Arsenal v City (League) – Sun 13th Jan [2v0 win]

It’s 37 years since our last win at Arsenal so most fans were most likely pessimistic of the prospect of Arsenal away with YaYa, Aguero and Nasri missing. The funny thing being was that I felt positive, I had been saying all week that I thought that we would win and Dzeko would get the winner!

I arrived in London at 7 in the morning and decided to walk up to the Emirates, I know the area fairly well and remembered that the Drayton Arms opened at 12 and it would show the Rags v Liverpool game.

The talk all week had been about £62 tickets and the fact that City had returned 900 tickets of our allocation, from talking to fans most thought the news would be received negatively but the media seemed to support the stance the club and fans took on the price of tickets. I met friends in the pub and unfortunately United won, that never dampened spirit of the fans as they City fans blasted song after song. My favourite in the pub being “Na Na Nastisic, better than cnut Vidic, plays for City and Serbia” – it’s only fair he has a song as he has been class this season (our best signing by far in the window) – There was debate to start with that he has taken Lescott’s slot after he had such a great season last year but the fans are warming to a classy player at such a young age (certainly looks a better prospect than Savic).

After last year I was concerned about the atmosphere but it’s been the best one this season – atmosphere enhanced by the early sending off and the high spirits of the fans. We belted out “We are the Champions, Champions of England” for the majority of the game and song after song in between including showing our support for Mancini, Milner, Dzeko, Kompany, Nastasic, Zabaleta amongst the many.

As I said it’s the loudest atmosphere this season, only to be marginally better by the Champ16ns match last year at Sold Trafford. The fans continued to sing “£62 pounds and we are still here, 2 sets of fans had banners and the stewards and then police removed these from fans – harsh when we consider we are all meant to have freedom of speech.

Dzeko was rugby tackled for the pen “our first in 3 years away from home btw” but failed to finish after save from his legs and then off the post. City continued to press and Tevez setup Milner with one of those passed sent with the eyes that Ronaldinho was all to famous for, Milner received the ball and whipped it across the keeper and into the back of the net. It made a cracking ping when it hit the post and went in and the City fans went mental. Dzeko then got a tap in from a great assist from Tevez reaching for the ball. Well deserved goal as Dzeko had a cracking performance, holding the ball up well and leading the line with power. Dzeko setup Tevez late on and he should have scored, he opted to go round the keeper but the keeper saved well, I may be wrong but feel if the roles were reversed Dzeko would have hit it sooner and we would have ended up with a 3 goal lead.

Kompany was sent off late on for a tackle where he clearly won the ball. This was later rescinded much to the surprise of City fans on Bluemoon and other City forums. After the match Brian and I were Interviewed by Sky Sports News about the ticket prices. Milner was fantastic and Garcia had is best performance for Man City

The final whistle blew and the linesman whispered to Lescott –“ go see the fans, they paid £62 for this!” – oddly he was banned by the FA for the next set of features. As the remaining Arsenal fans began to exit the City fans echoed loudly – “Sh!t club and you charge too much!” – summed it up perfectly

Well that 24 hours on the bus was certainly worth it as I have now seen City win away at Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea.

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