GERMANS

Fiery night and explosive morning.

That's how I would describe past few hours. It all started yesterday when I had no idea what I'm about to experience. Took the tube to work, had my breakfast and went to the office. Hard-working productive day as usual, therefore I ended up on Twitter. I wanted to read some deluded predictions of Arsenal fans. When I typed Arsenal after that hashtag, suddenly a hashtag Arsenal_tickets came up. So why not have a look if there are any tickets left for sale at a decent price? I threw a tweet if anyone could get me a ticket for maximum of £60, and guess what. I got a response. Apparently someone offered me first row in the middle of the pitch. That sounds very interesting, but after few minutes I realized it might be a little bit high price to pay to see the club I don't even support. I'll try to negotiate it down to £50 before the game. To my surprise I didn't have to wait that long, because I got another response with a ticket to a Club level for the same price and a free drink. When I mentioned the situation to the first guy, he dropped down to £50 which was what I wanted. So I had a ticket secured. After short nice break at river Thames I somehow got through the working day. I only enjoyed the news of 20 000 German fans having fun in London. It is going to be huge. Although they were allocated only 2 900 tickets, so I can't imagine what other 17 000 are going to be doing for two hours of the game. Anyway, it only brought up my excitement. The clock was getting closer and closer to that six when my phone rang. I could not answer for another few minutes, but as soon as I left the office I was on the phone back to the first guy. But I met only with bad news. The ticket he promised me was gone, but he had another one. He offered me a price of £45 for that one, which I was no happy about as he couldn't tell me where is the seat. I ain't paying that money for some corner upper-tier ticket to Arsenal. But I said I'd take it. Just in case. So I was back to the second guy with a Club level ticket. Luckily he still got it, so I arranged a purchase. On the way home I saw an Arsenal fan holding his ticket in his hand. I tried to take as detailed look as possible, to know what the original ticket looks like. When I got out of the tube at Holloway a young chap was shouting 'Anyone needs tickets?' I couldn't resist so I asked him what he wants for it.
-£80.
-£80? I am about to get it for £60.
-Where?
-I don't know. Some bloke from Twitter.
-You better be careful. You won't get any tickets for £60
-Oh yeah, I will be.
I got home and found a missed call when I was in the tube. I called back. It was second guy, saying to me to come to Arsenal station. I put my shoes on and was on my way. As I walked up the stairs to Emirates stadium, a massive crowd appeared in front of me. When I tried to force my way through, I heard more German language than ever in my life. And all of them in very good mood having a great time. Even though most of them were ticketless. It took me a couple of minutes to get through the crowd to the other side of the stadium. I was now from the side of Arsenal station. When I tried to call second guy, he wasn't answering. I tried first guy, but likewise. I was just left hanging around and try again. This time he answered and Send me to actual station. So I had to go again in opposite direction of the crowd. Then I heard a steward yelling that the game was delayed. I didn't know if that was just some kind of a joke, but it would certainly helped me. I was just in my shirt and the weather begun to be chilly. It would be nice to get back home for some jacket.
I came to the station full of people, so I was on the phone again. When I thought I saw him I hung up, which I shouldn't have done, because it was just a false alarm. Obviously I couldn't call him again in next few attempts, but It started ringing again at last. After further conversation I met with the guy. A black bloke with a cap on. Didn't trust him at the first sight. I imagine he could be well easily be a hustler. But that was the chance I had to take. Of course no businessman in a suit is going to turn up. I just had to trust a complete stranger and hand him my money. We went down the road where he met with another guy. He took out a bunch of papers. Those were home printed tickets, which made it a little bit less believable but, still looked legit though. He asked him one for the Club level and he handed it over to me. I had to ask him where he got them. 'Bought them' he said. I took out my wallet and said goodbye to my hard-earned money. Before I shot off the guy asked me where my seat is and advised me how to get into the ground, which I thought was both nice, and a bit unnecessary. I just thought 'You got my money, leave me alone. If it's a scam you don't need to show off anymore. I went back through all that crowd again and found a nearby supervisor, who informed me that the new kick-off will be 21:05. That got me enough time to get home and go online. When I inspected the ticket it seemed very good. The price on it said £88.50, so if it worked I was in for a treat for a bargain.The only thing that was keeping me from getting in was scanning of the ticket. At that point I could just hope. I got also a message on twitter if everything went well, which surprised me a little bit. It was about quarter past eight, so I decided to go and try my luck. If I'd get in, I'll have  a beer. Drinks are supposed to be free anyway. If I get rejected I 'll try to to sell it to some scammer outside the station.
The outside of the stadium was much emptier now and easier to get around. I found my way to the big glass door with 'Club Level Entrance' on the top. After quick search I went to a turnstiles. A steward took my ticket and put it under that red light. Now was the moment of truth. After about 4 seconds it still wouldn't go green, but I knew it just a scanning issue, not with the actual barcode. After that it finally scanned the barcode and the light turned green. I heard the sweetest words. 'Just come through'. What a feeling. I wasn't robbed and I was about to witness a Europa league clash between Arsenal and 1. FC Cologne. I went up the stairs and saw the pitch. I felt like a VIP member. Big lounge full of people and a pitch behind the glassed door and windows. I headed straight to the bar, where unfortunately I found a drink price list. But according to the bartender the free drink will be there for me at half-time. I just got a pint for a start. Slowly sipping the Carlsberg I was observing the ground. What really surprised me were Cologne fans in away sector. It was full and packed. No one else was in the stadium but away sector was full and singing at its best. The players were out just to warm-up. Just mental. And what a noise they made. I was there just watching them until the very beginning of the game. It was fascinating. And they were everywhere, Around me, top level, bottom level, just everywhere.
After admiring the German chanting I went to take my seat. The kick-off was getting closer. Soon the players were out. No Champions League tune though. Well, that's Arsenal. At least no Bayern for them. Anyway the game started and the atmosphere was electric. I could not believe the scenes. I was watching top stars and I didn't even wanted to go that morning.
Cologne player made an ambitious pass to one of their attackers, but the ball went a bit too far and Ospina had to leave his posts to deal with the pass. However he dealt with it terribly and gave a ball away. Being about 20 yards outfield there was only one thing that was going through every fan's head. Shoot. Shoot. SHOOT! And he did. The ball landed beautify in the net and Cologne were suddenly 1-0 up. That was when it all kicked off. About 10 fans just in my area jumped in joy. I was funny to notice that some of them were wearing an Arsenal shirts. This was happening all over the ground and home fans were not happy with that. Stewards had a tough job to deal with the situation in all the stands. Soon even firemen got involved when a light parade started in away end. They got it over with quite quickly, but it made a great choreo. German fans were going mental. Arsenal were shite as usual and couldn't get back on track so 30 minutes in they were still trailing. The lager I had earlier was asking his way out of my balls so I had to leave my seat. I returned for couple of minutes to watch the rest of the first half action, but before the ref whistled for the end I made my way into the bar for the promised free drink. To my disappointment It was either Coke or still water. Got the bottled water in my jacked and grabbed a Coke. Before the game started again I took a quick leak and went out for the second part of the game. Cologne fans were going non-stop, and half-empty Emirates was silent as Tony Hopkins' lambs. I could not help, but stare at Alexis for majority of the second half. That boy is something else. I haven't seen this intelligent player since Paul Scholes retired. To play with such a bunch of plonkers must be really frustrating, what you could see in his face. Every pass he ran for and didn't get, every pass he wanted to make, but had no one to play with, every chance he tried to create, but couldn't, because no one in that team is on his level. After Arsenal scored and made it level, it was only matter of time when Alexis Sanchez will score. It didn't take long, and I promise you, if he had someone, just anyone to pass the ball to, he would gladly do it and create a great team-work goal. But as for the majority of the game he had nobody to play with, so hu just tried and succeed. The ball ended in the net behind the keeper and I just couldn't believe what just happened. I had to stand up and applaud the master. Arsenal made themselves comfortable with a third strike, which started nowhere else, but with Alexis. And what a pass. I don't think many players in the world are capable of doing what he does. With the third goal that wrapped it up it was job done. Although there were more than five minutes to go of the 90 minutes, the half-empty stadium just got even emptier. Yet, still it was Germans that you could hear. Being 3-1 down and have this kind of spirit is unbelievable. The game went to the finish stage. I was sitting, holding an abandoned programme and waiting for the final whistle. The game finished 3-1. Arsenal players went to their dressing rooms, but Cologne team huddled up on the pitch, had a after-match briefing and went on to thank their supporters for an amazing job. They just didn't stop even after the pitch cleared and there was nobody in the home stands. Well, lot of Germans were. It was over. Not for the Germans obviously, but for the event it was over. I headed home. The biggest advantage of living next to the stadium. I was watching fans chanting and in 5 minutes I was lying home in my bed. I went on Twitter straight away and thanked the stranger for the tickets. What an game that was. For that value, totally worth it.
I have to say, Germans, certainly the best support I have ever seen, and Sanchez perhaps the best performance I have ever seen.
Full of excitement I went to bed just to wake up to another ordinary working day.

