The sight I never thought I’d see again: match report from the Emirates
ARSENAL 1 LEEDS 0
FROM GOODPLAYA AT THE EMIRATES
WHO knows how the cameo will end. Perhaps he will be found out against United or in the San Siro. Perhaps he’ll see red – possibly for two bookable glares. Or maybe the whole circus will implode on itself.
But on this night, it was beautiful. And not because we’re half way through a season of few competing highlights. No. For any club the sight of their greatest ever player returning to assume his former majesty would evoke scenes as wild as we witnessed last night.
Really if you were a Gooner who didn’t enjoy this, I’d suggest you’ve forgotten what it is that first drew you to the game of football. For this was the stuff of a million children’s dreams. From his departure in May 1992 right up until his tragic death nine years later I always held out the vaguest of hopes that the wrong that was the selling of David Rocastle to Leeds would one day be righted and that he would return to where he belonged.
I arrived, deliberately, unusually early for this game. I’m going to be missing from the Emirates for the United and Blackburn games and I figured that if he’s still not still around for the Spurs game, this was the only time I’d see him and even then it wasn’t guaranteed he’d get on. So I decided to get there for the warm up. And it was odd, almost moving really. I hadn’t, if I’m honest, until now come close to being moved while watching Arsenal this season. But now I was.
On the pitch, we weren’t up to much. In Chamakh, Arshavin and Chamberlain we had a front trio with no form whatsoever to draw on. And at the back we were missing Sagna, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Santos, Mertersacker, Vermaelen and Djourou. And before long the energetic Coquelin too. Only in central midfield were things normal.
Early on Arshavin was presented with a not dissimilar chance to the one Robert Pires lashed in when he opened the scoring against Leeds in April 2004, a game Henry scored four in. But the Russian fired wildly over. Other presentable chances came and went and while the oles from the Leeds fans seemed (even if intended ironically), somewhat premature, we were toiling.
We cranked it up in the second half but too often decision making was poor. Too many a shot headed for the near post or just wide of it, while others from range were hit with the player in such a position that he had no hope of finding the target.
The Leeds kit was a right eyesore, not helped by the clashing referee and by the Leeds subs warming up on the touchline standing stationary three in a row in front of us whenever anything interesting happened. Warm-up or siddannnn.
I called the double sub correctly. Chamberlain was unlucky to be withdrawn and really only was because it would have been too great a slight on Theo had he been kept on the bench while Henry was brought on ahead of him. So in the event we got a double sub. Clearly, it was not too great a slight on Park, who seems to be somewhere in between Kaba Diawara and Cliff Bastin in the current pecking order.
And then following one offside run, one successful lay off, an overhit through ball he couldn’t get and another moment when the Emirates crowd gave a hearty “man on”, it happened.
Right in front of us.
Song’s perfect ball, the kind of first touch that Theo Walcott aspires to and then the finish perfectly placed across the keeper.
Cue pandemonium. I make no bones about it: this was hug thy neighbour stuff.
And you know it was a really, really good finish. Not some tap in from a yard out.
The game finished with us again apparently incapable of keeping the ball and running down the clock. Not surprisingly given the state of our defence, Leeds fashioned a couple of chances too.
There was just time for a slightly frustrated kick out from Henry (no more than a yellow) but not before he’d picked the ball up and briefly turned on the burners as he headed for the corner flag. That brought back memories.
All in all, dreadful game, poor performance (midfield tried hard in fairness), fairytale story.
When he left in 2007 I remember mournfully writing of my sorrow that we’d never again see the finest specimen to (in my view) ever wear an Arsenal shirt. I doubted if we’d ever see another as consistently good as him.
Even when he re-signed, I told myself we’d be getting the same man but a different player.
And he is different. But in that vintage finish and the run at the end, he was there again. Perhaps, in my case as I’ll miss the next two home games, for one night only. But he was undoubtedly there. It was unmistakable.
Odd but exhilarating, it felt almost as if either he or we had time travelled.
Either way, a memory that will endure for a long, long time.
Form is temporary, class is permanent. I had my doubts beforehand, but that finish was pure Henry. I’ve seen him play a few times in the states, once live, and although he is one of the best players in the mls, he has definitely lost his explosive power. truth be told, he had probably lost that by the time he left in 2007. But his class in timing of the run and finishing is still there. We miss finishers of the invincibles era. Players like Walcott and Gervinho have a long way to go before they can match Pires and Ljungberg. RVP is up there with Henry right now for sure though – but can he sustain it? I doubt it will happen, but what of a RVP/Henry combo to replicate the Bergkamp/Henry combo? These days, it may need to be Henry (he generally drops deeper now) as the provider and RVP as the scorer. Either way, great to have him back, albeit only for 2 months.
Vavavooom!
There is a God!
There is!
It could not have been any better, no matter how you wished or prayed, that was class.
If he had got down on his knees and kissed the turf……Oh! SHIT!
if he took off his shirt and it said “Im Back”…….Oh! SHIT!
No! TH12/14 Ran to the Boss and hugged him like a son hugs his father.
MADE IN HEAVEN…………….OMG!…………PURE! …………CLASS
we still need a new forward NOW!
we won’t finish in the top 4 without one.
Barbados No 14
Beautiful. Wish I’d said that.
12 12 12 – The number of the King!
Nr. 12 – 12 app. against Leeds – 12 goals!
cool write-up.
I must give props to Asharvin and Ramsey, although their finishing left a lot to be desired, their work rate was a great improvement from their previous games. As for Chamack i think we should cut our losses and move him on. There was no hint that he will ever come right. Mentally he is out of sorts. Other than that its big ups to the big guy and a BIG WELCOME TO THE KING! Song also deserves a mention. For a DM his assists are a welcome surprise. For all our recovery from the ashes beginning of the season i still feel we need a couple of creative players. Pple who can make things happen. We have grit without much creativity. Anyone know what Nasri was doing in the stands? I thought he was persona non grata as far as the fans were concerned!! LOVE THE ARSENAL!!!!!!!!!
As a cameo it had everything, a textbook Henry finish, glares, shrugs, corner flag, petulant kicks at the opposition, perfect!!
Spot on goodplaya! Surreal it was. We were chugging along ,workmanlike, but really not doing enough in the final third and I was v worried that somehow they would fashion a chance and that would be that. The party lile atmosphere was that of a game when we were 5 up. And then the Lord cometh! How brilliant was that!?!!?!?
Agree 100%, poor game and not a great team performance but being able to witness the great man in the flesh one last time doing the business was worth the admission money.
Wonderful stuff. Terribly jealous of those of you who were there
Like the man said, not only do you not get many moments like that in real life, you don’t get very many of them in football, either. So we have to treasure them when they do come.