shannon2007

retired_redheadjr

due to exam revision, i have been unable to post the next parts of this story.

However i have now completed my Arsenal game as well and so in the next few days shall continue with the tale that tells it all.

retired_richcoble

I'd just like to say that the improvement in your writing is astonishingly good. Keep it up!

retired_Brandon Scott

yes an excellent improvement son-really good :thup:

Just another piece of advice-check and check again your prose before posting-you will nearly always spot little errors

Nice work though Count

retired_redheadjr

Hleb has the ball on the near side, he puts in a lovely cross for Adebayor to head at goal! but it clips the top of the crossbar and goes over. Arsenal have started extremely well here at Eastlands, Man City seem unable to cope with them. Long kick by new signing Amelia but Toure wins the header and Fabregas strides over the half way line he slips a superb through ball to Adebayor who's in on goal . Inside the penalty area, he dummies to shoot, moving left then right, tries to dink it over the keeper....but Dunne is there to hack the ball off the line and puts it into the stands, and a wasted opportunity for the Gunners


I sit myself back down. I know we can't afford to miss many more chances, Sven's got a well balanced side there and they could quite easily hit us on the break. Seeing all the City fans cheering their team on begins to bring back the horrible memories from Turkey just a few days ago, but I know I need to put that in the back of my mind.


Half an hour gone, l;ong ball from the back by Gallas finds VanPersie perfectly, he turns and lobs a wonderful ball into the path of Menez. Jeremy Menez now on the ball, he cuts inside, the defender slips, he cuts back out and cross a powerful effort across the six yard box ..Adebayor sliding in....but he can't make contact, but Hleb controls it on the touchline, keeping it in. He drills a ball across for Van Persie to head ! Amelia dives to his left and punches the ball away, but Gilberto attempts a crashing drive form the edge of the area! It hits the post and goes wide, and I don't quite know how they're not ahead in this game.


Is it me or is this game beginning to look llike a carbon copy of the one against Fenerbahce mid -week ? I wipe the sweat off my forehead, it's half time, better go to the changing rooms and quick as I realize both Chelsea and United are winning comfortably at the break and they won midweek in the Prem, because they didn't have irratating Champions League qualifiers, I can't let them gain so many points on us, no way.

retired_redheadjr

Arsenal, who have won their first two Premiership games by 3 goals to 0 against Middlsbro' and Derby have failed to hit the back of the net in this first half, but kick off now attacking from right to left.


I request Eduardo and Walcott to begin warming up...I feel their pace may come in handy as City begin to tire.


5 minutes in this second half and Menez whips in the corner but Richards calmly heads away, and now City can break with Elano down the right hand side he has a lot of space to run into, but attempts a cross field pass that's intercepted by Gilberto who sprays it wide to Van Persie who instantly looks to send a hanging ball to Adebayor who chests it down and volleys it !!! How has he missed? How?


OK that's enough. I send on the two substitues and bring off Sagna and Adebayor, who has been trash today.


Time is beginning to tick away and with ManUtd and Chelsea, their two biggest title rivals winning, Arsenal can ill afford to drop points early doors.

We're past the hour mark, but Fabregas is lining up the freekick from thirty yards out, he'd be ambitious to try this, put he does shoot, and that's...wastefully over the bar and the Gunners' boss has his head in his hands and that says it all.


My last throw of the dice, I haul off Menez and put Diaby on the left. Oh no i have one more hope....to pray. (I guess I really am desperate)


We're in injury time here, Arsenal have a corner, Fabregas sends it in, Walcott heads it! Off the line from Dunne, again he's saved City. The ball goes flying out to Elano who uses unbelievable skill to bring that ball down, and he sets off down a run on the right hand side. He easily skips past Clichy and Gilberto, and he's now in the box, he SHOOTS! lehmann save, but it falls to Vassell sliding in!!!!!! Would you believe it Manchester City have won it...right at the death, and it all came form an Arsena l corner ....they look shell-shocked


I punch the ground with venom. Looking up in the directors' box, I see Peter Hill-Wood departing from his seat. I turn to my players who are on their knees....and I realise I have nowhere to hide.

shannon2007

Count Blake for Best Newcomer next year - and may I say that it is really refreshing as well to have some who tbf did take a hell of a lot of critisism when he started, but has accepted that in a good way and risen to the challenge in an excellent manner!

retired_redheadjr

Fabregas has the ball on the right hand side, he's looking for options. Arsenal are running out of time here, we've played the alloted number of added minutes and they trail by 2 goals to 0 here at Fenerbahce. Hleb receives the ball, he sprays it to Van Persie, he turns inside and flicks it with the outside of the boot. Aurelio gets a head to it but only to the feet of Clichy on the edge of the box. He swings it in to the far post and EDUARDO!!!! He's done it.Unbelieveable. All the Arsenal players run after him to the corner flag to celebrate.

