Sunday, May 18, 2014

The Trophy

May 17, 2014 Arsenal vs Hull 12PM EST FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium



 This HAS to be the day that we can finally stop all that nine years without a trophy trash talking. For such a successful club, it is pretty amazing to think that the club has not won a trophy since Patrick Vieria scored the final penalty in May of 2005 to give Arsenal the FA Cup over Manchester United. I was in Dubrovnik that day and missed the end of the match as the local Croations changed the channel to watch a local match. I decided to not risk my life by changing the channel back and therefore haven't seen the club lift a trophy since 2004. Having seen Arsenal lose to clubs they should beat before, including Birmingham in the 2011 League Final, most Arsenal fans are cautiously optimistic. Hopefully we'll be celebrating soon and reminding Jose Mourinho who the real "specialist in failure" is.



















This one started off like a replay of Arsenal's visit to Anfield in February. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong right from the start. Within eight minutes Arsenal found themselves down by 2 goals. Despite a nauseating pit forming in my stomach I refused to give up hope as this was Arsenal's match to win.  I reminded myself of the confidence that I had in this team. Arsenal had a much more difficult path to this FA Cup Final and had easily defeated Hull in their two previous meetings during the campaign. 

 What really had my stomach doing back flips was the fact that both Hull goals were total flukes and the results of fortuitous bounces. I started to hear all the haters and negative pundits in my head laughing and getting ready to start the "it's now been 10 years without a trophy" comments.

 In the end, I knew in my heart that there was no way that Arsenal and especially Arsene Wenger would be denied this victory. The man has put up with so much crap from so many much less dignified than he and it would be a major injustice if he didn't get the results he and the club deserved. After being called "a specialist in failure" by the egotistical and disgraceful pompous asshole, Jose Mourinho, it was time for Wenger and Arsenal to make that Portuguese windbag experience karma and see who the real "specialist in failure" was.

 Santi Cazorla restored Arsenal's confidence in the 17th minute with a superb free kick that sailed in to the back of the Hull goal from distance. The smug look on the Hull fans' faces was gone and a proper match was on.

Arsenal controlled the game from then on but still caused Arsenal fans to share a collective heart attack as they were unable to get that second goal. That was until the 71st minute when an Arsenal corner was eventually slotted home by Laurent Koscielny off of a deflected shot by Olivier Giroud.


Despite the increasing confidence that Arsenal would now seal the victory, the match went to extra time and nerves continued to fray.

 In what looked like a brilliant move, Wenger brought on the fresh legs of Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere in the 105th minute when it started to look as if another dreaded penalty shoot out was in the cards.  Four minutes later, Giroud back heeled a pass to Aaron Ramsey who cooly struck the ball in to the back of the net. 

Arsenal held on and the celebrations were soon on. Scenes of Arsenal lifting the cup and tossing a champagne drenched Arsene Wenger in the air were a just reward for Arsenal fans everywhere.

































































Sunday, May 18, 2014 Arsenal FA Cup Victory Parade


So after all the negativity and hate thrown at Arsene Wenger and Arsenal over the past 9 years, today is the day that the club and its fans get to celebrate winning the FA Cup trophy. It's only fitting that it's a beautiful, sunny day in North London as Gooners get ready to celebrate.

Here's to Arsenal's 2013-2014 season and getting back to winning trophy's.




































































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