have lost count the amount of times he’s made quite the hash in the relevant fixture. But I’m never one to criticize current players, because I always believe we – as supporters – should show encouragement and support even in the most difficult of circumstances. So I’ll utter immortally once again, Senderos needs to impress tonight.

Walcott should feature, no doubt on the right wing *sigh*. With Lasagna Diarra, Diaby Long-legs, Denilson, and Gilberto all fighting for the three vacant midfield slots.

Since the Professors reign at our club, rivalries with clubs have differed over the years in terms of passion and aggression shown. Man Utd from the late nineties to early naughties was a mammoth fixture, but I’m sure one or two of you will agree, the temperament has slightly died down since the sales of Vieira and Keane. Our rivalry with our fellow Russian counterparts now is what I think our most heated fixture – what with the history of C*ntley C*nt, and our Captain fantastic BillyG. Oh, and the fact that both John Terry and Frank Lampard are utter gobshites. The North London derby on the other hand – on the pitch – hasn’t been what it used to be, simply because of the red half’s dominance. We have gone so many games without defeat that the inevitable will happen, and eventually we will lose one. Whether it’s tonight, the second leg, or next season, they will eventually have the upper hand in one game, and as much as they will dance, sing, and jump around in sheer delight, it won’t bother me as much as perhaps it would of a few years back. We have consistently ripped them apart, scored exceptional goals, won at our ground, won at there ground, beaten them in semi finals, even won titles against them – all of which contribute to the murdering and mauling of a side who have been in transition for some 20 odd years, having not beaten us in eight. If they knock us out if this competition, of course I won’t like it, but only as much as any other side knocking us out. Arsenal own this derby as a whole – and it will be a long long time before the Spuds contribute half as much to the fixture as what The Arsn’l have.

So, another busy festive period is once again behind us and there’s not a dry seat in the house. We have come out the December fixtures sitting top of the pack, still gunning in four competitions, and my pants are even more moist then before. The Spuds, Stoke City or Newcastle, and AC Milan await us in three different competitions, all of which I think were more then capable of winning, progressing to the next round. The expectancy has grown from game to game, we have passed “test” after “test”, and are still looking good, fit, and in shape. I have to point out; the Milan fixture is one which sends my balls a quiver. I wanted Barcelona, but if not them, a big side to say the least, and they don’t get much bigger then an away trip to the San Siro!

Here's to The Arsn’l, here's to the new year, and here's to William Gallas lifting three trophies in May wind milling his old boy in delight.

COME ON YOU GOOOOONERS!

Until next time, keep it red…

By Scotty Davis