Chocolate Thunder unleashed on Porto?

The team travel to Portugal to take on league leaders (don’t know where I read that. ed.) Porto for the game that will decide if Arsenal finish first or second in the group. In years past, winning your group meant an “easier” draw in the Champions League, but lets face it, there aren’t many easy teams in this tournament any more ( wait, could Cluj still go through? No? Oh well.) Even if Arsenal finish first they could easily face runners up like Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid (who are so desperate they are thinking of appointing Juande Ramos), Inter, Bayern, and Man U depending on how all those teams play today and tomorrow.

That said, just a draw sees the club top the group and the boss was simultaneously pragmatic and hopeful (he can do that, he’s that special):

We want to finish first because we want to be the best. But it does not seem that first or second will make a huge difference this year

I love to see a win, but with Cesc unlikely to participate (knee injury) and Porto looking for revenge, a draw would be a good result. How about a boring ole 0-0 draw, it would be like stepping into a time machine!

I’d also like to see Roma go through and get paired with Liverpool. First because they’d probably have to hold the match in an empty stadium — since both clubs supporters are such animals. And second because I want to see if The Beast can lay a quad on Liverpool again.

Oh and hey, Wednesday’s game is Arsene’s 700th game for the club. 700! That deserves it’s own column…

The game is on Setanta here in the states and it’s a lunch time kickoff on my side of the country, but I’m busy that day so no match for me. Head down to Doyle’s and catch the match if you get a chance.

Chocolate Thunder, Robin van Persie’s right leg.

There’s a hilarious quote from Robin van Persie where he says that in Holland they call your off leg your “Chocolate Leg.” Which brought me back to my childhood and a player named Chocolate Thunder, from the planet Lovetron, who could dunk so hard, he ripped the rim off the backboard. After watching RvP shoot with his right foot against Chelsea and damn near rip the back of the net off the goal posts, I’m thinking he should rename his chocolate leg, Chocolate Thunder and start ripping shots with it all the time.

I am curious about the etymology of this term, so if any of you know why the Dutch call the off leg the chocolate leg please let us know. Also if you want to make things up, that would be fine too, as long as you use the word “Lovetron” at least once.

Almost done…

Liverpool are shopping their brand name around but I guess no one’s buying. Maybe they could get some supporters to get their jalopy a new set of hubcaps?

In reality, I’m not worried in the least about a club like Liverpool. They have a fan base that rivals clubs like Arsenal and Man U, they are favorites to break their 10 year curse in the Premier League and perennial challengers in the Champions League. Lessseee, uhhh Citeh or Liverpool? Hmmmm. Tough choice.

And Finally

Theo Walcott won the 2008 BBC London Young Footballer of the Year award. I heard that he was also runner up for the 2008 N5 Right Footed Player of the Year but was just beaten off by Terry Brindlebat who plays for St. Mary’s pub.

See you tomorrow for the match preview.