Arsenal 3 - Hull City 0

My son, Matt, has insisted I promote myself from email circular to fully-fledged online blogger. So here goes nothing with my first ever online post!

At the end of last Saturday's game against Hull I was was threatened by Matthew with physical violence should I use the hoary old adage that we had just seen a game of two halves. I was rather puzzled by this threat. .I mean, can you hand on heart believe me guilty of such hackneyed football punditism? Dont answer that! Just remember, I may be a Taylor but my first name is not Graham. I would not dream of using the expression " a game of two halves" would I? First, we all know that every game of football has a first half and a second half so why would I invoke the expression "a game of two halves". I mean, could it be that the banality and ponderous nature of the football played by both teams in the first half compared with the penetration and fluidity of our second half showing might create an impression that two separate games of football had taken place, each game being of one half a game in duration? Have you now got the impression of the game I am trying to convey? And without referring to it as a game of two halves which clearly I have achieved?

After meeting up with the usual suspects in the Herbert Chapman before the game, knocking back a few pints and collecting the usual mixed bag of result predictions ranging from the pessimism of a defeat to a spanking 3.0 win (mine was a 2.1 win) , a turgid first half caused Matt, Jonnie and yours truly to head off to the bar with a couple of minutes to go . This is something we never have done in the past and we paid the appropriate penalty We had just collected our exorbitantly priced bottles of Bud when a huge roar erupted from the stadium thus proving that the crowd had not been bored into a stupor by the events of the first 44 minutes. Fortunately the bar area is well equipped with tv screens and we were able to relish several replays of Denilson placing a 30 yard free kick into the right hand corner of the Hull net. Just to add further insult to injury I had just been protesting once again after a couple of typical dud shots by Denilson that we we had the only Brazilian on the planet who cant shoot. Yes I know he has now scored three goals this season each one of them a screamer but I still maintain that mostly his shooting is below standard for a player of such illustrious genetic make up.

The second half once again started as if Arsene had put something in the players' tea. Now, you have not heard me say that before have you? Well honestly, how else does he get the team to up their first half performance by some 4-500% in the second half of so many matches?? It is utterly remarkable. We just tore Hull into confetti and the goals and goal opportunities flowed.

First Eduardo collected a defence splitting pass on the edge of the box, turned on a sixpence and went one on one with the keeper but dragged the ball past the post with his right foot. Had he brought the ball onto his left it would have been a cert. The crowd immediately and positively broke into a roaring Eduardo song which must have lifted his spirits sky high. Soon after, a brilliant move took place with a bout of interpassing between Song and Diaby who finally squared the ball across the goal for Eduardo to turn it in for 2.0. Following on quite quickly Diaby forced his way into the box, held off two challenges and blasted the ball into the net off the keeper from 10 yards. 3.0. Not to be outdone Theo raced through the middle onto a forty yard lofted pass from Denilson and lobbed the onrushing keeper only to see the ball drop just the wrong side of the post. Theo was also on the end of a movement on the right which ended in him blasting the ball across the goal and past the far post. Maybe a cut back would have been a better option.. So the game ended 3.0 and could so easily have been 5 or 6. 0.

OH yes, there is the fact that Almunia saved a penalty and what a disgracefully awarded penalty it was by Mr Bennet. No foul whatsoever was committed except that the Hull player was clearly trying to pull Sylvestre to the ground and went down himself. Still justice was doubly done as not only did Almunia save the kick but that nasty little p***k Hunt knocked Giovani out of the way to get to the rebound and missed the gaping goal with a header. Oh did we laugh!

The additional highlights of the second half were the the venom directed at that noxious little poisonous rat Hunt who was up to his usual stunts of assaulting the opposition goalkeeper ( ask Petr Cech about why he wears a skull protector) and the variety of the anti Phil Brown songs from the Arsenal fans including " Stand up if you hate Phil Brown" (I think even the directors box stood - well they should have) "Sacked in the morning, you're getting sacked in the morning", "Tango, tango what's the score" "Liar liar what's the score" and "Cesc is coming on, Cesc is coming on". We are talking full blooded personal attack on the manager of the opposition who stood out on the edge of the pitch in full view being swamped by it whilst his team was simply anihilated. Well if you are going to turn up at premiership games sporting orange coloured fake tan you must expect to be ribbed. If into the bargain you try to ruin the career of our captain with false accusations you are going to get all the abuse you deserve.

There was also the potential downside of an FA review into the foot treading incident of Nasri on one of the pathetic Hull players who went down as if his leg had been removed by an 88mm shell and created a mass handbags at 10 paces incident between 10 or 15 players. Credit Referee Bennet for quashing the whole thing today. Nasri out for three games on top of the burgeoning list of injuries would have been the limit.

So here we are, having played hit and miss football for the last four league games but still having taken 10 points out of 12. Who would not have setttled for that beforehand??. However, whilst other members of the big four have been busy dropping points thus enabling us to close the gap Villa have been emulating ouselves and are hard on our heels. Sunday next we meet them at the Emirates. Yet another must win game Gooners and it is likely to be a cracker. The Taylor gang will be in attendance as usual, hopefully in the Herbert before the game in anticipation and after the game in celebration. So, until then it has to be first Happy Christmas to you all and second...

COME ON YOU GUNNERS