Revenge complete! Season redeemed!
It has not been a happy season for the Arsenal fan. The only way the season could now be redeemed was through a thrashing of ManU in the FA cup final. 4-0 would have been great. Even 3-0 would have done.
In life, very rarely does it happen that you think of a best case scenario and something even better turns out. It happened yesterday.
Everyone was expecting Arsenal to mesmerize ManU with their slick passing, flowing movement, piercing attacks, and committed defense. Instead they turned up as if for a training session on Monday morning after a tough weekend.
They kept van Persie and Freddie on the bench for most of the match, and the only real striker, the 36 year old Bergkamp played like he would in his post-retirement farewell match. It was a stroll in the centre circle for Viera. Pires and Gilberto successfully intercepted passes between their own players and offered the ball back to ManU. And once when Reyes found the ball with an open goal in sight, he executed a spectacular back pass to Fabregas who was standing between three ManU players -- Fabregas's only touch of the match. Cole, Toure, and Lauren kept tripping ManU players around the box with the only conceivable intention of giving away free kicks -- the ball was nowhere around during these tackles. And on corners, the Gunners kept pushing each other out of the way of Nistelrooy and Scholes to allow them clear headers at goal. Senderos even gave a pass to Giggs with only Lehmann to beat. But Giggs decided to give the goalkeeper a hug instead of striking.
Then came the penalty shoot-out. Five perfect penalties and the FA cup belonged to Arsenal.
In his post-match interview, Wenger said, "the plan worked". And how wonderfully it worked. They had proved that ManU are incapable of scoring a goal even with all the help from the opposition. They can't win even if the opposition sleeps through the game. And with all their millions they still don't have the nerve to strike five clean penalties.
Revenge complete! Season redeemed! Back now to the 'beautiful game'.
In life, very rarely does it happen that you think of a best case scenario and something even better turns out. It happened yesterday.
Everyone was expecting Arsenal to mesmerize ManU with their slick passing, flowing movement, piercing attacks, and committed defense. Instead they turned up as if for a training session on Monday morning after a tough weekend.
They kept van Persie and Freddie on the bench for most of the match, and the only real striker, the 36 year old Bergkamp played like he would in his post-retirement farewell match. It was a stroll in the centre circle for Viera. Pires and Gilberto successfully intercepted passes between their own players and offered the ball back to ManU. And once when Reyes found the ball with an open goal in sight, he executed a spectacular back pass to Fabregas who was standing between three ManU players -- Fabregas's only touch of the match. Cole, Toure, and Lauren kept tripping ManU players around the box with the only conceivable intention of giving away free kicks -- the ball was nowhere around during these tackles. And on corners, the Gunners kept pushing each other out of the way of Nistelrooy and Scholes to allow them clear headers at goal. Senderos even gave a pass to Giggs with only Lehmann to beat. But Giggs decided to give the goalkeeper a hug instead of striking.
Then came the penalty shoot-out. Five perfect penalties and the FA cup belonged to Arsenal.
In his post-match interview, Wenger said, "the plan worked". And how wonderfully it worked. They had proved that ManU are incapable of scoring a goal even with all the help from the opposition. They can't win even if the opposition sleeps through the game. And with all their millions they still don't have the nerve to strike five clean penalties.
Revenge complete! Season redeemed! Back now to the 'beautiful game'.