No food in the house, so I had to leave early, to get some breakfast before the start of my shift. I was still looking for my headphones when I thought, screw it. I won't listen to any music today. But then I realized I wanted to listen to BBC 5 live daily football podcast, so I gave it another go and I found them after maybe 20 seconds. When I got to the tube station and down to the platform I saw a train leaving. So I got the next one. When we got past Fulham Broadway the train suddenly stopped just outside Parsons Green. I thought nothing of it as it happens quite often. Then I noticed someone running along the rails. I just thought it was some crazy guy. But then I noticed more and more people running from the station. Some of them were looking back but still running away. I was in the last carriage so I couldn't see what happened, but every knew something went wrong. I overheard someone mentioning a fire, but that was about all the information I had. The driver reassured us several times there is nothing to worry about. The train didn't move for good half hour when I found out from BBC website there was an explosion on the train right in front of us. I must admit I got a goosebumps. After an hour-wait they evacuated the train with a help from firemen and everyone had to find an alternative route to their destinations, which wasn't easy with all the roads closed. There were policemen everywhere. Outside the station were given out a free bottles of water, which was very thoughtful. I welcomed the drink after being stuck in a train carriage for an hour. The more I think about it, the more frightening it gets, and more I realize how lucky I was. If I left 20 seconds early I would get an earlier train. God knows what would happen to me.