When Saturday (finally) Comes

It’s only Wednesday! I can’t believe it. That means I have to wait the rest of today, then all of Thursday and all of Friday; with only the Arsecast to give me some Arsenal goodness.

Then, when Saturday comes not only are we playing a team that I’ve not seen at this ground but it’s that most remarkable of occurrences; a Three O’clock kick off. Yes. Three O’clock.

I can’t recall a longer gap between games, and I don’t mean physically but mentally. It seems an age. We’ve had the lot; rock bottom, year zero, conjecture, deadline day with all its attendant hyperbole, players in, players out, more conjecture, International goals from Arsenal players, International Arsenal captains and above all impatience.

I guess when you have suffered the ultimate indignity, as we did at Old Trafford, you just want to put it behind you and get on with the next instalment, however when the pause button is pressed it becomes deeply frustrating. I know it’s illogical but with the new players and some of the dross dispatched I want to see the new look Arsenal, want to get accustomed to the body language, the recognition.

For too long watching The Arsenal has felt like it does when a ‘minnow’ comes to town and you have no recognition of any of their team members; no body shapes, postures, running styles to be familiar with, no personality. These identikit players were reserved for the opposition but we began to be that anonymous.

I’m hoping to see a team in red & white on Saturday that we will all grow to have that familiarity with, that affinity. Winning (which is by no means a foregone conclusion) could be the first step on a long path to regaining the Arsenal we all grew to love.