Yesterday evening’s match is likely to live long in the memories of West Ham supporters, simply because they don’t get to see their team beat Arsenal very often. In fact that was only the third time in the last 32 matches that West Ham have beaten Arsenal. At least I think it was 32. It may have been 31, or perhaps 33; I do find this counting lark a bit of a chore.
But perhaps what was most interesting during the game, was the level of celebrations there were in the ground at the end. West Ham had made it into the fifth round of the League Cup, just as they did last year. And the year before that – in each case getting knocked out at that stage. So I can only guess that WHAM supporters like getting knocked out in the fifth round.
Or maybe they have short memories.
Of course we always want to win – otherwise what is the point of either going to a match or watching it on TV. But when the game is moderately naff, and it is clear that the players’ minds are elsewhere, how the winners celebrate is a good way of measuring how great their ambitions are.
Yet for Arsenal, there was nevertheless one moment of sublime illumination (for me at least) and that was the return of a totally fit and able Martin Odegaard. He is surely more than just another player, and more than just another captain, as he showed in those couple of minutes he was on the pitch.
Suddenly my heart rate rises at the thought of next weekend and that rather pesky trip to Newcastle. Not least because Newcastle are one of only two teams who have scored more goals than Arsenal this season.
In fact perhaps I may divert for a moment and ask, “Do you know who the other club in this elite category is?” I’ll let you ponder. But one thing to remember is that Arsenal have, after ten games this season, scored only one goal fewer than they had got by this stage last season. So don’t let anyone tell you our attack is useless.
But there is something else about this time of year to consider, for if you have a very good memory you might recall that just four years ago, on this very day (2 November in case you have not checked) Arsenal drew 1-1 with Wolverhampton. It was the third game in a nine match run in which Arsenal did not win a single match in any competition. By Christmas Day Arsenal had sunk down to 11th.
However, going back a bit, as for the other team that has scored more than Arsenal so far this season, you may not have got that unless you are totally into studying the league table in depth every day. The answer rather curiously is Aston Villa.
Anyway, let us put aside thoughts of last night. We don’t really challenge for the league cup, and if by some curious chance we do actually get to the final, we normally lose and most of the fans leave early to avoid that terrible crush in Wembley Way. So actually, I think maybe the guys did us a bit of a favour.
As long as they don’t think of repeating it at the weekend at Newcastle