WBA fallout

Well that was a bit rubbish wasn’t it?

I am always massively apprehensive when we are big favourites to win an away game. It usually results in a defeat. And Saturday has proved me right.

There is no point me going through the defeat, it has been done by many other bloggers already. The pitch, the weather, the thin squad, the injuries, the missed penalty. It all made for a disappointing result.

But there is an old adage “Don’t let the game ruin a day at the football”.

Before the train had even hit Coventry on the way home, we were all back in high spirits. The game dissected, the beers flowing, it was forgotten about.

Going home and away, you learn to get over poor results very quickly. Football has many highs and lows. If you are only in the game for the highs, then you need evaluate of football is the right game for you.

If after the game, you then spent the next 24 hours tweeting your disgust about the result, having a go at Arsene Wenger, being abusive to someone else sitting behind their computer screen for having a different opinion, you need to have a look at yourself. There is a lot of hatefulness online after a defeat. As always, the majority of it is from fans who were not at the game. Do not go to games. And will probably never go to a game.

Football is about being with your mates. Having a few beers. Having a top day out. If you get a victory, even better. If you lose, you drink a bit harder to forget.

We will lose again this season. When we do, take a look at yourself. Is your online appropriate behaviour?

Santi Cazorla

The penalty was a shocker. The behaviour of the WBA players before, during and after the penalty, whilst distasteful, is part of the game.

Like time wasting when ahead it is something that when we are on the wrong end of it, we scream that is a disgrace, yet when we do it and it benefits ourselves, a blind eye is turned. Is it cheating? No. It is professionalism.

WBA must have been taking lessons from the Australian cricket team in sledging. Martin Olsson moving the ball after Cazorla had placed it. Craig Gardiner continually chirping at Cazorla. What it showed once more was a lack of leaders. Bar Olivier Giroud forcibly moving Olsson, no one else got involved.

Maybe this was done deliberate. A scuffle would have delayed the penalty further. But it is worrying that this is the 2^nd incident this season where a player struggled (Gabriel / Costa the first) and no one stood up to be counted.

I knew Santi was going to miss the penalty. After what went on he just did not look confident. Yes, he slipped, kicking the ball twice ballooning it back to orbit, but I feel this was a direct result to the sledging. He was riled up. He was distracted. He wanted to smash the ball emphatically into the back of the net.

A calmer head was needed. An understanding that the surface was wet. The ball to be rolled into the back of the net rather than blasted.

Of course, it is easy in hindsight.

And after the penalty. Gardiner again getting in the face of Cazorla. He was visibly upset over the miss. Again  no one stood up for him. And he was anonymous for the final 10 minutes. It clearly got to him.

He is such a happy chappy is our Santi. Hopefully the miss does not wipe the smile off his face for too long. He has had a bit of a rough season. He needs his team mates and the fans to get round him. To back him.

When Cazorla plays well. Arsenal play well.

Camera phones

I hate camera phones. With a passion.

You go to a gig, and stand behind 200 people with an arm in the air filming the gig. Why? You are at the gig, watch the gig, enjoy the moment. Why the need to record it? The quality will be no good. The video unclear. The sound poor. If you like the band, buy the CD. Buy the DVD of the show. Why video it? Leave it to professionals.

And it happens at football as well.

Saturday I was sat behind two blokes who for every corner, every throw in, every free kick, every goal kick, every song, had there phones out, videoing the play, videoing the crowd. Why would you do this?

They videoed the Cazorla penalty, and then stood wand watched the replay on their phones half a dozen times. Why? To show their mates that they have been at the football? To stick it up on YouTube? To create a memory? I do not know. They spent more time videoing than watching the game. There were standing together, and yet both were videoing it. £40 a ticket to watch it through a mobile phone.

And you see it all the time.

We score a goal, and rather than celebrate, people get their phones out to video the fans celebrating in the hope they get YouTube hits. We make a bit of noise, and rather than join in, people video the crowd. It could get people into trouble when some of our naughty songs are sung.

I just do not understand it.

Watch the game. Enjoy the moment. Put them phones away.

Spurs

Imagine 12 games unbeaten being your club record

Imagine being excited that you are 5^th in the league

Imagine top 4 being your everything

Imagine never having finished higher than 4^th in the Premier League

Imagine having never finished above your rivals in 20 years

Imagine having never won the Premier League in 54 years

Imagine having never won the FA Cup (or made an FA Cup Final) in 24 years

Imagine being Spurs

Keenos

Follow @KeenosAFC