THE Emirates Stadium ?
So far, so good.
It’s a beginning and everything is still new.
When the Porto game started on Tuesday night I looked right round the ground and saw a helluva lot of empty seats. Looked round again and tried to measure it.
At that moment, when the ref blew for the kick-off, 35% of the seats were empty.People were either outside the ground, in transit or inside and making their way towards their seats. Many of the fans, like the players, are still finding their feet, still locating themselves, still creating new habits, still doing everything for the first time .
This period, really, is a series of firsts.
First game : Bergkamp’s testimonial.
First European game : 2-1 against Dinamo Zagreb.
First anti-climax : 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.
First Premiership victory : 3-0 against Sheffield United.
First Champions League victory : 2-0 against Porto.
First goal Arsenal have scored in the first half this season : Henry header, 38 minutes.
AND THIS PERIOD WILL CONTINUE WITH
First Liverpool game : November 12
First Spurs game : December 2
First Champions League quarter-final.
And so on.
Day by day, week by week, Arsenal FC are writing another book of football history.
But August-September is only Chapter 1.