Carabao Football League Cup R3
at Ashburton Grove (AKA the Emirates Stadium),
Drayton Park, North London
Arsenal FC (1) 1
Theo Walcott 25
Doncaster Rovers (0) 0
Attendance 44,064
David Ospina, Callum Chambers (Josh Da Silva 45), Per Mertesacker, Rob Holding, Jack Wilshere, Mohamed Elneny, Reiss Nelson (Joe Willcock 84), Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Theo Walcott (Alex Iwobi 76), Alexis Sanchez, Oliver Giroud.
Unused subs - Matt Macey, Nacho Monreal, Eddie Nketiah, Chuba Akpom.
Doncaster Rovers:
Ian Lawlor, Niall Mason, Joe Wright, Andy Butler, Matty Blair, Jordan Houghton (Craig Alcock 62), Ben Whiteman, Tommy Rowe, Kongolo, James Coppinger (C) (Liam Mandeville 62), Alfie May (John Marquis 72)
Unused Subs - Marco Marosi, Harry Toffolo, Tyler Garratt, Andy Williams
While we were exchanging pleasantries with Paul, a group of other people who had joined in with the exodus fron north Notts to support a south Yorkshire football team, were egging me on and saying they would chuck a tenner apiece in to a charity of my choice if I smashed the gnome.
Had the jolly and effervescent 'gnome handler' been anybody but the very likeable Mr Mayfield (who I had also seen at a local non league game last night), I would gladly have trashed it on the spot and donated another ten quid into the charity pot for the privilege of having done so too.
Somebody also accused me, jokingly I hope, of being a glory hunter and 'Donny' bandwagon jumper.
Please let me make this clear, at no time during this blog entry will you read about me wanting Rovers to win... because I didn't! Perhaps my Mansfield Town sweatshirt and my travelling companions bright red Arsenal top, were just that little bit too subtle a hint for certain people.
Moving swiftly on... the lowest ever attendance for a competitive Arsenal first team game at the Emirates Stadium, prior to tonight, was the 46,539 who turned out, to watch a League Cup 3rd Round tie against Shrewsbury Town on 20th September 2011; a game that Arsene Wenger's side won 3–1 with Kieran Gibbs, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yossi Benayoun, all scoring their first ever goals for the Gunners, after James Collins had given the Shrews a sixteenth minute lead.
That result had come as a great relief to the then beleaguered Arsenal manager, whose managerial coat was apparently hanging on a very loose peg at the time and speculation was rife that he would be out of a job at 'Ashburton Grove' any time soon.
For the record, following Birmingham City's recent axing of Harry Redknapp, after his very short tenure in the St. Andrew's hot seat (or ejector seat as it might be more accurately called these days),
Monsieur Wenger is now the oldest currently serving manager in the professional game, in this country.
I saw posted on Twitter, by someone whose user handle might well have been something along the lines of @Arsenemustgo, that tonight's 'low' attendance represented an anti-Wenger boycott and co-ordinated strike against the 'unpopular and unsuccessful' manager. WTF?
But, if anyone had set up a make believe picket line, which 44,064 people had just nonchalantly strolled past and carried on about their business as per usual, I'd say that it was time for them to revise their strategy and/or realise that people could (and were) voting in favour of the status quo, with their feet.
Wenger's former arch rival: Sir Alex Ferguson, was present at tonight's game, to support his son Darren, who is, of course, the manager of Doncaster Rovers, a position that he will have held for two years on 16th October 2017.
"Sir Alex did it all at the top level y'know!? But his son only played for a few smaller clubs", claimed a misinformed pub bore in one of the many themed bar areas that we frequented within the quite spectacular club level facilities at the stadium; in resonse to Ferguson junior appearing on one of the thousands over big overhead screens up in the 'comfort zone', offering his pre-match thoughts.
Whereas 'our Darren' himself, actually played for Manchester United and Sparta Rotterdam, as well as serving his time at several other smaller clubs, namely: Peterborough United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Wrexham.
So the argument comparing their playing careers is a completely invalid one, even if you were found to be under the severe mis-impression, that Rangers are anywhere as near a big a club as the Red Devils.
One of the many benefits of frequenting the middle tier inner sanctum of this magnificent stadium, is that if you should encounter such an odious character (the know it all who actually knew eff all, not Darren Ferguson I hasten to add), there are a multitude of well appointed and spacious areas that you can relocate to, well outside the parameters and earshot of their vocal range.
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| A free bar and a complimentary programme each you say? Oh, go on then! |
Although I am completely disinterested in, and totally indifferent towards 'Man U', inasmuch as I neither like or dislike them; there is no disputing the fact that Ferguson Senior is, was and always will be, the greatest ever manager to ever ply his trade in British football.
Even though Steve Evans will probably give him a run for his money, achievements wise at some point in the very near future.
Yes, you're right! I occasionally insert a tongue in cheek quip, just to see if you are actually taking notice or are merely speed reading your way through this train of consciousness and undiluted waffle, to the bits where all the goals get scored.
Well, as regards 'glamorous', I think that I actually spotted Gary Wilmot, trying to look inconspicuous in a corner alcove, 'Lofty' (AKA actor Tom Watt) who used to be in Eastenders and Peter Whelpdale who looks a bit like Ron Mael when he tries really hard, while he plays keyboards in a Sparks tribute band, the name of whom I can't actually remember, but I didn't see anyone else you would consider to be even slightly famous.
And as regards the prawn sandwiches quote, that just about everyone across the board has usurped from Roy Keane at some point; does anyone think actually believe that they do sandwiches in the swanky eateries at the Emirates Stadium?
Because if you do, you'd be way off the mark... click HERE for more details.
But, I'm not divulging any secrets.
