The first time I went looking for an Arsenal jersey, I found one with Theo Walcott's name on it...and owing to ignorance, refused to buy it! Like I mentioned in an earlier blog post, once Walcott was back in action, I couldn't help but fall for his magic! I had understood what people meant when they said he was a reliable player when it came to the big games, when most others had a tendency to falter.
In a fit of crazy fan-girlieness, I decided that buying that Walcott jersey was my way of saying sorry! :)
And I kept my word! Saturday, 4th January 2014, Arsenal was set to play Tottenham Hotspurs; and I was totally looking forward to some Walcott magic, considering he had won us the 2-3 games we played before this one. So 2:00 p.m. I asked my friend to come with me to buy my Walcott jersey. He refused. I wondered why, but not for long; no one was obliged to be party to my randomness after all. So I said f**k the world, I want that jersey, and I am getting it. A 10 minute walk in the sweltering October heat, with a serious doubt on whether I was about to jinx everything for the forthcoming game, I still made my way to that store. I won't wear the jersey today, I decided. Because I don't wear the jersey on the days of a match. It's one of my notions and it won't go (the notions deserve a separate blog post and it'll come!). So moving on...I found the jersey...liked it...and calmly waited for the voice inside my head to tell me I shouldn't buy it! I heard nothing. And I decided that if we lost the game, I would go and return the jersey. So I went back to office, happy as a lark, swinging away the bag that held my share of Walcott magic!
And then it happened...that game! We won it, no doubt...Arsenal 2 - 0 Tottenham Hotspurs...but we lost Walcott magic. He got injured...it didn't seem too bad...and when he mocked the Spurs fans...I totally went, 'Now thaaaaaaaaaaaaaat's like our Walcott' on him...
But the next day I was distraught. I read news that his injury was really bad and that he wouldn't play for at least six months. Now I didn't know what to do...so did the usual...SOS messages to Arsenal fan friends...and conversations ending with..."jaane de...hope and pray...aur kya." I didn't return the jersey because we had won the game and I cursed myself a little for buying it. But in the games that followed, we still won...without Walcott magic...and my guilt was assuaged.
It was like Walcott was telling me, "No sweat, silly fan girl...my injury had nothing to do with you...and my magic will work as long as you believe in it!" So well...I'm going to paint 'I LOVE' above the 'WALCOTT' on my jersey, and keep it...to be worn when he plays his first game next season!
P.S. - This whole Walcott magic thing also gave me one of those goals that you remember and keep watching over and over again (more on those goals in another post), and mention in football conversations...my first as a Goonerette!
Was Walcott Vs. Manchester City...we lost the game...Arsenal 3 - 6 Manchester City...but Walcott scored and did the cutest baby rocking celebration ever!
#COYG #GTID
In a fit of crazy fan-girlieness, I decided that buying that Walcott jersey was my way of saying sorry! :)
And I kept my word! Saturday, 4th January 2014, Arsenal was set to play Tottenham Hotspurs; and I was totally looking forward to some Walcott magic, considering he had won us the 2-3 games we played before this one. So 2:00 p.m. I asked my friend to come with me to buy my Walcott jersey. He refused. I wondered why, but not for long; no one was obliged to be party to my randomness after all. So I said f**k the world, I want that jersey, and I am getting it. A 10 minute walk in the sweltering October heat, with a serious doubt on whether I was about to jinx everything for the forthcoming game, I still made my way to that store. I won't wear the jersey today, I decided. Because I don't wear the jersey on the days of a match. It's one of my notions and it won't go (the notions deserve a separate blog post and it'll come!). So moving on...I found the jersey...liked it...and calmly waited for the voice inside my head to tell me I shouldn't buy it! I heard nothing. And I decided that if we lost the game, I would go and return the jersey. So I went back to office, happy as a lark, swinging away the bag that held my share of Walcott magic!
And then it happened...that game! We won it, no doubt...Arsenal 2 - 0 Tottenham Hotspurs...but we lost Walcott magic. He got injured...it didn't seem too bad...and when he mocked the Spurs fans...I totally went, 'Now thaaaaaaaaaaaaaat's like our Walcott' on him...
But the next day I was distraught. I read news that his injury was really bad and that he wouldn't play for at least six months. Now I didn't know what to do...so did the usual...SOS messages to Arsenal fan friends...and conversations ending with..."jaane de...hope and pray...aur kya." I didn't return the jersey because we had won the game and I cursed myself a little for buying it. But in the games that followed, we still won...without Walcott magic...and my guilt was assuaged.
It was like Walcott was telling me, "No sweat, silly fan girl...my injury had nothing to do with you...and my magic will work as long as you believe in it!" So well...I'm going to paint 'I LOVE' above the 'WALCOTT' on my jersey, and keep it...to be worn when he plays his first game next season!
P.S. - This whole Walcott magic thing also gave me one of those goals that you remember and keep watching over and over again (more on those goals in another post), and mention in football conversations...my first as a Goonerette!
Was Walcott Vs. Manchester City...we lost the game...Arsenal 3 - 6 Manchester City...but Walcott scored and did the cutest baby rocking celebration ever!
#COYG #GTID
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