A late, late header from Eduardo has given Arsenal hope in this tie when they looked dead and buried, but now they go into the second leg knowing a 1-0 win will be enough to see them qualify for the group stages. And there's the final whistle, and the Gunners have got out of jail here



That was the commentary of the goal in the first leg that has given Arsenal a chance in this tie, when they looked dead and buried. There are a few injuries for them today however, as Toure, Hleb, Flamini and the goal scorer Eduardo are all out. Also, new signing Kun Aguero is not eligible to play in this competition for Arsenal, having already played in the Euro Vase for Atletico Madrid, his old team, but he is expected to play on the weekend.This is a big test for this very young Arsenal team, as the Turks will look to outmuscle them and out fight them. They can't let that happen. This game means so much financially to Arsenal, and their manager of all people knows. There is already speculation suggesting the Arsenal board are searching for a long term replacement for Arsene Wenger, but Pat Rice is likely to take temporary charge, should they fail to qualify tonight. All the pressure is on the manager, it's make or break time.

retired_redheadjr

Lehmann
Sagna Gallas Senderos Clichy
Menez Fabregas Gilberto Van Persie
Adebayor Walcott


This is the side I've gone for, the strongest possible side I could have come up with.....It should be strong enough.



Arsenal kick off here in this crucial game, trailing 2-1 from the first leg, but they have that away goal which could make the difference.



The fans begin to sing their songs for the players....I've still yet to hear them sing my name. Maybe I'm not Mourinho, or Ferguson or Capello, but I care more about this club then any of them could.



Fabregas will take the free kick from the left hand side. Swings it in...Adebayor heads it wide, when really he should have done better.



Time is flying away, so are our chances. The longer this goes on the closer we get to elimination.



Arsenal have a corner, their final chance of the first half. Walcott plays it short to Van Persie he crosses, it hits Aurelio...it rolls wide, but that was a close shave for the Fenerbahce defender.



At half time I put Menez to the left, Walcott right and Van Persie up top, and tell the boys, it's now or never.



5minutes gone in this second hald, it's pouring down with rain. Liverpool lead Sparta Prague 9-0 on aggregate, but here Arsenal trail, 0-0 on the night. Van Persie slips a pass through two Fenerbahce players for Fabregas to receive. He picks it up and is searching for a pass, he spots Walcott, long ball which finds him. It's theo Walcott one on one with the goalie, he goes round and scores! He's done it....But the flag's up, he's offside.


I sit ,myself back down, lower my previously pumping fists and remove my huge smile.



Alex in the Arsenal half searches out Kazim-Richards he's got noone with him but he turns and tries to lob Lehmann! It hits the bar. Arsenal are extremely lucky there. It looked in I have to say. Lehmann plays the ball short to Gallas he runs forward and exchanges passes with Clichy before sending Menez on a run down the left hand side. Menez cuts inside onto his right plays the ball across the box for Adebayor, but he misses it, its still going ......Goal! Menez has scored ...His cross has found it's way in and a huge stroke of fortune for Arsenal.

Fenerbahce kick off trailing on away goals, with twenty minutes left to do something about it, Fabregas charges in and comes out with the ball. He's found Van Persie , he holds up the ball and crosses it in and Menez at the near post! He's headed it in, and Fenerbach straight from their own kick off have conceded a second.

It's now 2-0 to Arsenal they';re in pole position. Fenerbahc kick off again, can they do it right this time?! Alex has the ball looking for Richards but its cut out by Sagna, who heads it to the feet of Fabregas, who first time flick it left to Gilberto, who in turn picks out Adebayor. This is great football by Arsenal. Adeabayor plays it short to Fabreags and makes a diagonal run forward, but Fabregas has other ideas..He lines it up, it's bending,it's dipping....it's game over. 3-0 to Arsenal, and they've scored them all in three minutes. Terrible defending by the turkish sidr and they're goinig to pay for it because they're now going out.



I'm stunned, I really cannot believe what's happened, delighted yes, but stunned. I look up into the croud, even the chairman's clapping and smiling. I even manage a smile myself. Maybe there is yet hope.

The remaining minutes flash by, I can't wipe that smile off my face, not even when Fenerbahce manage a goal in the fourth minute of added time. We're in the Champions League Group Stages, and that's all that matters.

retired_redheadjr

Arsenal have won tonight 3-1, but I believe they were very fortunate and could struggle against better sides in this competition, but they are through, and join Liverpool, Chelsea and ManUtd into the Champions League proper and the group of sides who will believe come the end of the season, there may be some silverware waiting for them, in the form of the European Cup