retired_Brandon Scott

Sunday 1st March 2009 1410hrs

Jake was watching the tv, his face drained of all pallor, clutching a cushion to him in a very child-like way and eyes glued to the TV.

'It's not looking good for Tevez is it Andy?'

Well that was stating the bloody obvious Jake thought. He could hardly bear to watch. Here was his team, fresh from conquering Aston Villa in the Cup and then overcoming Liverpool 3-2 in a thrilling mid-week encounter at a seething Anfield, being given an object lesson in the sin of Hubris by none other than the old enemy themselves: their North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur!

The game had had an auspicious start. Jake noted with approval in the pre-match build up that Amponsah was likely to go with a 4-4-1-1 formation with the mercurial Tevez given a free role behind Henry. in the center of the park he continued with the defensive pair of Brazilians, Denilson and Gilberto, with Clichy still deputising on the left and Hleb recalled from injury on the right. The back 5 remained the same. The game had started brightly for the Gunners. Tevez was causing all sorts of bother with his wandering brief. God that man is a genius! Jake could only admire as he watched the team carry out their manager's tactics: clearly he had taken Spurs by surprise in opting for a support striker and sure enough the 7th minute saw Jake leaping about his Dad's plush white leather sofa as that man Tevez (who else?) picked up an innocuous pass in the centre circle and danced and jinked his way between Woodgate and King to lash a rising drive past the helpless Robinson. Absolutely brilliant! Jake was straight away on the phone to his Dad who had had to go into the office to work that afternoon-he could hardly contain himself as he described the goal. His Dad was very pleased but reminded Jake that there was a long way to go yet. His words had proved prophetic as 6 minutes later Ledley King, obviously trying to atone for his earlier defensive lapse with Tevez, powered a header past Buffon from a corner.

And now this: with half time beckoning Woodgate executed what could, at best, be called an industrial challenge on the Argentine Striker which left him writhing on the ground in agony. It looked really bad and should have brought a red card frankly, Jake had thought as he willed Tevez to be ok.

'I think his part in the game's over Frank-yep definitely-they're calling for the Ambulance men here' Andy Gray intoned solemnly as Gary Lewin immobilised the stricken Tevez's foot.

Jake could feel the tears again...God he had worked so hard to try and contain his emotions and there was no doubt that the recent run of excellent results and the Cup win had really helped. But now Tevez, on whom so many Arsenal hopes rested, was seriously injured. There was no doubt about it now as the stretcher crew were giving Tevez oxygen. He was stretchered off and Jake buried his face in his hands. Arsenal were extremely dangerous with Tevez, but without him too much responsibility rested on the shoulders of the ageing Henry and he was no longer superhuman....without Tevez what would happen?

His answer came in the shape of a crushing 3-1 defeat that afternoon. Arsenal were just not the same team after the break: Bendtner was no Tevez and the need to revert to a straight 4-4-2 left the Gunners susceptible to the 2 swift counter attacks that were finished off clinically by the superb Dimitar Berbatov. Sickening! This was not what Jake had envisaged at all.

The next morning was a monday-depressing enough on a normal week but made much more so when Jake picked up the papers and read the headlines screaming from the back page of the Independent:

Tevez had broken his foot and was out for the rest of the season....what would become of Arsenal's season now?

retired_Brandon Scott

Saturday 21st March 2009

'It's a shame we couldnt have gone' Matt was moaning

'Shut up Matt that game was a procession!' Jake snapped pulling off his England football top and flinging it onto Matt's bed in disgust. 'Anyway what do you know about football-you support Newcastle!'

'Oh charming Jake. Thanks friend' this last said with heavy irony. 'And put your top back on why dont you?']

Jake wasn't listening: the only good thing about this 6 nil thrashing of the lowly Faroe Islands as far as he was concerned was the fact that Theo Walcott had started in place of the rested Wayne Rooney and had duly repaid the faith vested in him with the last of the 6 goals. It was a bit of a mystery to both Jake and his best mate Matt how Rooney had been left out of the entire squad but Steve McLaren had remained tight lipped about it in the run up to the game. He was a manager under pressure as England were not even topping the Group that contained such footballing giants as Greece, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Slovenia and of course the mighty Faroe Islands. The reason? England had been beaten 2-0 by the Greeks in Piraeus last October: a topsy turvy game if Jake had ever watched one in which the normally dependable Carragher had managed an own goal and Ashley Cole had missed a penalty. McLaren who had not picked Rooney this time because the forward was injured was nonetheless lampooned after the game with many a pointed question demanding to know who had selected Cole to take penalties? The England management's line was that Cole was the best penalty taker in the squad after Rooney, who was, of course, not available.

'Jake! Jake! For God's sake stop day dreaming will you?' Matt interposed himself angrily in front of his friend and threw his shirt back at him. 'And put your top back on will you?'

Jake observed his friend: handsome rather than pretty: Jake would never have the same attraction for girls. But then girls wanted to mother Jake: they wanted to shag Matt. Still what did it matter: he wasn't really attracted to them anyway...