I am here, therefore I bloody well am... and I'll be back here next month too, this wasn't just a one off.
You find your own bleedin' scams... I'm saying 'nowt!
Obviously not! Because, I am a fan of the game at all levels... and in my book, all football lives matter. Including mine.
Obviously I need a crash course in protocol and table etiquette, prior to my next visit to the posh end of the 'upstairs, downstairs' experience, because when I asked if they had any Reggae, Reggae Sauce, to give my main course of: roasted belly of pork, thyme potatoes, roasted root vegetables and caramelised apple with cider jus, a bit of a much needed kick into life and hint of flavour, the chef let out a whimpering sound like a scolded dog and very nearly cried. They must use HP Brown Sauce round these parts instead then, eh!
Hmm, maybe I will take the chef a bottle of Henderson's Relish next time I pop in, by way of an apology for my clumsy gaff.
From up in the 'posh seats', we had a clear view of hoi polloi and proletariat among the visiting supporters beneath us and I rattled my jewellery in recognition to several dozen 'Donny' fans I know, as the game got underway.
Doncaster went into this game sat in nineteenth place in League One, or Division Three, as it used to be called in old money... tonight, they would come up against Premier League Arsenal, who had made eleven changes to their starting line from the team that took to the pitch for Sunday's 0-0 draw against Chelsea.
In all of his 21 years as Arsenal's manager, Arsene Wenger has never won the League Cup, though he has taken sides to Wembley for the final on two separate occasions, but they lost against Chelsea in 2007 and Birmingham City in 2011.
So this year then maybe!? But be warned, such a low priority trinket won't get those Twitter twats off of Le Professeur's back. But I wouldn't imagine that he loses any sleep over such minutiae and trivial matters.
In Matty Blair and Ben Whiteman, Rovers have two ultra reliable players within their ranks, who won't have been fazed by the great facilities and big crowd tonight, because they had already experienced and become accustomed to such things, when they played for Mansfield Town at Field Mill on a regular basis, or the One Call Stadium as it is now called by some people.
One Call, an insurance company, based in Doncaster, not far from the Keepmoat Stadium, are Rovers shirt sponsor. Their company owner, Mr John Radford, lives just up t'road from East Retford and is also the chairman of Mansfield Town FC.
I knew that you'd be fascinated to hear all this really interesting stuff, and as such, I left no stone unturned in a desperate attempt to gatecrash Rovers big night out... Stag party anyone!?
To be fair tot he visitors, they weren't overrun or even overawed by their illustrious hosts and losing by just the solitary goal actually represents something of a feather in their caps, but the Gunners eased their way into the next round, regardless of how narrow the margin of victory was, in an unfazed yet authoritative manner and controlled the game for the most part, with a patient passing game, that saw them create twenty seven goal scoring chances. Or, to put it in layman's terms: shooting practice in training tomorrow you slackers!
Oliver Giroud ought to have claimed a goal for himself, when Mohamed Elneny picked him out with a pinpoint cross, but he headed over and Theo Walcott was denied by Ian Lawlor
Arsenal indulged in some 'teenage kicks' tonight, with seventeen year old Reiss Nelson making his first start for the Gunners, while Josh da Silva and Joe Willock, who are both eighteen, made their Arsenal debuts from the subs bench during the second half.
Jack Wilshere, who is quite possibly going through a make or break phase of his career, given all of the ups and downs he's experienced because of some terrible luck with injuries, seemed grateful to have the opportunity to stake his claim for a run in the Gunners first team and played really well, while Per Mertesacker gave any Rovers player who fancied his chances in attack, a free lesson in how clinical, strong, coldly efficient... and effing huge, he is. The Arsenal faithful have nicknamed Mertesacker the 'BFG', but the acronym doesn't refer to any 'Big Friendly Giant', he is actually fondly known among them as the 'Big Fucking German'.
The home side broke the deadlock when Walcott scored in the twenty fifth minute, when he lifted the ball over Lawlor from Alexis Sanchez's sideways pass, that cut a swathe through the Doncaster defence. Yes! You read that correctly, Walcott and Sanchez are still Arsenal players.
But despite the home side's 'gentle dominance', as they stroked the ball around the whole width of the pitch, at the kind of consummately easy peasy pace, that you'd associate more readily with a practice match or friendly game, they still always seemed to have a man over and be a yard faster that 'young Fergie's' side, but while-soever the score still remained 1-0, there was still always the possibility that the hard working visitors could nick a goal and spring a surprise.
In fact, 'Donny', enthused by Arsenal's lack of a cutting edge at times, raised their game and gave it a real go as the second half wore on... and when Andy Butler headed over and John Marquis hit a shot just wide, it was time to start wondering (worrying even) if my planned quick getaway and 22.30 train ticket out of London had been a bad move if the game was going to go into extra time.
Oh how I'd chuckled when the aforementioned Mr Mayfield had said:
"Really!? What if there is extra time and penalties!?", when I told him yesterday about my 'cunning' travel logistics. You'd think I would know better by now, than to take 'owt for granted in football.
Your prophecy almost came true 'Gnomie', better luck next time.
Alfie May had run himself to a standstill before making way foe vastly underrated Marquis, and Rovers had also taken off James Coppinger, who in my humble opinion was the SkyBet EFL League 2 player of the season last term, by some margin, but it was his replacement Liam Mandeville who almost set up a goal to force the game beyond ninety minutes, when he dropped a corner kick towards Blair, whose looping header went over, via the crossbar and David Ospina's outstretched hand.
A subsequent flag kick to from Mandeville came to nothing and although the home side should've had this game wrapped up and rubber stamped by half time, there was perhaps good cause for a revival of their age old 'Lucky Arsenal' tag right at the end.
FT: Arsenal 1 v Doncaster Rovers 0
