It’s All Bull And It’s Red
Oct 9th, 2013 by 'holic
The interminable lull is with us again, and as usual one of the ‘holics has come to the rescue with a guest tale, and a fine one it is too. So pour yourself a glass of something, pull up a comfy chair, and let the inimitable zicoinexile take you on a journey to the other side of the pond. Thanks z for a great piece.
As Mesut Özil was making his impressive home debut in London against the Pottery Orcs (formerly known as Stoke FC), I found myself 3500 miles away across the Atlantic. Viewed with the benefit of hindsight, this can only be described as a major case of planning blight on my part. Arsenal’s biggest ever signing walking out in red and white – and I get to be on another continent. Great. I must re-sit my clairvoyance exam.
In the midweek leading up to that match, I had at least been able to watch Arsenal win at Marseille amidst the exuberant patrons of the Blind Pig, (a pleasure I can strongly recommend to any Arsenal fan in New York, visitor or native). But a long-planned social engagement (ok, a drinking session cunningly disguised as a 50th birthday party) meant that there was no chance that I would repeat the trick for the Stoke game. Courtesy of the silly o’clock kick-off time (whichever part of the world you happened to be looking in from) and an inability to escape the restraining order I sometimes refer to as Roxette, I was out of circulation until hours after the game had ended.
As a consolation, prompted by my good friends in Brooklyn, we got tickets to see the one and only Thierry Henry strut his stuff for the New York Red Bulls. I had at one time or another taken in most of the spectator sports that our, erm, colonial cousins, prefer, which for some reason tend to be hand-contests: baseball, ice-hockey, basketball and the rugger-based derivative one, played in fancy dress and crash helmets. I had yet to see what real football looked like, American-style.
The Red Bulls Arena has been purpose-built for what the Yanks call soccer, (yes, I know). From the outside, it looks like a spaceship parked in scrubland, totally out of context with the rest of its’ surroundings. My first view of it came from a distance, on the Path Train as we approached Harrison, a mere 20 minutes out from Manhattan. We came out the station, walked past the ground and over a bridge which spans the Passaic river. I half expected to see some soldiers from The Soprano family dressing up some unfortunate in newly laid concrete swimwear. We were most certainly not in Kansas. Walking over unfamiliar terrain I couldn’t help but feel that my guide had lost his bearings, but I shouldn’t have worried – he knew me too well.
A boozer, brimming full with noisy, thirsty fans is as much part of the match-day experience as the game itself. So when I gravitated toward what appeared to me to be the local equivalent of The Tollington, I was gently steered further up the street to another, equally busy hostelry as I had it explained to me that there was a schism with the local fans and our contact was “in amongst The Vikings”. I smiled. Not only was the tale of warring factions in the home support somewhat familiar, but who would’ve thought that they would have their own version of Lars?
A couple of hours was then spent scooping as someone tried to explain to me the history of how the Bulls had emerged from their predecessor, the Metro Stars, and the origins of the two distinct tribes of supporters clubs. I never really got to grips with what the issue was, other than to perceive that it was more down to geographic location rather than any fundamental problem with the club itself, or each other. I wasn’t in the mood for getting too deep about it – thirst quenched, we headed off to the ground.
Given what I had to compare it to, I thought from the exterior the stadium looked rather ugly. Inside though it is well-appointed and feels like a proper football ground (capacity 25000 or so). The obligatory raft of corporate boxes built into one of the stands apart, from what I could tell from my seat behind one of the goals, a cracking view was afforded to the “normal” fans from wherever you happened to be seated. Not unlike the Grove. Again, like the Emirates, there was no shortage of vendors ready to separate punters from their hard-earned by way of overpriced beer and the kind of food guaranteed to keep medical bills high in later life. In addition to the dedicated club shop on the outside there were also loads of additional stalls inside where the club “uniforms” were racked for sale, and on 9 out of every 10 shirts, the great man’s name appeared. Indeed everything about the place is focused on Henry, for the club captain is very much The Man, their most valuable “designated player” (which in layman’s terms means his salary is not capped).
The game turned out to be a disappointment. At kick off, the stadium was about 15 per cent full, and their seemed to be a distinct lack of appreciation that the done thing was to be seated both from the start and for at least 45 minutes. Instead, a constant stream of spectators wandered in and out of their seats to get food, drink, merchandise. “They don’t get it”, my host said, “they think they’re at the baseball, they just turn up whenever.” By half time the ground was as full as it was going to get. I estimated about 15000 but was surprised to later discover it was nearer 19000. To their credit, “the Vikings” made a pretty good effort of generating a noisy atmosphere, considering the quality of football on display.
