Well, Well, Well, my first post, and what a time to start; a game that will be blown out of all proportion by the media, a game where we will all have excuses, and a game that sums up our luck at the moment.
4-0 away at half-time at St.James showed everyone we are the best footballing side in the league, we are probably the best attacking side in the league and the one team most capable of playing well on a consistent basis. Goals from Theo Walcott, Johan Djourou and a double from resurgent Van Persie vindicated those aforementioned assumptions. But then the game took a shape similar to the Huddersfield one, a frustrating injury to probably a our best player post christmas; Johan djourou. Little more than a minute after a typically nasty challenge from Joey Barton went un-punished, Abou Diaby reacted...Arsenal down to 10. Im sure at this stage all Arsenal fan's knew what was to follow despite how unrealistic it seemed. Still at 4-0 it was in our hands, a pen decision for newcastle spiced things up and 4-1 was the score. What followed confirmed it definately wasnt gunna be our day, Szczesny holding onto the ball after the pen, Nolan subsequently putting him into a headlock...referee showed double standards, yellow cards to both players. Nolan clearly should have been sent off but the momentum was 'wrongly' with the magpies and the refeering performance was set to get worse.
Despite a correct decision in dissallowing a leon best goal, he wasnt to be denied for too long, adding a second goal and further enhancing the chance for a remarkable comeback. Newcastle never looked back, looping a ball into the penalty area where a nothing incident was deemed to be an offence from Arsenal, Joey Barton, the player who should of been sent off earlier, gleefully lashing the ball home. Fairytale like scenes followed, and predictably, it was chiek tiote who scored a remarkable goal. It seemed to be destiny, it was absolute jubilance for the Newcastle fans, and absolute pain for the Arsenal.
We then seemed to rally, a chipped ball into Van Persie's feet was dispatched with style and Arsenal had the ball in the net, the linesmans flag denied us, but had he not, this draw which now tastes like defeat, would have felt like we had ended our trophy drought.
Conclusively, despite what the pundits may say, a 4-4 draw at St.James's doesnt end our title hopes, it doesnt mean we have a shaky defence, it means we had a bad day at the office, where reffeering decisions were compounded by an injury to our stalwart defender Johan Djourou. Arsenal remain in all four competitions with a fighting chance to win at least 2 trophies. However, much depends on the injuries to Djourou and Song and Nasri and also Vermaelen. If they can return in the coming weeks we can, and potentially will see a shift at the top of the premier league. Remember Gooners, its not where you are in the 25th week of the season, its where you finish after 38!
