All Our Yesterdays With The Pensioners.
Nov 27th, 2009 by 'holic
A couple of pints after work.
“Cod and chips twice please love“.
Another Guinness is poured from the fridge, the management is fed, and I am on my way to a proper old school Friday feeling. Familiar is good.
If you are looking for the usual preview come back tomorrow evening. This is just a release for the mixed feelings I have ahead of Sunday’s clash with Chelsea, and old school is wrote large!
I expect my journey to the game to follow a familiar pattern. The train from here will also carry Chelsea fans of my vintage, and younger, to wherever they are having their pre-match pints. The old boys will mingle and swap tales of days gone by. We have got on well down the years, and have common enemies.
I suspect this will be repeated on trains from all four points of the compass into London on Sunday morning. I also suspect that the younger ones will be bristling with faux rage. The arrival of Roman Abramovich and his millions has given the youth a different taste of this game to the rest of us.
My local is a big Chelsea pub, as it happens. Old school, that is. (There I go again!) We sometimes share tales of being in the Shed, or North Bank, depending on the year being discussed, and the prevailing mood. Matchdays aside there has been a healthy respect between the two sets of supporters. Possibly, I like to wind them up, “because you have only become competition in the last four or five years.”
That usually gets a bite!
But competition they most certainly are, and I have been on the back foot this week. They know as well as I do that we cannot be confident if we go into this one minus Gallas as well as van Persie.
I remind them of the corresponding weekend last year. We had qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League in midweek, and faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the Sunday on the back of humiliating league defeats against Manchester City and Aston Villa, and without a key central defender in Kolo Toure. Sound familiar?
Chelsea 1 Arsenal 2. “Have it boys. We’re going to do it again!” I have kept up the bravado this week. Now it’s up to the boys out on the park at the Grove on Sunday.
Don’t let us down, please. I want to savour every single pint this week, talking the old ‘bus stop in Fulham’ boys through another unlikely triumph “on our march to the title!“
28 Responses to “All Our Yesterdays With The Pensioners.”
A large glass of red please, ‘holic. I have forsaken beer of late to indulge my taste buds, especially when drinking at home. The heating is on full, dinner is a familiar mix of savoury flavours punctuated with the occasional spice. I’ve no reason to feel blue as I keep those Russian winds out of my abode.
Cheers.
I went for the Balti today, so I’ve had a few Cobras. Just got home and I’m thinking some Highland Park would be good with the coffee. I’ve destroyed my taste buds with chili pickles so no need to go for anything older than 12 years, barman.
If this was the away game I’d be very happy with a draw. Even if I just go into this fixture with a brave face on the outside (inside I’m a tad nervous, I must admit, so make that whisky a double), I think we might sneak it. It’s all just about outscoring them. Feels good that we have Fabregas in shooting form, as well as Denilson, Nasri and Rosicky (and Verm!) to take those shots from a distance because, altough we can play our way through any defense in the world, it really takes a good day for us to do it to chelsea. Anyhow, we have several ways of going at them, and we might just do it.
If you meet any elderly gents or ladies tomorrow, Chelsea-fans of dignity, give them a polite nod from me and tell them to try to quiet their young ‘uns. Chelsea is not going to get better than this, so they might as well get into the habit of losing.
Starting Sunday.
Not being London raised, I’ve never really had to deal with either set of Chelsea fans mentioned in the article. The ones from my past are- people from a Scottish (Rangers) background who then sided with Chelsea because of some supposed link or older more reserved fans who have seen their attraction to the club in the Russian years wane and become more focussed on local teams. Either way, I’ve never really come into contact with a hardcore Chelsea supporter. I know Arsenal fans rule the internet but they don’t even seem to be noticable on the blogosphere. As much as Roman might be working hard to make his club feel special and *real*, he will find it hardest trying to accumulate a fanbase like Arsenals, Liverpools, Newcastles or Man Utds.
