On the Road Again!

The last Arsenal game physically at the Emirates Stadium this season. Should have a few on the TV though as the season runs down. Today was home to Fulham in the Premier League. A chance to extend the lead at the top over Manchester City. Already three points and +1 goal difference at kickoff. They got the Champions League experience flame thingamajigs out. I usually miss the flame. I just kept clicking the button. Sixty photos later in chose three and deleted 160mb of storage. This far away you can feel the heat. Two goals from Gyokeres and one from Saks before half time seemed like a thrashing was on the cards... Nope. The second half was a 0-0 draw. When goal difference has proven to win the Premier League title, why do we piss about? So. The difference is six points and +4 goal difference.

The second home game of the season and my first game. The train strike put the mockers on the first game at home to Leicester City. So today was full of the holiday spirit. A full house and a great game for the neutral supporter.  Both sides unbeaten in the first three games with Arsenal top of the league with three wins from three. Fulham just promoted from the Championship and 5th with two draws and one win. It was pretty even and I guess complacency led to Fulham taking the lead. Gabriel M caught on the ball by Mitrovic who fired home. From then on it was really all Arsenal. Goals from Ødegaard and Gabriel M making amends for earlier saw the game swing. Former Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno made a few saves to keep the score down. Fulham fans will say the same about Ramsdale in the Arsenal goal making several saves. In the end only one club has the 100% record..

The Arsenal starting the new season away at Craven Cottage against newly promoted Fulham. Fulham relegated down to the Championship back in May 2019 and back via the play off final after only one season in the second tier. Things looked pretty even for a while until a little scramble in the Fulham penalty area led to the ball popping out to Lacazette.   The keeper stopped a point blank prod shot from Willian before Lacazette scored the first goal of the new season in England. Second half goals from debutant Gabriel from a corner and then a superb third goal. Playing out from the back, the ball one touch and flipping about, Willian, also a debutant, long cross field ball to Aubameyang, who cut in front the left before firing a shot into the top corner of the goal. Class. A good start to the season at last.   

Super Oldham... I have been looking forward to this game since the draw. Another away game in the south. Not as nearby as the last round in Maidstone, but in London. Usually when you are drawn against a team 59 places above in the pyramid you think the worst. But on NYD our other team, Arsenal, hammered them 4-1. So we thought there could be an upset. Fulham are 19th out of 20 in the Premier League and as a result they must see that as more important than a cup run. So they played a weakened team. With 8 minutes to go before kick off the Oldham fans, numbering about 3800, were in full voice. The home fans seemed somewhat sluggish arriving in their seats. Although Fulham where the better team they didn't bother Iversen in the Latics goal at all in the first half. Latics had a few half chances and with more composure may have taken one. The second half started pretty much the same but the home side were more clinical and dangerous. A little mix up and Odoi scored. 😨...

Tickets bought. Neill being retired was able to keep trying. It looked as though the initial 2500 had been sold but this might have been simply a Ticketmaster eff up. Anyway. We are sorted.

Another away draw in the South for Oldham. After Hampton & Richmond, then on Saturday at Maidstone, this time away in London. The opponents will be Premier League Fulham FC  With their near neighbours Chelsea FC also drawn at home the FA will have to decide which day to play the game. Here's hoping they see sense and make it a weekend game so that our supporters can travel to and from the North West in a day. Many years ago I used to go to Fulham. We are talking over fifty. At school my friend Chris' family had moved to Thames Ditton from Fulham. Most of the family were Fulham fans but some supported Chelsea and even Queens Park Rangers, who were also local and in the same London borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. I've not been there for over 40 years even as an away fan. One of the last games we went to was the FA Cup Semi Final against Birmingham City at Sheffield Wednesday's ground.  The scene of the Hillsborough disa...