Hoofleball's pact with the Devil- Arse v Liverpool

Henry
By Boris Mellor
November 27 2004

Many Arsenal fans were traumatised by the mugging that took place in Cardiff May 2001. Some elderly gentlemen were perambulating in the afternoon sunshine, preparing to board their coach, when a young scally, with a squeaky voice, rushed by at speed stealing their silverware.

It was terribly distressing, but as Herbert used to say (Chapman not Frandel) the team that scores the most goals wins.

But I often pondered how could a team so heavily outplayed win the FA Cup, it was only later that events provided the answer. Ever since that match, if my memory serves me correctly, Arsenal have not lost a game to Liverpool and knocked them out of the fourth round of the FA Cup. The answer is that Hoofleball did a deal with the Devil he traded future results against Arsenal for that piece of silverware. Now I am not sure if the deal holds with Benitez, we will just have to wait and see.

There was a time when a trip to Anfield was filled with dread (Perhaps Graham did a similar deal in 1989) and a Fowler hat trick. But since 2000 we have done very well, indeed its been a weather vane for success. I knew we had won the league when our ten men beat them for our last double. By the way Kanu was MOM that day from deep midfield.

I remember watching the game in the Litten Tree Old Street and hearing, to my mind, the best riposte ever. With ten men Arsenal went 2-0 up, and Arsenal Fans went mad, a L’pool supporter shouted, "Its not over until the fat lady sings" a Gooner immediately replied, "You'd better start singing now you fat K**t".

Last year we were outplayed for 40 minutes and could have sunk without trace, but Liverpool could not add to their 1-0 lead. That proved to be fatal, an Edu deflection special (I am sure it’s a special Brazilian skill) and a wonder shot by Pires, it appeared to be going wide of the post before curling back and in, finished them off.

Herbert (No Chapman, not Frandel) was right, if not blindingly obvious, the team with the most goals wins. Liverpool’s problem then, and now is that they do not often score that many. To be fair all their key strikers are out, although would Cisse make a difference?

For Arsenal things are brighter, most of our strikers are recovering after the initial scare midweek, plus Freddy can always score. If it were an open game we would win easily. I suspect an open game is the last thing Liverpool have in mind, so it could be tough.