I’ll take the blame.
Lay off of Arsène or Nacho or Flamini. They did their best, especially when such cosmic forces were arrayed against them. It was me who mucked it up. I should have known better than to tempt the cruel winds of fate. See, I jinxed us. The jersey you see there to the left? That’s my lucky jersey. It’s a 2004-05 third kit, and every time I’ve ever worn it, we’ve won. Every single time. However, for the Southampton match, I decided to wear the yellow kit, thinking I’d match up with the lads and all. To be frank, the lucky one was getting a little gamey, and I figured it was due for a wash after Friday’s match.
Little did I know that I’d cost us two points. I’m not even superstitious. Heck, I cross under ladders on purpose. I spill salt without tossing a bit over my shoulder. It’s just the kind of guy I am. I live life on the edge. Escalators? I don’t use the handrail. Milk? Straight from the carton, no questions asked. Expiration dates are a conspiracy to make us buy more than we really need. Besides, what’s the difference between “too old” milk and “just right” yogurt? I mean, when you really get down to it.
It was with that attitude in mind that I thought I could safely launder the jersey. After all, I would still be wearing an away-kit. It’s not that I underestimated Southampton. Not in the least. Sure, I predicted a 2-1 win, and, for a few minutes there, I was feeling like the smartest guy in the room (we won’t go into how being alone in a room boosts one’s chances of being the smartest one in it). Yep, for a solid two minutes there, I was feeling like a genius.
More to the point, I was starting to feel like I had a new lucky jersey. Ah, sweet hubris, I know you all too well. Just as I was caressing ever so gently this lustrous, yellow kit—not unlike gold, now that I think of it—along came Lallana, that ne’er-do-well, to ruin things. He is my Tiresias, the one who sees without seeing. In one blinding moment, he showed me that, to quote Tom Waits, “the higher that the monkey can climb/ the more he shows his tail.” I had climbed too high, friends, and exposed myself for the fool that I am.
I’ve cost us two points and for what? To don a fresh, clean, jersey instead of the sodden, fraying, odorific one that, for all I know, is more responsible than Giroud or Ramsey or Koscielny or Szczesny for delivering us to the top of the table lo these many weeks. Was it a golden fleece? No, it seems not.
I’ve been laid low, and I’ve learned my lesson. I just pray that Gooners will forgive me. From this day forward, the blue third kit will be my hair-shirt. I will wear it with humility until I am forgiven. Even then, I shall continue to wear it, despite the winces and cringing of those who besmell it. It is only when I am forgiven that I may wash it, perhaps in the Thames, and only after that will I wear any other on match-day.
Bless me, Gooners, for I have sinned. I am ready for my penance.
lol you said it. it's superstitious and all but I bet we were all checking our jerseys and lucky charms during that first half especially. it was like the gods were punishing us for being casual or conceited. well, we dropped points but it's bound to happen and i don't think Citeh or Chelsea will drop points tomorrow, they'll do it too, don't panic!oh, your penance is to wear a Spurs jersey tomorrow.
ah don't blame yourself they played like shite and southampton had a point to prove after the way they lost at the emirates, they weren't about to lose. we had a crap midfield with arteta/flamini, no drive bc both want to sit deep and there was too much space between them and the attack. after the first 20 minutes, i was begging for a draw and i'm happy we got one.
Flamini fucked this up for us. That was the dumbest tackle imaginable. Completely unnecessary and right in front of the ref. Pathetic and inexcusable. We would've had them on the ropes and you have to believe we would've found a way to steal the points. Now he's suspended for 3 games when we can't afford to lose him. Especially with Ramsey out.
Flamini fucked this up for us. That was the dumbest tackle imaginable. Completely unnecessary and right in front of the ref. Pathetic and inexcusable. We would've had them on the ropes and you have to believe we would've found a way to steal the points. Now he's suspended for 3 games when we can't afford to lose him. Especially with Ramsey out.
Actually your jersey is lucky because we should have lost the game based on the balance of play. One point gained, which can be immense at the end of the season. I just wish our support base wasn't so f*cking fickle, but oh well. Can't have it all….
Agreed. He's supposed to know better than that. I wouldn't expect him to keep track of Ramsey's availablity, but maybe remembering that he has five yellows and served a suspension already would stay in the back of his mind? He may miss four matches instead of three during the toughest string of matches we have. Maybe this will force AW to splurge on someone. Please?
so true. The twitter reactions showed such wild mood swings (“we're doomed…no, wait, we're top of the table–oh, shite”) that I worry for our collective mental health. They're a tough side, and they came out to play, simple as that. They put us on the back foot from the opening whistle, we took too long to respond, and then let our guard down. Offer me a point after that first half, and I would have gladly taken it. After Santi's goal, we started “smelling ourselves” as my students say, meaning we started to believe we're something special. A small comeuppance and maybe one that's necessary to motivate us out of complacency, I hope.
If only Southampton can play like that when they face any of the other top five teams. Needless to say, you have to grab the three points from those below you, especially much further down the table, even if they might not fully deserve to be there.By the way, has anyone kept count of the number of times Ozil has hit the woodwork? Is he aiming?
I do believe he is aiming for the crossbar, to be honest. It's the only explanation for why he's done it so many times. By contrast with the Ronaldinho ad, though, there's no trick photography.I do hope that we're seeing Southampton turn a corner to rediscover their early season form. Too bad we had to be a little bit unlucky to catch them on the upswing. On the other hand, it's not like we dropped points to West Ham (cough, cough Chelsea).