It’s obvious that in most of their attacking play, the Bulls try to get the ball to Henry. And it’s equally obvious that he expects them to. That 50 yard stare (or is it glare) when someone fails to put the ball directly into his long athletic stride has not left him. He had one gilt edged chance in the first half where he was played in, and he shanked the ball horribly wide from 18 yards. Hardly reminiscent of his younger self. Other than that, the first half was pretty much a non-event.
At half-time I asked Roxette what was going to happen second half and she replied “a bundle of goals since Henry is shooting toward us”. I replied that I could only see a goal-less draw, neither side having provided much notice of doing otherwise. As it happened, we were both wrong. Henry did come into the game more in the second half, with one sumptuous pass that put a team mate straight through on goal, predictably to no purpose, and that was symptomatic of the Red Bulls performance. Thierry had to continually drop into mid-field to try and make things happen and seemed to get disheartened that his colleagues were clearly a few levels short of his own. The goal that settled the game was in keeping with what had gone before. A farcical own goal, with three Dallas defenders strung across the 6 yard box and no opposition striker in sight, one of them panicked at a cross ball and beat his own keeper. And that was pretty much it.
My main impression of the football was that it was extremely sanitised. I can’t remember there being one single meaty challenge in the whole of the game, and most of the time when players tussled for the ball, invariably one went down, and the referee gave a free kick. (To put this into context, the other “star” at the Bulls is one Tim Cahill, and I hardly noticed that the obnoxious Aussie was stripped). This type of contact-less football is probably Platini’s idea of a wet-dream but it would leave most of my generation stone-cold.
As I left the ground, I was keen to reflect on the positives.
The first was the PA announcer – he sounded delighted when announcing that “player x has just received a yellow card”. So happy was he, that had anyone seen red, I suspected that he would have burst into song. He was my man of the match. Secondly, I really liked the idea of the “vanishing spray” that the ref used to mark the 10 yards at a set piece, (encroachment long a personal bug-bear of mine). I hadn’t heard of this before, but it apparently was trialled at the Under 20s World Cup earlier this year and the FA could do worse than introduce it here. So that will almost certainly rule it out!
The last and most satisfying thing that I felt enthused about was the number of Arsenal tops on display – and not just from us tourists. Young Americans, young Gooners. Thierry Henry may be in the twilight of his career but his exploits at Highbury has clearly inspired a new generation of Americans to look back via YouTube, to look eastward, to the Home of Football. I mean REAL football, played without crash helmets and face paint.
Yes, I hope that they all get the chance to see the real thing, which contrary to what they’ve been told, isn’t bottled.”
147 Responses to “It’s All Bull And It’s Red”
1st round
Excellent post Dr z. I chuckled at various points
*cheers*
Cheers Dr Z. Hope the rest of your trip here in Merica was enjoyable. I don’t much care for the MLS and if a game is on the TV it is mostly on for background noise.
A game at the Emirates and to see the Arsenal has no comparison here.
Cheers all.
Cheers Dr Z, great post.
Solids are for softies 🙂
Nice one zico way to go 🙂
Zico
Thankyou for this insight into ‘Soccer’ American style. I have only watched baseball and golf live in the USA but the crowd atmosphere is so different from here. I went to see the Red Sox with American friends who were worried that their love for drinking beer during the game would make me uncomfortable. What passed for beer was so weak and tasteless I could have taken it intravenously for 24 hours with no effect whatsoever.
But I do get the impression from my last few visits that Soccer is gaining a foothold through the Premier League in a genuine way and that the sheer excitement of the game and the marketing by Sky is having an effect. USA now have a pretty decent team now and they have at least three goalkeepers better than Joe Hart! I dread the day though when it is proposed that we okay the 39th game in New York . The Premier League needs to be played in England just as the Suoer Bowl needs to be played in USA
TTG,
We have always had decent keepers. I think it’s because of the number of sports that we play using our hands and thus keeper is a position that players can relate to.
Our national team is getting better.
I would love to have the Arsenal tour here but if the market analysis still says they will profit more from Asia and Africa then I want them to go there.
