There have got to be health hazards in consequence of being an Arsenal fan. There just has to be. Near-exhilaration followed by huge emotional letdowns cannot be good for one's health. The stress of watching this team's unpredictable play is going to be the end of me. These guys? They're gonna kill me one of these days.
Part of the problem is expectation. We all know the talent that is in abundance at the club. We know their potential. We watched in angst and awe as they took down Barcelona. We've witnessed many of them grow as players and as young men as they came to the club at the ages of 16, 17, or 18 years of age. And yet, they cannot fulfill that potential on a regular basis especially with key men on the sidelines. There seems to be missing that ingredient that binds their attitude together into a like-minded will to win. Two of our players who were out due to injury have that will. Cesc and Van Persie bring that drive. But when they're not on the pitch? Nasri was captain yesterday and he did look hungry for the ball and a win, but somehow he could not inspire certain other players. Arshavin had many moments of energy and trying, Jack always works hard, Bendtner was - well, he was Bendtner, and our fullbacks were racing around as usual. Our man who was pushing the farthest forward at times was Koz, and that speaks volumes about how badly our game needed a shove.
I really wonder if our expectations are too high with those key men out injured. Do other teams realize their potential with their main striker, creative maestro, speedy winger, and key midfield defender on the sidelines? We were not as flowing without them, we couldn't go as wide or get in behind the defense as often. Our flow was hampered and our counter attack negated by our second stringers whose style of play slowed our game down. Once some substitutions were made, the game flowed better, and we started to really scare the opposition with attempt after attempt and attack after attack. For whatever reason, be it bad luck, a curse put on us by a gypsy Fergie relative, or the standard blessing that seems to be put on every visiting goalkeeper to have an outstanding game at the Emirates- we could not find the back of the net. I stood up in excitement and sat back down again only to have to stand back up in anticipation of another attack so many times, that I was exhausted, weakened, and could have sworn I had developed heart palpitations...and depression...and some sort of general anxiety disorder. I'm missing clumps of hair from both sides of my head. See what I mean? Hazardous.
And my health, I fear, is not going to get any better soon. We face Barcelona in two days' time and could still be without all four of those starters plus Jack who has an ankle injury. And while I think our defense is in better shape than that of last year's matchup at Camp Nou, I'm now worried about whether Wenger can shake up the lineup formation to keep our game fluid as possible. That's when we're at our best, and that's when we have a chance at meeting our potential. I have no expectations yet. I am making myself wait in forming any opinion about our chances until I hear who is on the plane to Spain...in the rain? Something not quite right there, hmmm.
Until then, I have to make a doctor's appointment. I'm thinking of having a pacemaker put in. Maybe one of those that I only have to really use once or twice a week until May. I could just try and get a prescription for a mild tranquilizer to chill me out during the matches, but with my luck, the local pharmacist would be a Manure fan and then I'd be slipped something that would make my heart race even faster - in which case I would need a pacemaker. I think I just made my decision.
I hope that all you Gooners out there are in better health, but if you are as obsessed about this team as much as I am, I think you could all be visiting your doctors soon as well. Maybe we should all buy stock in cardiac medical equipment. Just a thought.
Take care, and take a lot of deep breaths. Talk to you soon.
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