Sorry - can't talk long as I'm round at the inlaws, would love to spend hours on this post but Ce la vie.
Sunday was a strange mix... obviously we were robbed by the slap-headery of Howard Webb (Crown prince clown of the EPL/PGMO aka the new Graham Poll). Shall I start there?
OK - as it's what you all want to hear - Webb was a cunt as usual showing the Northern bias BUT this it seemed he had an agenda. The Draw. He was mad for the fucking draw (The Collective was pretty much on this before kick off - the same with the other 'big games'). This league is a joke and Webb is the punchline! Anyway so Lucas makes 18 fouls and eventually gets a yellow - Adebayor makes one foul and gets sent off with two Yellows - Keane goes in two footed from behind on Clichy and gets 1 yellow. Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but this is just the same old shit... although it would have been were it now for the fans! No tourists today - we had our A team out and their noses were wrinkling from the stench of scouse. The lightbulb collectively went on:
"Ahhh - so that's how a team as shit as Liverpool are doing so well... cheating bastards!" - Arsenal Fans
From the sending off onwards Liverpool/Webb were whistled/chanted and booed and right fucking proud I was too - they even gave Eboue a warm welcome - it didn't seem to come through in the highlights though, but I can assure you it was loud. The papers had a VERY suss reaction to the game also.. I noticed that the Guardian post match analysis changed overnight from a total denial of Webb's dismissal of Adebayor being even remotely in the wrong to a begrudging acceptance that it was 'harsh'. The Daily Mail didn't change their opinion that it was 'richly deserved' but did add several 'DO you think Matt Lawson is a lying cunt? Comment below!' sections throughout the article. The Mail, in their own way, followed (covered) it up with another story about how Adebayor didn't deserve it within the rules of the game but deserved it because he was, in their view, 'a nigger':
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1099763/Adebayors-red-card-harsh-25-reasons-trendy-Arsenal-striker-punished.html
I mean - look at him with his 'bling' and his 'pimped out ride'... oh yeah - he deserves it alright!
Although... saying that - Webb is an ex-copper so maybe this is relevant comment - after all he just reverts to type in times of stress, consults the handbook and blames the black man.
"Is this your car sir?" - Webb (probably once upon a when)
"Yes - that's why I had to have my name stitched in the fucking seats, because of cunts like you... officer." - Adebayor (probably everytime he goes out for a drive)
I would be interested to see the stats on Card/Race/Ref decisions... does anyone do them?
Overall I enjoyed the game... we showed the spirit after the sending off that we have been missing all season both on the field and in the stands.
I went to the match with Charlie, Charlie has just turned 50 and... well - to cut a long story short PieFace couldn't make it as he forgot the game was on as he was at a wedding in America or something - well, that's what he mumbled as I woke him up with my 4th phone call 1 hour before kickoff. As I was walking down the street I saw Charlie coming back from his Sunday football - he played 2 games that morning... madness! Charlie is my neighbour - he has a chequered past i.e. in and out of prison but he makes a living in the building trade and is a site manager now (currently seeking work). I shouted - Oi, Charlie, fancy going to the game? Charlie bit my hand off. Charlie is black - I should point this out as it is relevant; we walked down to the Che Guvara for a beer and to meet various ASI members - both white, one South African - Charlie changed a bit and introduced himself as Charles and shaved off the 'street' edges from his accent. We had a beer - and moved on... Charles said that everything had changed since he was ayounger - he used to walk to the games and he would know most of the people walking in the crowd with him... I doubted it - but it seems it was true.
As we got to the top of the steps Charles went - "Alright geezer, hows it going man" to a very well dressed man having a pre-match smoke outside club level. He seemed pleased to see Charles and they chatted for a few minutes. Charles said - "You know who that was?". I said "...err - no, who is he?"
"That's Steve Walford... coach at Villa"
"How do you know him?"
"We played at Everton boys together - but you know how it is [referring to his status, silk suit and cashmere overcoat], football - it was well racist back then and the brothers didn't stand a chance"
"Yeah man... it was" - I agreed.
Charles was then distracted my a member of 'Soul II Soul' who he knew and had to have a chat with... from that point on the old faces came thick and fast. At half time we went for another beer and bumped into two men about the same age as Charles:
"Charlie" - they shouted. "Hey man!"
Chat ensued about the match, Charlie was very knowledgeable about the game but refused to entertain my opinion that Webb was displaying a bias and was going to fuck us in the second half. Charlie's mates ignored me when I commented and exchanged puzzled 'who the fuck is this' looks with each other. When prompted to shake my hand via an introduction - the smaller one game me a 'wet fish' while the larger of the two gave me a hard stare and tried two crush my fingers - I felt like an unwelcome white boy - we moved on and finished our beer.
After half time I left Charlie to go take a piss... it had kicked off and I wanted to get back - he said "Wait up - where are we sitting again?". I told him gate 12 - I forgot that Charlie was illiterate, he hides it well but I'm pretty sure that he can't read a word and by the time I remembered I had got back to my seat and lost him.
I imagine that he probably met up with some old friends, sat with them and lamented our teams misfortune in a hard fought game... he's right though - it's changed, in some ways, since he was a regular.
I reckon Villa are due a beating on boxing day... it's a shame that Fabregas got 'taken out' as it's going to make it tougher.
