Written by Lindsay Melrose Wednesday, 30 November 2011 19:10

GunnerTalk Blog

By Lindsay Sheehan

The Carling Cup has been somewhat of a cheeky distraction for us in recent years. Home games usually attract a more cheerful kind of Gooner, we’ve blooded most of our young talent in the competition and in general we’ve been quite good at it. Well until last year when that bollox at Wem-ber-ley took the shine off fairly fucking dramatically.

At the emergence of the team sheet I developed a nasty case of squeaky bum. I knew it was going to be youth dominated as usual but compared to that of the Premiership leader’s personnel, it looked sobering. It's not that I don't believe our Young Guns are talented, but that $hitty side was full of developed skill, strength and experience. It was going to be a tough ask. An ask that looked even harder due to ‘The Return of the Squib’ - words you prayed you never hear only slightly less than 'starting in the Arsenal goal tonight MAN-UEL ALLLLLLL’ oh shit!!

Talking of returns - some money grabbing, disloyal, rude, weird -pant wearing buck toothed lesbian was included in $hitty team as the Carling Cup exactly fits his level. (I don’t have much time for the Mourhinio wannabe Mancini and his I-think-I’m-handsome scarf, but he must have also got Na$ri’s number 118 118 as he benched the fucker almost the minute he arrived at Eastlands) The faithful informed Na$ri loudly and proudly of exactly what he is. He must have agreed with them because he tried to substitute himself instead of his colleague early doors. Mancini denied his lily-livered request and there was nowhere to hide from the abuse every time he touched the ball. His tactic to overcome this was to ... well to not touch the ball for most of the rest of game. 3 words, over- rated, bottle, job.

Anyway enough of him and onto our Emmanuel Frimpong. He is a lad who has got right on my tits of late. I fell in love with his Goonerness on twitter but recently he’s looked to have disappeared up his own arse at the DENCH adulation. There is nothing worse than a footballer believing the hype (David Bentley) and I was worried he maybe turning into a typical as per JET. But last night my Frimmy you pulled me right back in. His over eagerness frightens me sometimes, especially when closely watched by the unforgiving eyes of anti- Arsenal biased referees. But the calmness, effort and brawn he put into his play was impressive, he had clearly reigned in his enthusiasm whilst still being all over Na$ri like a Keown. I remember shouting at him previously to stay on the pitch and have the bust up in the tunnel after. Apparently that’s what he did so he has learnt. It was a pleasure to see him and Coquelin boss the $hitty midfield for long periods of the game. Le Coq is another one who must be given chances at a go in the first team. There are noises he’ll leave to get games elsewhere and IMO this would be a real shame. And no, not only because I enjoy doing double-entendre jokes, we simply must hold onto our Coq.

Ere also what about The Ox? Well he trended worldwide on Twitter - nuff said. How he didn’t score in the first half I don’t know. Actually I do know - their bloody goalie, Pantilimon, must have drank the magic hands potion left in the opposition dressing room by Rob ‘usually I’m shit’ Green and kept out everything The Ox brilliantly sent at him. Kolarov just couldn’t get near him and had to be hauled off after half an hour. The Ox, out of all our prospects, genuinely excites me the most.

In this love- in-despite-a-loss - lest we not forget our Kozza.

Dave, Dave, Dave! How they laughed when you fucked up! How they labelled you ‘yet another Wenger defensive flop’ while your heroics against Barcelona to name but one were dismissed as a good days for a donkey.

Hearing the Sky commentators falling over themselves to point out his good form made me chuckle till an ickle bit off wee darkened me knickers. He was immense. ‘You shall not pass’ said he, JD, The Squib (YES HE WAS GOOD!!!!) and Miguel and in fairness bar once they didn’t.  We also dealt with the tricky against-Arsenal aerial ball weapon incredibly well.

So despite all these strong performances we conceded. They scored from our corner, I was willing the ball to go out of play but once Johnson kept it in I think the stadium realised our naivety was about to be punished by a breakaway goal. He of the big price tag and equally big hair didn’t disappoint.  That's what a big money signing whose actually worth the dosh (no not you Torres) gets you.

The crowd responded and we gave an equaliser a real go. We came close and again their sodding keeper matched our back fours’ Gandalf impression admirably. We deserved a goal. We actually deserved a win. Arsenal had 6 shots on target to their 1.

But they boasted the only goal. Meh.

Knowing what they'd seen was spirit, passion and determination in youth the fans appreciated the Manager who believes, if sometimes a little blindly, in this almost above all.

I could scratch my head over our strike force but I won’t bother. This game was never going to the be all and end all of our season. I guess the most over riding feeling I had in the mixture FT brought was actually pride. We do things a good way at Arsenal. Yes some things need to change but overall we do good work and those kids were an advert for the shirt and the chance our club gives them.  Well done Young Guns. Look forward to seeing more of you all in the future.

I'll finish with the words of Le Boss who summed it up perfectly and concisely with this… “I felt we were naive on their goal. We took the corner too quickly. It is frustrating because we were not rewarded for our effort'”

Next up the return of our bread and butter, where it does really count, the Prem and Wigan away on Saturday. 3 points is a MUST.

PS

Dear Santa,