February 2002

2.2.02 Arsenal 1 Southampton 1

2.2.02

Arsenal 1 Southampton 1

The best thing about this game was a friend’s eight year old son. It was his first match at Highbury. He thought it was ‘brilliant’ but he did wonder ‘why is it so quiet?’ Well Matthew, yes, sometimes it is brilliant (though, not today) and the reason it was quiet is because Highbury nowadays could give the British Library a run for its money in the decibel stakes. This was a terrible game and an appalling introduction for a fresh gooner- though, in essence, this is the classic Arsenal performance from the last forty years. Arsenal were lacklustre, ploddy and couldn’t pass widdle. They looked like Southampton. However, the Saints were committed, busy and difficult- but lacking any cutting edge up front. Where do we start with the badmouthing? Vieira was pulled off with acute embarrassment in the first half, Upson’s distribution was up there with the Post Office, Luzhny lived up to his nickname ‘horse’ by having a fucking mare and Ray Parlour played like Shirley Temple with a motor neurone disease. It was horrible. At one point Edu and Van Bronckhorst were on and it was nice to see exactly where Arsene is pissing our season ticket subs away. Honestly, I’ve had appointments at the proctologist that were more fun than this. Only Pires and somewhat surprisingly Wiltord played with any verve. Wiltord’s goal, though a tap-in, was taken well. Credit to Southampton for closing the game down and moving the ball around well in the mega windy conditions, but we should be blitzing games like this, not doing impersonations of Leicester.

Well, young Matthew enjoyed it anyway. Let’s hope his next game isn’t more of the same.

Man of the Match: We hate to say it, but let’s hear it for Silvain Wiltord.