'I can bet what the object of your thoughts and desires is Jake. Did you see your lover boy watching the game? Didn't he look nice eh all done up in Armani hehe?' Matt crooned swaying in front of Jake as if dancing with some imaginary belle. 'We all know you are in love with him. God knows why? Your lot are no nearer the top of the League than when he was hired. And what have you won in 2 and a half seasons? The Carling Cup-whoopee f*****ng do-'

'Leave it out you jerk!' Sometimes Jake wondered why he was still friends with Matt. These days most of their interaction seemed to be Matt taking the mickey out of Jake or asking him whether he wanted to do naughty things with him.

'Well it's true. So you thrashed FC Copenhagen in the return leg of the Champion's League game and then you beat Man City-well done-really hard! You only managed to draw against Villa away and now you've got 2 difficult games against Liverpool and then Chelsea. You're running out of time my gay friend dont you think man?'

'Please stop calling me that Matt-you're supposed to be my mate' Jake looked away, hurt. Still it was true they had rallied after the Spurs game but it was galling to draw against Villa as, once again, Arsenal dominated the game but came away empty-handed.

'Look you cant talk-where are Newcastle? You're down in 14th. Not very good for the sleeping giant eh? And at least Henry's scoring freely now-we'll be alright unlike your sorry lot! I've had enough of this-pick someone else to be your whipping boy!' And with that Jake donned his top and coat and stormed out into the fresh March air.

'You'd like that wouldn't you?' Matt called after him 'you'd love me to whip you!'

Jake shut his ears to Matt's fading laughter and got out his crumpled cutting of the the latest league placings:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> Holders - Chelsea| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Man Utd | | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 56 | 22 | +34 | 62 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | Chelsea | | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 49 | 27 | +22 | 58 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Liverpool | | 29 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 41 | 21 | +20 | 57 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Tottenham | | 30 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 42 | 26 | +16 | 57 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Arsenal | | 29 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 46 | 25 | +21 | 53 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Blackburn | | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 26 | 19 | +7 | 49 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Aston Villa | | 29 | 13 | 7 | 9 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 46 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Bolton | | 30 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 28 | 21 | +7 | 44 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Portsmouth | | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | Man City | | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 33 | 41 | -8 | 40 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11th | | Charlton | | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 39 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 12th | | West Ham | | 29 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 25 | 40 | -15 | 35 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 13th | | Reading | | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 25 | 35 | -10 | 33 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 14th | | Newcastle | | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 25 | 30 | -5 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 15th | | Fulham | | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 34 | -12 | 32 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 16th | | Wigan | | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 30 | 40 | -10 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 17th | | Q.P.R. | | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 38 | -13 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 18th | | West Brom | | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 24 | 40 | -16 | 31 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 19th | | Middlesbrough | | 30 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 25 | 40 | -15 | 28 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 20th | | Leeds | | 30 | 2 | 8 | 20 | 19 | 53 | -34 | 14 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>

The fact was the table didn't lie and Arsenal were hardly gaining ground: only 1 game in hand now and Man U still as far away as ever. There were only 9 games to turn things around: the time had gone so quickly. If Arsenal didn't win what would become of his idol, his hero? Still he had faith-he had to. What else mattered? Not alot. He had been dreaming of the Arsenal Manager lately; strange dreams of electric one on one meetings with him and that's when it struck Jake with the force of an express train: a one to one interview. That's what he must secure by any means necessary before the season's end. How he would do that was an open book but Jake was a resourceful, driven lad: he would find a way to track down Ben Amponsah, like a hunter tracking its prey.........

retired_Brandon Scott

Wed 1st April 2009 0830 hrs The No 9 Bus on the way to School

'Look at this Gem-look at this!' Jake was waving his newspaper back page excitedly in Gemma's face 'Read! Read!'

'Ok ok Jake-calm down-what am I supposed to be reading?'

'There-there!' He gesticulated wildly at a section of the paper. Jake was beaming from ear to ear: he couldnt stop. It had been a superb few days.

Gemma started reading the article aloud: 'Amponsah secures future at resurgent Arsenal'

'oooooh!' Gemma was smiling too now: she knew how much this meant to her friend even if she sometimes failed to grasp the finer points of being a fanatical football supporter. 'It goes on...'

'Is it too late?' Gemma asked Jake smiling?

Jake smiled right back, his eyes gleaming wickedly, 'It's never too late Gemma my darling: remember....'

'Yes I know Jake...BEN AMPONSAH IS A GENIUS!!!' And with that the 2 of them both descended into manic giggles on the back seat.....

retired_bethricci

i want more plese KUTGW

retired_abermea1441

Good Story.

retired_bethricci

come back mambaman

retired_Brandon Scott

Sorry about that guys: been away with my partner for a bit, which explains trhe hiatus. Will get back to the story on Sunday....promise

retired_abermea1441

You Better!

retired_bethricci

you better

retired_abermea1441

you better </BLOCKQUOTE>

I just said that.