CASHLEY, Cashley, whats the score, Cashley, whats the
score? Came from the 3,000 Arsenal throats.
There were just six minutes left and Ashley Cole was facing the
most embarrassing afternoon of his life. Arsenal punters, wound up
by the Chelsea MC announcing Cole as the greatest left-back in the
world as he introduced the teams, were beside themselves.
The England full-back had endured a torrid time, greeted by a wad
of fake £20 notes swirling from the Arsenal end, booked after 23
minutes for a late challenge on Alex Hleb and booed every time he
touched the ball.
He was also subjected to a continuous chorus of One Greedy
Bastard and a novel Gooners version of Ten Men Went To Mow. One
can only imagine what it will be like when Cole visits the Emirates
on May 5.
Cole had infuriated Arsenal fans and supporters everywhere when
he wrote in his autobiography of how he almost crashed his car in
disbelief when he heard his former club were only offering him a
new deal of £55,000-a-week.
But they certainly couldnt forgive him another parting shot when
Cole tagged some of the younger players big shots, celebrities
long before their time but with no trophies to show for it.
Two of the players he picked out were Philippe Senderos and Cesc
Fabregas.
Ill give him Senderos. But Fabregas? Come on, Ashley. Here is one
of the finest if not THE finest young talent in England. He
never gave up, neither in his attempts to play football nor to hold
back what for long spells was a blue tide. Nor could Cole have had
anything but admiration for the performances of the other young
kids on the block. Boys he left in the lurch when he defected to
Stamford Bridge.
Remember, this was an Arsenal side that went into the game minus
FOUR first-teamers Thierry Henry, Kolo Toure, William Gallas,
Tomas Rosicky. And further stripped of long-term casualties Lauren
and Abou Diaby. Yet the two Emmanuels Adebayor and Eboue Gael
Clichy and Johan Djourou were outstanding.
Considering the handicap he faced of having to play alongside
Senderos, young Djourous performance was near miraculous.
Incredibly, Adebayors display was even better. Leading the line on
his own, he gritted his teeth, gave it 100 per cent from start to
finish and never complained once.
