As Thin Lizzy sang:
Guess who just got back today
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven't changed, hadn't much to say
But, man, I still think them cats are crazy
In this case, the boys were 22 young men, four officials and numerous coaching and support staff. Most importantly, two thousand football fans.
Last night's match at the Emirates Stadium in North London between home club Arsenal and visitors Rapid Vienna marked the first post lockdown match involving a Premier League team. London is in Tier 2 and so 2,000 fans were allowed in. Fully socially distanced and ultra-cautious monitoring.
The teams ran out to the strains of Thin Lizzy's song. The fans cheered, booed when necessary (when Vienna scored a goal) and their rabid influence caused Arsenal to be well, most unlike Arsenal recently, scoring four goals.
On Sunday the Gunners move across London to Tottenham for their next match. While Arsenal were hammering Rapid last night, Spurs struggled to a 3-3 draw against a different Austrian team LASK, in the historic city of Linz. Their most recent, and iconic signing, Welshman Gareth Bale, on loan from Real Madrid, suffered the ignominy of being substituted by .....no, not Harry Kane, not new striker Vinicius.... journeyman trundler Serge Aurier. Spurs will have their own 2,000 fans to help but Arsenal fans in front of our TVs will be singing the latest epic I have penned:
Gareth Bale
You've gone all stale
Nothing is sorrier
Than giving way to Aurier
I don't think Thin Lizzy still perform so I'll have to get someone else to record it.
Sing loud, fellow Gunners fans!
Well this post didn't age well did it? Spurs were clinical in dispatching a woeful Arsenal, to remain top of the league....whilst Arsenal continued their slide towards the relegation zone. :) SG
ReplyDeleteI was still singing loudly though. And get your Google account name sorted Simon, so that you don't hide behind 'Unknown'! Nice to see you reading my blog, anyway.
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