I was nervous for the Sunderland game; I felt like disaster was looming. For Sunday I don’t. Honestly my heart is shouting ITS GONNA BE A BORE DRAW!! A BOOOOOOORE DRAAAAAAW!! One slip-up either way could make or break the season and Chelsea’s defence are most probably shitting bricks knowing Vermaelan will come up for every set piece.
Ultimately, I don’t feel the enforced media pressure on the game. It is just another game. A team can lose 5 or maybe even 6 and win this years Premiership. We are at home with an immaculate record and a shit load of players trying to make a name for themselves in the fixture to make a name for yourself (Vela, Traore, Theo and Ramsey could all take this opportunity, as well as Senderos and Rosicky to really bring back the confidence in them we might have once had).We can win, we might win, but the season that was over as soon as Man City’s checkbook came out will not be undone because of 1 result against the league leaders.
Holic it would take a lot more to stop Willie G for Sunday than his present injuries. I am nervous about this game, our defense has to have their best game of the year against Drogba and Anelka in order to win this one.
Also, a nice whisky again here, as it is bloody freezing. If only I knew how to sort my heating.
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Great blog as usual ‘holic.
Good luck on Sunday!
What an unUralsy fine post, “Holic. A steppe above the bolshie nonsense found elsewhere. Of-cossack, it’s what we’ve come to expect of you and it keeps us kremlin back. Molotov for me and a vodka for my wife Kay (GB).
Don’t know where that came from or where it’s going. I’ll tune back in tomorrow for the preview.
*applause*
Well played BtM. Did you get a lift from Samir when you were last over, because I was told ‘Nasdrovia’…
sorry…
BtM, Ural ways Rasputin on about some weird, Volga stuff or other. ‘Holic, I’ll have a glass of Hermitage this time and in one of those Orthodox glasses. Cheka the dishwasher, it’s nearly Finnished.
You win, Snail. Take your pick of prize from the cellar.
Vostock would you like?
Vladi lights gone again ‘holic – I have a torch though…
…what’s this? Budweiser? -Oh dear, there’s been a Crimea!
Great stuff everyone, I Laika it!
My glasnost on the bar.
Who took my drink?
I hope Silvestre plays at left back. we really need to be stronger on defending set pieces. Denilson to return to the midfield to settle it down, and Rosicky to play up front on the right. From there he can drop back, protect the full back and play passes in midfield as well as get forward.
This blog is probably too high brow for me, I moscow now.
Oh, and being Swedish, I’m actually taking a little football break, watching Söderling at the moment in the ATP Finals. Why not go with some Pimm’s to match?
Chelsea are quite good at the Crimea bit (Just ask Gael Kakuta!), too bad they haven’t heard of and Crime And _Punishment_
Don’t you get bolshoi with me, gazzap 😉
Nice preview, Holic. I can only agree with praise that your blog are cut above the rest. A pleasure to read always. Look forward to your take of the match in tomorrow’s blog.
Keep up the great work you do for the gooner pop in this world!
Thank you M.
I nearly forgot, a very happy wedding day to nelly and mrs nelly. Personally I would have waited until the summer, but I suppose it is a World Cup year 😉
Old school??? Fantstic. Whatever happened to those good old days??
I was feeling slightly worried about this encounter but as the week has gone on I am getting more excited. Judgement time Mr Wenger called it. I can’t wait. I am so looking forward to Tommy V eating Drogba for breakfast.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more………… etc etc.
Keep the faith.
PS :
Sorry, cracking article holic. I apologise for my rudeness. Cheeky glass of red before I turn in.
I’M NOT SCARED OF THE CHAVSKYS
I would get in on the russian puns but i’m stalin’ until I can think of some good ones. Maybe later.
ill have a JD and coke please to drown the sorrow of VanP missing rest of the season – fuck sake arrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh
Good day gent’s.
Just a quick vodka for me, I’m in a bit of a hurry, so I’ll be russian to get out of here.
ps. Top Marx for the blog and comments.
A charming blog Mr. holic.
With Robin van Persie and Nicholas Bendtner injured, maybe Wenger will be looking for a new perestroikas in January.
I mean Nicklas, of course.
Thank you Percy. I would have a drink with you were my glasnost empty.