Nine Jimmy Rimmers – Arsenal and Football

It shouldn’t feel good but it does! Just looking at the stats you should feel disappointed – it appears that seeded team Arsenal threw away a lead against Pot D team Dortmund.

But it doesn’t feel like that at all. It feels like Arsenal took another step forward in their recovery plan and won a point in what could be our toughest group stage game.

Quite apart from our shocking start to this season, our recent away form in the Champions League is poor, whilst Dortmund’s home form is strong. They only conceded eight at home last season.

But although the Gunners away form as a team has been poor, Van Persie has been on fire. That’s fourteen goals in fifteen away games.

I missed the first half last night as the train crawled out from London, does every train really need to call at Stratford and Shenfield, so I only knew we’d scored. I didn’t really care how it had been scored, as I shelled out for a taxi instead of walking from the station, a goal is a goal.

But what good goal it was! Perfect play: a determined sliding interception from Van Persie, an intelligent inch-perfect pass from Walcott and a stunningly confident right-footed finish.

I think we should stop talking about Van Persie’s ‘weaker foot’ now. He looks pretty two-footed to me.

Even Merson the Miserable was cheered up!

Sadly, Dortmund had a wonder-goal in them too. Perisic probably won’t ever repeat that sweet strike that left Szczesny completely helpless.

It was a blow to lose the lead in the last few minutes, but when the whistle went it still felt good and Arsene Wenger’s reaction showed he felt that way too.

We didn’t dominate the game, but we worked at it. They still have faults and there’s a long way to go. But they looked like a team that wanted to be there and were proud to wear the shirt.

Arsenal’s future secured – not yet. Reduced expectations – no question. But this was a job well done.

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