KIM KALLSTROM
"I got a Call from my Agent, Roger Ljung (World Cup Bronze Medalist in '94): (Do you want to be loaned out to a Club in the Premier League?) No! (Do you want to be loaned out to Arsenal?) YES!
"I look like a Boy as I walk across the Grass, with the Ball under my Arm. Well-groomed side Parting, a clean red Shirt, white Sleeves and a golden Cannon on my Breast. I'm a Man past 30 Years of Age, in a Boy's Dream. It's the Semifinal of the English FA Cup, against Wigan, with 82,000 People on the Stands of Wembley Stadium, among which 50,000 root for us. They are loud and starving Fans that hunger for a Title. They haven't won anything for nine Years, which is an Eternity for a Club that is considered one of the Greatest in the World. They have the Most Loyal Fans: Gooners. By strange and unexpected Detours, I've ended up at the top Club, Arsenal in North London.
"With straight Legs, I bend down and put the Ball on the Spot, I throw a quick Glance at the Keeper. I've already decided where to place it. I try not to smile. The Moment is here. I'm here - in the middle of the Latin Motto of the Club: Victoria Concordia Crescit, Victory grows through Harmony. I can't help myself but smile slightly. I haven't even played half an Hour for Arsenal. I debuted against Swansea, for 11 Minutes, and now I was substituted on in Extra Time when it was to be decided. 15 Minutes of a Footballer's Life, which changed my Story."
The 2017 Season promises to be a great Time for Gooners. Ambidextrous Playmaker Santi Cazorla is back to shine freely at full Strength like he did on 11th December 2012 against League Two outfit Bradford City in the Capital One Cup though Arsenal was knocked out 2-3 on Penalties after a 1-1 Draw. Giroud is hungry for his first Premiership, forget whatever has been said about him! Oli, the Headmaster knows what he is doing. It's a new Season, new Oezil Assists (The Steve Nash of Football), new Campbell Tricks, new Ox Runs, new everyone. We just hope Wilshere, Walcott and Welbeck (The three Ws) are fit to play for a long time. Xhaka will be king, Takuma Asano will keep Asian Flavour in Arsenal when he joins his new Teammates after the Rio Olympics, Coquelin and Elneny have their Ammunition ready - Guns blazing, Iwobi is a rising Star and all the other oldtimers like Ramsey and Chambers are tuned for Battle like a Harp: Victory through Harmony. See Wenger smiling and rubbing his Hands on the touchline, that's a lot of Experience being sparked. Why do you want him out? Just stomach the Lows and enjoy the Highs coz they will definitely come. Win or lose, Arsene Wenger I will choose; he's the Invisible One, a Specialist in Victory! Like Cech said, Arsenal does not have to buy new Players just for the sake of buying but someone who can improve the team. I have never watched Rob Holding play and when he moved to the Emirates, I was like: Since he was bought from League One's Bolton Wanderers as their Best Player, I can give him the benefit of the doubt that he is good enough basing on the way Bolton used to torment Arsenal during Thierry Henry's Days. Even the great Gunner found hard times against their Defence. And when I saw how tall Rob was in a photo, I instinctively knew he was an Upgrade for Captain BFG (Mertesacker), less experienced but definitely sleeker and faster. Kos, Gabriel, Bellerin, Gibbs, Monreal, Ospina and the entire Backline should continue with the great Work from last Season and maybe this time, Arsenal will score many GOALS and concede less; just one Goal more than each Opponent might be enough but anything bigger than that is welcome. Every Season brings its own fresh Goodies. I'm glad the Goal-poaching and intelligently solid German Defender Mustafi was bought before August ended. Also, basing on forward forages, his fellow new Gunner from Spain Lucas Perez is like Lionel Messi in an Arsenal Jersey. So, enjoy the Season though it started with a Home Defeat against Liverpool! [Matchday Dreamvision showed a Geometry Lesson: the Teacher (probably Liverpool) drew four big Shapes on the Blackboard (Square, Triangle, Circle and Rectangle) but the Student (Arsenal) could only replicate three small ones in his Classwork Book.] No Black November nor Dark February should come their way!
ARSENAL IS BIGGER THAN JUST INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS
Arsenal is an Institution; it is bigger than any one Individual. That is why I support whoever has his Name on a red and white Jersey, no matter his Skill Set or what other Fans yap against him! But when a Gunner threatens to leave just because of a Draw, Loss, Wenger's Transfer Inactivity or Arsenal's Failure to win a Trophy, it always sounds like a Chance to get a better Player than them. As much as every Gunner is valuable, no Player should suggest that they are irreplaceable with Threats to depart just because of a few Setbacks! Thierry Henry never threatened to quit Highbury for a richer Club whenever Arsenal lost. While going back Home after a Defeat, he thought of Ways he can avoid Failure in the next Game; that's why his Passion at Arsenal was fiery and he was helped by Pires, Wiltord and Bergkamp plus all the other Lads to break and set new Premiership Records [including 14 Consecutive Wins] plus become invincible...
2017 FA Cup Final
From the Days of Flo, Gudjohnsen and Crespo, I could tell how dangerous Chelsea might be straight from Kickoff. So I watched the first few Seconds of the Game and feeling comfortable despite Pedro's Runs, went to grind Groundnuts and Simsim plus ease myself for a few Minutes. When I returned with Water in a metallic Tumbler, I found that Arsenal was one Goal ahead from the 3rd Minute after a controversial Decision that involved a possible Handball by the scorer Alexis and Offside by Ramsey who moved but did not touch the Ball. So I sat down without Pressure. Chelsea's Body Language showed that they were probably playing to lose. However Arsenal were not going to lower their winning Chances despite missing so many Opportunities to kill off the Game early. Every Gunner played their Part: Per was sharp despite not playing the entire Season replacing three regular Defenders - the concussed Mustafi, suspended Koscielny and injured Gabriel; Holding was calm and put up a Fight; the Reserve Goalkeeper Ospina made valuable Saves; Welbeck drew a yellow Card against Moses before Ox tricked the Nigerian into simulating a Dive in the Penalty Box. It was 11 Men against 10 in the final Quarter of the Game. When Costa equalised in the 76th Minute, I could feel some Fever in me as though I was sick but Rambo cured it two Minutes later with a Classic Header after a first Touch Assist from Welbeck's Substitute Olivier Giroud. I clapped, raised both Hands in the Air, yelled "Yes", stood up and walked away about seven Metres before returning immediately to my Seat. Game over! Ramsey seems to have a Knack for replicating great Arsenal FA Cup Classic Moments like the 1971 Charlie George Celebration in 2014 (same Minute on the Clock) and the 1979 quick Response to an Equaliser repeated in 2017 when the Ball flew from the same Direction. If he had celebrated like Sunderland after scoring, you would get my Drift! History repeats itself and by beating Chelsea, Wenger equaled the Number of FA Cup Trophies his Opponents have ever won in their History (though Arsenal's Lucky 13th), also becoming the Most Successful Manager in the FA Challenge Cup...
