Port Whine

I’m slowly but surely losing my patience with my new neighbours (is that singular for a family of neighbours or plural?). I don’t know what time they sleep or if they sleep at all – but surely they do unless they’re zombies or the walking dead – because there are noises coming from the other side of the wall 24/7. Occasionally, I hear people shouting so loud that I’m tempted to think a murder is about to take place, such is the volume of shouts and screams. Either that or they are enacting a Hindi or Bollywood movie full of stunt and drama. The adult kids once held a party out in the porch which lasted until after midnight. Really, it’s too much.

Hear me whine.




~~~~~~~~

And hear me jump for joy here – and I have every reason to jump for joy. You see, Arsenal had not overcome a first-leg deficit in Europe since 1978. And their opponents, Porto, had not lost a European tie on any of the 24 previous occasions when they had won the first leg at home. Until last night. Bereft of the spine of the skipper, the dominant defender Gallas and the striker van Persie, the Gunners nevertheless showed they were strong enough. After the heavy criticism following Saturday’s profligacy, Bendtner scored his first senior hat trick – and Arsenal’s first since Titi left - proving Shava’s point earlier that Bendtner was saving his goals for Porto (and despite the hat trick, Bendtner was not even the best player on the pitch. He didn’t even know he got to keep the match ball). No Cesc? No problem (he didn’t play when we faced Roma either just a year ago and we still made it). Shava proved himself instrumental with three assists (from Russia with gloves indeed) while Nasri was also brilliant, distinguishing himself in defence before scoring a wonder goal all on his own after dancing his way past three defenders. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourself to see that goal being replayed again and again for the rest of the season: it’s unlikely to bettered in the CL this season. The fourth goal was reminiscent of the old times of Titi and Pires and the fifth was a token penalty taken by Bendtner because Nasri and Shava, the designated first two penalty-takers, had already left the pitch. It was in short, a high-five five star performance. We have shown that we are serious contenders even with a one-goal deficit and missing three key players.

And for that kind of performance, I will definitely not whine nor bellow.