STRANGE RESULTS TODAY .....BUT NOT AT ARSENAL

ARSENAL  3  STOKE CITY FC  1

It seemed this afternoon that the old order had begun to change. From Manchester a result that made me, well, I’m not sure whether it should be happy or sad. Man U hammered 1 – 6 at home by neighbours Man City.QPR just about able to hold out for a 1 – 0 win against 9 man Chelsea, who for once faced a ref with the cojones to do the right thing.

Meanwhile life went on as always for our gallant Potters at the Arsenal. Now I had not been particularly impressed, up to now, with their new striker, Gervinho, who presents a puzzle every time I see him. He has this, to my eye, strange hair style where there seems to be no hair in a ‘v’ shape down the centre of his head. Is he prematurely balding? Is it an exaggerated parting? Is it a particularly poor quality ‘syrup’? These thoughts usually distract me from the actual quality of his play.

Today that changed. He seemed to be everywhere and making a difference. In the 27th minute he was onto a Ramsey dink over the Stoke defence in a flash to slip the ball past Begovic for the opening goal. Then in the 73^rd and 82^nd minutes he outpaced turning Stoke defenders on the left and on the right  to send dangerous balls into the Stoke area, for sub Van Persie to apply the goal finish. Perhaps Begovic could have done better with the last one.

Stoke for their part defended stoutly, until they seemed to tire and fade in the last 20 minutes. An excellently worked set piece goal in the 34^th minute provided a deserved equaliser. Crouch won a free kick thirty yards out. Shawcross headed Whelan’s effort back across goal from the right. The ball reached Walters ,who headed back across goal to present Peter Crouch with a tap in.

So another points blank at the Emirates. Perhaps next year eh...?