Gunners under fire, City bite Tigers and pies devoured in Coatbridge

After the excitement, frustrations and ultimately jubilation concerned with ‘ticketgate’ it is back to the football. Over the weekend the two Wembley bound gladiators both played important Premier League fixtures. Man City played host to the dangerous Hull and Arsenal travelled across London to visit the Palace. Meanwhile, on Saturday, up in Bonny Scotland I gave my beloved Hearts a break from my angst and headed to Coatbridge.

At a sun drenched Etihad Stadium on Saturday a rampant Manchester City team comprehensively outplayed Hull City and ran out comfortable 3-1 winners. One of the main talking points among the City faithful currently is who plays in goal for the team. For the game against Hull, Claudio Bravo was preferred to ‘Calamity Caballero’ and his performance has split opinion. The fact is that it was a relatively weak shot that beat him for the visitor’s only goal but after the match City manager Pep Guardiola hailed the 33 year old from Viluco in Chile as one of the world’s top keepers when it comes to build up play. Some fans are also impressed but my new pal at the Halifax and District Branch of the Manchester City Supporters Club, like many City aficionados, is not a fan of the South American. David Ellis is hoping that Claudio will be left on the bench for the FA Cup semi final against Arsenal in a fortnight. David notes that Caballero is a better penalty stopper and of course the semi final could be decided by kicks from the penalty mark.

David Ellis of the Halifax Blues: prefers Caballero to Bravo

Last night in South London Arsenal were hammered 3-0 by relegation threatened Crystal Palace. The game was shown live on ‘Monday Night Football’ on Sky so I was able to watch the latest episode of the Arsene Wenger soap opera. It was a very poor performance from the Gunners and beleagured manager Wenger must feel very let down by his highly paid players who are not doing it for him at the moment. As is always the case Arsenal dominated the ball. When a team enjoys 72% of the possession it usually means that they win with something to spare. Last night however the direct style from Palace was far more effective that the ‘lets walk the ball into the net’ approach from Arsenal. At least the Gunners fans shared the blame out last night. In addition to the by now inevitable ‘Wenger Out’ banners there were chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” directed at the players. The Professor has signed some of the best players in the world (e.g. Ozil and Sanchez) and he has developed some promising youngsters and turned them into highly sought after internationalists. Collectively, last night they were just not at it. 

No respite for The Professor: Arsenal thrashed and the protests continue

I am beginning to feel that I am very much in a minority of those who feel Arsene should be given an extension to his current contract. Unless Arsenal win 7 of their last 8 league games and sneak into the top four and win the FA Cup I fear that the great man will be hounded out in the summer. If that does happen it will, in my opinion, be a sad day for Arsenal and a sad day for the beautiful game. 

Another team struggling at the moment is my beloved Hearts. On Saturday I unusually missed a game at my spiritual home Tynecastle. Some time ago a group of my pals from Stirling University in the 1970s decided that we would meet up on the 8^th April and go to see Albion Rovers versus Stranraer in downtown Coatbridge. Our party lacked Kevin ‘Big Hig The Slovenly Pig’ Higgins but Duich McKay, Dave Ivens and Stranraer fan Dougie Ritchie all made it.

Music fans heading to the fitba: Dave Ivens, Dougie Ritchie and Duich McKay

With Kev missing we all toasted absent friends at lunchtime – several times. Then headed for Clitonhill which has to be the worst and most uncared for football ‘stadium’ I have been to for many a long year.

The derelict and overgrown grass bank 'terracing' at Cliftonhill Coatbridge

Every cloud has a silver lining however and the pies were pretty decent.

Oh ya beauty! Dave Ivens looks on salivating jealously

Hearts won while I was in the wild west so maybe I should stay away more often.

Neither Man City nor the Gunners have a midweek game. Their next matches are their final games before they clash on the 23^rd April in the next game on the Road to Wembley from Scotland. On Saturday Man City will travel to the south coast to cross swords with Southampton. Next Monday the Arsenal will be on Teesside to play Middlesbrough. Come back here later in the week to find out how the two protagonists are preparing for these two games and for the latest on the 'Wenger Out' soap opera and keep reading.