The PL has made huge strides in general in their penetrance here in the US and I think if we continue to play beautiful football and get a few more upper Tier players then Americans will continue to join the Goonerverse.
Cheers
Nice one, z!
Nice one zeeeee.
Snap, Lars.
Too bad you couldn’t take in a Seattle Sounders or Kansas City home fixture. Those home atmospheres rival anything in currently on offer in Ingerland.
Good write-up in general, however…and I’m glad you enjoyed the Big Apple, Zico. You know I get my hackles up when you start in on us “Yanks”…Don’t tread on me!
BMBD
zico, that is a great post. and you’re so right about the sanitization. having raised a kid through the “american soccer system” it’s clear that meaty challenges like we see in the PL are anathema to what’s considered a “good game”. and that’s a pity, though i am glad my son never was injured playing.
and ttg, you know what they say about american beer, at least the larger industrial output like budweiser or coors. it’s like sex in a canoe.
(it’s fucking close to water).
Great post Zico
Certainly a good day out but if it’s not the Arsenal it’s not the real thing!
Heh @ 12.
Then again, I do like meself some sex and some water…
BMBD
Top notch stuff, Dr F.
Zico, great report on your experiences near my old home town. Some more on the US/NJ/Red Bulls experience from this native:
1) Wholeheartedly endorse a visit to the Blind Pig in NYC for an Arsenal match if you’re over here; it’s on 14th Street in Manhattan between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Very active supporters club which has organized group trips to the Red Bull Arena for a match AND an audience with TH14 himself afterwards.
2) To give you a sense of the lack of notoriety of US professional soccer in this country: just as Zico traveled to the arena via the underground (Port Authority Trans Hudson — PATH — train), so does TH14 on occasion from his flat in NYC, without being mobbed, or even recognized. Can you imagine him trying to get to the Ems via the Piccadilly line at Holloway Road?
3) When I first saw Red Bull Arena from a distance, I remarked that it looked like the Emirates’ little brother. Same kind of ugly exterior before the Arsenalization of the Ems, but very comfortable inside with great sightlines.
4) The town where Red Bull Arena is located — Harrison NJ — along with the adjacent cities of Newark and Kearny are one of the few “ground zeros” in the US where proper footie has always had a strong following. The earliest ethnic groups to grow the game here were the Scots and Irish immigrants who worked in the mills. Kearny’s youth teams are still Kearny Thistle, even though the current footie-devoted ethnic groups in the area are Portuguese, Spanish, Brazilian. (Great food and drink if you walk over to the Ironbound section of Newark!)
5) Many of the more prominent players on earlier US national teams came from this area — noteworthies who made it into the professional ranks in the UK were John Harkes and Claudio Reyna.
Alas, footie will have to go a long way to surpass baseball (rounders to most of you) and what is referred to as football over here. There is a big crack developing in the foundation of football, however, with the controversies over the NFL’s handling/covering up of the long term effects of concussions on its players, with many parents now having misgivings re having their boys playing the sport. But, as long as the middle of the country, especially the deep south, is populated by the functional equivalent of Stoke supporters, it will be a while to see proper football (MLS) rise in popularity.
Excellent Stuff, Dr. Z!
Nice sequel, BJ.
TaBS, (from last drinks) cheers, mate.
Oh Zico, really enjoyable to read on a couple of levels. Baseball reference cracked me up (cause it is so true!) Part of me suspects you must write for a living. 😉
Nice one pico. Did you see any big hair in New Jersey? They say some “ladies” in New Jersey think a beehive hairdo has never gone out of style. Not sure they would be attending “soccer games” though.
Good stuff Zico – very interesting read.
Best thing I’ve found since the Interlull started.
Do we gather from it’s omission in your piece that you failed to grasp the details of ‘dee-fence’ and ‘uff-fence’ in the Merkan version of ‘suckerrr’ ?
I was amazed when I saw a clip of a game in the States on TV here that, just as a player took a shot on goal, the transmission cut to an advert without showing the results of the shot at all. Maybe that doesn’t matter in the States if everyone is walking in and out the entire time anyway,
Good stuff though, z. See you for Naaarrch ?
8ball, do you mean Noo Joizee. ?
Abb,
The baseball reference was good, indeed.
It painted a perfect pitcher. 😉
pico = zico. Time to upgrade my glasses.
