“That was the greatest moment of Song’s career!” I said.
“He’ll never top it?” asked my mate.
“No.”
“He should retire then.”
“Alfredo di Song! What a player! He’s made my night!”
Alex Song had just beaten three men on the left wing and crossed for Robin van Persie to head in.
One nil to the Arsenal.
Theo Walcott went off to standing ovation. I was there. I’m not kidding. I’m serious : I saw and heard Walcott go off to a standing ovation.
Gervinho fluffed a great chance to wrap the game up. He’s a fluffy sort of player. Then Arteta delivered a pinpoint corner from the left and Van Persie stabbed in the Vermaelen flick-on for 2-0.
Djourou came on and we left.
At Kings Cross I heard that Arsenal had won 2-1.
Chelsea had lost 2-1 in Leverkusen.
A funny old night, really.
Santos is actually a decent footballer. Vermaelen was top class. Magnificent defender who must stay fit and stay lucky. Don’t get injured again, TV5.
Mario Gotze is not the player Arsenal need.
I doubted it before the game and I’m sure of it now. Right now he’s just a useful,bouncy little player.
Second half, Dortmund perked up, had a go for ten minutes.
But Gotze and Bender went off injured.
After that, Arsenal took control.
First half, I’d said, “I can sum up Dortmund in five words.”
“Go on.”
“Their running is better than their passing. That’s seven words. They can make three or four passes but they don’t have the skill to make the fifth.”
The Dortmund fans were a yellow & black battalion of about 7,000, bouncing up and down in the upper and lower tier. Great supporters who make football a participation sport. Haven’t seen away fans so tumultuous since Lens at Wembley in another century. But their boys didn’t do it tonight. Arsenal had more skill and made the German champions look very average.
Nothing more to say at just after midnight.
Rob Hughes has been abroad for three weeks.
But he came back and called me today.
We saw the Napoli-Man City game the same way.
Rob actually said, “Funnily enough, I never flicked over once. That’s very unusual for me.”