Fulham 1 Arsenal 0

Dear readers,
Welcome to Football 101. Let us begin with a few choice phrases from last night game...

Arsenal fans in Manchester - "Football? Bloody hell!"

Arsenal fans in front of the TV - "Boooooooooooooooo!"

Fulham fans at Craven Cottage - "Who are ya? Who are ya?"

William Gallas, Arsenal's French Captain - "Omlette du frommage."

Manuel Almunia, Arsenal's Spanish Goalkeeper - "Hijo de puta!"

Hangeland, Fulham's Norwegian goalscorer - "Jeg elsker de, Frenchies! *muah!*

Arsene Wenger, Le Gaffer - "Thee playyers deed not show goood qwaleeti"

Roy Hodgeson, The Gaffer - "Ma lads deed me prowd!"


The game kicked off last night around 10pm IST and what a pathetic excuse for a game it turned out to be. Okay, so as most of you know I'm an Arsenal fan and that's because I love the club, the manager, and it stands for in the modern footballing world. Now normally when a Gooner walks away from a game after a loss, he carries with him a great feeling of injustice. It could be anything from poor refereeing decisions to dirty tactics by the opposition or just plain bad luck for the men in the red and white. However, on this occasion, this fan is not afraid to come out and say that we were shit! Pure and utter shit! Unadulterated, stinky, putrid, runny, multicoloured shit!

Researchers at the University of Llanddewi Brefi recently concluded an experiment using a bunch of baboons pumped full of laxatives, doused in itching powder and then introduced onto a giant waterbed with a football thrown in. While the results were not pretty, the animals recorded a pass completion rate comparable to Arsenal's last night. It is clear that our midfielders were the crux of our problems yesterday. The only one who had a decent-ish game was our young signing Samir 'I'm not the New Zidane! Oh yes, you are!' Nasri which basically tells the story. The whole midfield looked as though they expected a moment of brilliance from the former Marseille mani, which was asking too much of a 21year old playing in only his second Premier League game. Bleeaarrrgggghhh!

The goal we conceded came predictably from a set play. Bobby Zamora received the ball in the box and with a quick turn managed to scoot ahead of his marker, Kolo Toure. Recognising the danger in on goal, Toure was forced to hit the Nitro as he thundered ahead of Zamora with 'big explosive power', impressively hacking the ball out of play before the striker could let off a shot. The resulting corner saw the ball whipped into the 6 yard area to meet the boot of the big, lumbering Norwegian Hangeland who cannoned the ball between the clueless Almunia and Clichy.

Fulham V Arsnal

The commentator goes on about Gallas' marking, which I have to agree with having watched the replay now. However, the commentator gives a clean chit to Almunia, who they say was blocked off by the Fulham player. What a load of bollocks! Almunia is, perhaps, one of the least assertive goalkeepers playing at the highest level in football -- that is the problem. I can't imagine any one like Oliver Kahn, Mad Jens, Schmeichel, Van Der Sar, Petr Cech, Iker Casillas, or even someone as error prone as Fabian Barthez not coming out to meet the cross. Maybe there was something in the pre-match kissing ritual. Then again, even if Almunia did shave his head who would step forward to kiss it before each game? Hmmm...I don't think any of the older squad members would be too keen so I'm guessing it has to be one of the new entrants. I dare say it would have to be the man of experience - Mickaël Silvestre, the man who has seen it all during the reign of Blanc and Barthez.

On the other hand, sometimes I wonder if Manuel Almunia is our former JUDE goalkeeper in disguise? Wouldn't that be cool? Okay, they don't look much alike but there is nothing modern plastic surgery cannot fix. Picture this...by day he is plain old Prabuddha but by kickoff he is playing for one of the European Super Clubs and his hair has been dyed a ridiculous peroxide blonde. The possibilities are endless.

Anyway, having splashed most of the page with football fritter fratter I think its time we moved on to the other irrelevant things I've learnt between yesterday and today. For instance, did you know that the Japanese obtain their beef from genetically engineered Wagyu bulls on a diet of high quality fodder and crates upon crates of beer. Yes, that's right I said beer. Moreover, they are regularly massaged with sake to prevent muscle cramps. I have decided that the day I go to Japan I will drive down to a Wagyu farm with a few hundred crates of beer and sake, gather up the farm hands and their cattle in front of the TV and watch Arsenal play. Oh yes! If Arsenal are their usual self and win the game then we'll moo till the cows come home. Then again, if they did what they did last night I shall have a grand consolatory Wagyu feast. Its a win-win situation. Any other takers?