Arsenal America

I love the EINY. He’s absolutely fearless and will call anybody out, friend or foe. With the emergence of a popular new voice here at ArseAm in Rob Silverman, the EINY comes up with an epic…

Well here I am trying to get my thoughts together over reading the past week’s entries and sorting out the Arsenal’s performances when what hits EINY between the eyes but a case of “Homer Simpson “D’oh!” syndrome” after witnessing the performance (dare we call it that?) of the away European tie in Amsterdam. But more on that later….

First off, I was reading an editorial asking whether or not one would still watch the Arsenal if they weren’t winning trophies. Well unless one just comes around to support Arsenal during trophy parades in May, I’m sure there’s plenty of us that have been supporting the team for years through thick and thin and trophy-less years make supporting your team that much more enjoyable when they do finally pick something up and the emergence of the “plastic fan” does make the question a bit worthwhile,

but I stand by the fact that it’s about 90-95% honest fans and the last bit do tend to emerge when silverware hits the parade route in Islington. A shame but it’s abundant at any club (more at United possibly but abundant at Anfield and Stamford Bridge too) nonetheless.

(Ed. Note ? My contention was not, ?wouldn?t you still watch the Arsenal if they weren?t winning trophies?, but rather, ?wouldn?t you still want to watch them even if there were no trophies to be won?. A subtle but significant distinction. We now return to the EINY?)

My next response has to do with “amenities at Highbury”-unfortunately as sports venues in the states have become “fan friendly” with unlimited souvenir shops, ATM’s and everything short of a hotel room for the night (unless you’re at Toronto’s Skydome), there just isn’t room for anything like that at Highbury as the concessions in the North

Bank were done with the understanding that it couldn’t happen on any other part of the stadium due to boxes in the Clock End and the listed East and West Stand areas. Of course the new stadium (will it be

built???? Any news on it????) probably has contingent plans for total amenities on all parts of the stadium and not just in one part like Highbury now.

Next up has to be the MAGNIFICENT effort up in Manchester last Saturday where the lads showed the rest of the country that Wenger’s warriors aren’t going to let their defense of their league crown be anything less than total obliteration of all challengers on that front. 5-1 to the champions just about summed it all up and 4 goals so quickly had me

drooling over the trip to Amsterdam….and then there was an editorial on how most Gooners look at ManU as the “enemy” and don’t really care too much about the N17 scummers down the wrong end of the 7 Sisters Rd.

Obviously there are some of you out there who have just recently started supporting Arsenal and don’t realise just how “fortunate” you are to NOT have witnessed seeing the scum actually win (yes I know it

HAS happened in this lifetime!) trophies of significance and I’m not speaking about some “Mickey Mouse Worthless cup” either. Back in the early ’80’s “they” actually pulled off some pretty amazing triumphs by winning back to back FA Cups and a UEFA Cup and then being runners up in consecutive FA and UEFA Cup finals and actually were top 5 league (I know stop laughing!) material. And then the light got too bright for them and they huddled in their masses back in the Hackneyed Marshes only to briefly re-appear in ‘91 when Santa delivered them a present at Wembley. But in between those distant “glory days” the feelings between Gooners and “them” has made whatever many of you may think is ManU “hatred” something of a walk in the park compared to the REAL feelings of ill-will between the red and lilly-white side of N.London. Maybe witnessing United’s recent trophy-laden seasons has caused some Gooners to label them “public enemy#1 to the Gooner cause”, but if you really need to wonder who the “old enemy” is, look no further than the team

with a male chicken as it’s mascot. Feeling “sad and apathy for sperz” is like taking pity on the poor and unfortunate and let me go on record as saying sperz doesn’t deserve any pity except for the day they

become relegated to the 3rd division. Until then they deserve ALL the bad luck they can muster in the form of relegation, bankruptcy and Glenn Hoddle and ENIC financially and morally ruining them! In case any of you out there don’t quite get the gist of this I’ll break it down even clearer-I’d RATHER see ManU win a treble every year than see “them” win the league once in my lifetime! I’m happy to say they haven’t won the league in my lifetime and I hope to see triple digits or get as close to it as possible without seeing “them” win the league! (or get back into Europe for that matter!) I was raised by a sperz-supporting father so I can tell those of you out there first hand

who don’t know the “feelings of enmity” between the 2 sets of supporters just how bad it is to grow up in a household where all you’d hear about is the “great Jimmy Greaves and that team of ‘61″. If you’re old enough (and have been supporting the Arsenal long enough) you’ll agree with me about the “bad old days” of the early ’80’s and all it encompassed witnessing the scum winning meaningful trophies while the beloved Arsenal were mid-table at best and trophy-less over that same timespan. Long may their ineptitude continue…

(Ed. Note ? Ok, clearly the EINY, God bless him, needs to seek help on this issue. And not just the ?once a week, one hour session? kind. He needs help at the university level. But here my point was that right now, today, I think that many Arsenal fans couldn?t give a toss about Spurs. I fully understand and appreciate history and realize that Spurs will also have special meaning to Arsenal fans, but it?s like getting angry with your best friends 10-year old brother. It?s just not worth it. But I would like to hear from some older Arsenal fans, perhaps they feel different and agree with the EINY. Speaking of which?)

Last and not least the away trip at Amsterdam-well I for one had raised expectations of the lads going to Amsterdam and getting all 3 points after all we had Dennis Bergkamp returning home to show the way as he doesn’t fly to our away European matches and he’s been on a roll, right???? WRONG!!! Dennis Bergkamp not withstanding amidst the amount of critics that have thrown jabs at Vieira and Henry when they didn’t “perform” up to standards (or supposedly) by members on AA, I hope you pick on DB 10 now as this was supposed to be his night to showcase why he doesn’t fly to away European fixtures and this was in his backyard, right? It was one of those nights where (thanks to Ashley Cole and Seaman) you were left wondering how things could be so upsetting especially knowing that Roma had pulled the job at Valencia’s stadium no less. Well once again I must say “it wouldn’t be easy if it wasn’t Arsenal” and now we’ll see how far Arsenal wants to go over the next 2 matches in Europe-Roma on fire at Highbury and then a trip to Valencia. All the Arsenal needs to do is win and not worry about anyone else’s performance and the quarter-finals await. It CAN and hopefully will be done!

(Ed. Note ? Though I did not see the midweek match, it sounded like the whole team was down. As far as Bergkamp goes, while he is probably my favorite Gunner ever and the reason many newer fans chose Arsenal, I have gone on record in the past as saying his ?no fly rule? is a great detriment to Arsenal and I can?t imagine any other team putting up with it from one of their players. It bothers me a lot and when it is all said and done it will leave a blemish on my memory of him.)

3 trophies to play for and a visit from Charlton this Sunday to start what will probably be the biggest month in showing what trophies will adorn the shelves at Highbury come May. Premiership, FA and European Cup matches in the month of March makes the heart beat a bit faster and the nerves work up into a lather, but would you trade it all for some “derby” against West Ham to mark your month? I thought not!;) (note-that was a dig at the scum!:)) Anyways, STILL top of the league, STILL scoring goals domestically and STILL have a shot at 3 trophies! “Ooh to be a …GOONAH!”

Come on you Gunners!!!!!

1 life

1 love

1 club

1 nil!

1 TEAM IN LONDON!