Arsenal 4 FC Twente 0

Robyn and I went to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night to watch Arsenal play Dutch side FC Twente in a Champions League qualifier. Its something we've really wanted to do before we head home.

The Stadium and everything about it is so 'first world' and it is beautifully designed both aesthetically and functionally. As you'd expect I suppose, from such a wealthy club who I'm tempted to become a supporter of! The atmosphere was brilliant too (for a mid-week qualifier game I'm told, crowd attendance was 59,000 of a possible 60,500!), aside from some witty verses from the Arsenal supporters the FC Twente supporters were brilliantly vocal in their corner and in a way really illustrated for me the difference between Football supporters and Rugby supporters. Football supporters are so much more expressive and arguably more passionate. It is a way of life for them. These people actually live for their side, unlike us who just watch our side on weekends. They fly to foreign countries during the week, during Winter, when they're sick, when they have no chance of winning, in the belief that if they chant loud enough they can sway the outcome of a game, and some times they do. Unbelievable.

So thankfully, as expected the Gooners beat them pretty comfortably in the end. I'm not sure how the Arsenal supporters would've reacted had they lost and not qualified for the Champions League this season, especially after losing to South London rivals Fulham the weekend before hand. Nasri got the first goal, followed by Gallas, Walcott and Bendtner.

The BIG 'Three-Ohhhhh…'

Rico gets another one

Greg in blue, applying the pressure…

Rugby players always have their collars up

01:55am

01:56am

Shapeshifter: Wylie on fire!

So last week I turned thirty. Obviously I still feel the same as I did when I was 20, funny that because I'd only ever heard my parents or aunts and uncles say that sort of thing before - until now. I'll probably say that again in ten years time when at this rate, I'll more than likely be considering a mid-life crisis at forty! My word though, jokes aside it's pretty scary this ageing thing. Everybody who says its just a number is under the age of thirty!

Anyway, so it was also a friend of mines (Greg) 30th the week before mine, so a small group of us headed up to Cheltenham where Greg and his girlfriend Sam live, to commemorate the occassion. We arrived just in time to catch Grogger's pre-season warm-up match for the Worcester Warriors against a second division side who had the joyous task of trying to prevent the likes of Rico Gear and Sam Tuitoupou from running a complete riot through the mid-field and on the wings. Yes, a complete mismatch it was but it was great to see where Greg's been playing for the last year and their new stadium which is being increased in size.

After a few pints post-match we went back to Greg's flat for what turned out to be a very entertaining few hours of catching up, beers, down-downs, snacks, pizzas and champagne. And then it was off to the bright lights of Cheltenham to a club called 'Thirteen' which was surprisingly good, where (after a few tequillas) we danced the night away and celebrated being a little more distinguished and a little more wise now that some of us are thirty.

The Oval

Flintoff bowls to Harris

Day four of the 4th Test against England at The Oval. Unfortunately we lost this, the final Test of the four match series, but overall we won the series 2-1 and the Proteas should be very proud of themselves. You only have to scroll down a few posts to see how poorly we began at Lord's just over a month ago but they showed tremendous character and resolve to fight back and save that first Test and then go on to win the following two tests at Headingley and Edgbaston respectively. And to achieve this all with what I would've said was a mis-firing, out of nick bowling attack and a national hero in Jacques Kallis uncharacteristically misfiring with the bat. This was a real team performance that has made their supporters proud. Well done!

Recent Reads 3

'The Border Trilogy' by Cormac McCarthy constitutes three geniusely written books, All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing and finally, Cities Of The Plain.

Because I can't actually put into words how brilliant this Trilogy of books is(are?) I've chosen a few quotes (from the book sleeves) that I think best capture what I'm less able to say.

The Guardian describes All the Pretty Horses as 'One of the greatest American novels written of this or any time'.

The Sunday Times says 'The cumulative effect of McCarthy's, prose is uniquely compelling… his dialogue is, as ever, deliciously wry and laconic. When his cowboys spit, they speak volumes… At his unadorned best, he makes us feel the loss of a world we never knew'.

Bookworld says 'Turn to almost any page and you will light upon sharply observed details, painterly descriptions and the sound of real voice. Like the novelists he admires - Melville, Dostoyevsky, Faulkner - Cormac McCarthy has created an imaginative ouevre greater and deeper than any single book. Such writers wrestle with the gods themselves'.

The last stand

A few Fridays ago I was lucky or unlucky enough, depends which way you look at it, to watch Waz Peddies last time out on the drums for the always impressive, super polished 'The Domino State' at a very slick little venue called The Luminaire in Kilburn, North London.

All I can say is their single 'What's the Question' is right up there with one of the best songs I've had the pleasure of hearing in the last few years. Absolutely world class. I would highly recommend you click on iTunes and purchase it immediately. You wont regret it.

www.myspace.com/thedominostate