Excellent reporting Zico….maybe tabs can get you a job on the Daily Fail
( there us Roxette’s shoe bills to pay for ) 😉
Great background stuff BJ.
Oh and hehs to Trev and Scruz 🙂
Well written, Zico, I can’t say I’m in any hurry to check out the Red Bulls myself, but any support for real football by Americans is to be applauded. Shame about the beer and what yanks laughingly mean by snacks, ie mountains of tasteless, greasy, salt-infused, genetically-modified corn syrup-soaked high-fructose, industrially-processed ‘brown’ foods of dubious origin.
Did you meet anyone who could pronounce either Thierry or Henry correctly?
Öskar
Excellent post Zico! A very enjoyable read 🙂
Nursie (from last drinks) – Indeed they will, although it will be a while before I get down to the Ems to witness the source material that will be the makings of a epic report. Maybe if NorCal comes across the pond for a game in November then that will be sooner, it would be good to catch up and have a drink with him in the Tollie this time since he’s gonna be sans the kids (bless them 🙂 ), too good an opportunity to miss methinks… 8)
Cheers wind.. Would love to buy you a beer or 2. Need to start priming my liver so I can drink more than the Trevor Half- pint. Plus I don’t want to miss the Tabs 2step on the tables for his birthday dance.
Cheers all.
Good read, Zico. Glad you survived the trip to Jersey. Worth sampling Nevada Smith’s next time you are in NYC.
Great strike Dr. Z, you’re the man. Chuckled a lot. In as much as I know, the Americans play soccer not football and it’s sad some two decades back when I got into a game shop to ask for football cartridge(in place of present day dvd), the sales girl quickly corrected me with ‘you mean soccer, sir?’. I was so pissed that I almost made her give all her footie loving customers a BJ. Hopefully she learnt her lessons.
And to the beer, it can only be as good as the ‘soccer’. Whenever I here ‘soccer’ or ‘sucker’, I know what I have in mind, I don’t share that part. :-P. Perverts -THE A’mey-ricans.
Thanks to all above, especially H.
As tabs knows, this media whoring doesn’t sit well with me. 😉
To my American friends, I did ponder asking H to preface the piece with a warning to read with tongue-in-cheek, but decided you lot were intelligent enough to work that out for yourselves.
Bayonne Jean, thanks for your excellent reply – much of what you say confirms what I heard on the day about the Kearny contingent, and The bar I was taken to was very much Portuguese. Or at least the ladies were. 🙂
Oskar the Dog – i found plenty of Americans who could pronounce Thierry Henry. this time around wasn’t my first time in the Blind Pig. I was well impressed with how knowledgable the young americans (can’t write that without hearing the song) there were about the football, and of course Arsenal in particular. Curtis and Brett can be well proud of what they’ve achieved there.
Finally, Trev, no Norwich is now out. Southampton in November.
Good stuff Zico! You around for Tab’s birthday then? Be there with a Hibee who’s dying for a meet, sorry to meet you.
Esso!
Cool, tell him to come at 5 to 1 😉
Heh! Might be more like 1 to 5, as I think we’re Pinnsing it beforehand.
Great Article Z,
I spent a lot of time in NY in a previous life and your post brought back a few smiles. Never made it to the Blind Pig though, Nevada Smiths was the place to be back then. Best part, (as blogs highlighted), was the 3rd round was on the barkeeper (which, for an agnostic Irishman, is the closest I’ll probably ever get to “heaven” 🙂 ).
Bayonne,
Great Post. While the Footie is obviously still in development in the US, I found myself in NYC in the midst of the “Subway Series” and was enthralled with all the buzz that came with that! I feel its much more interesting than its ever given credit for on this side of the pond.
Nice travelogue Dr Z! 🙂
Nice one Bay’ Jean @16
An interlull story with real meat to it, for a change. 😉
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/344213/Mesut-Ozil-Per-Mertesacker-is-giving-me-driving-lessons
heh behind,
that article got me terribly sidetracked by other stuff on that site and I ended up watching video of two british airways stewardesses showering in their uniforms (while putting away parts of said uniform in the process), which was mentioned on the site.
Not that I am complaining too much O.o
Looking ahead…..note the revised schedule for year’s end:
23/12 Chelsea
26/12 at Hammers
29/12 at Newcastle
1/1 Cardiff
4/1 FA Cup
Five fixtures, 13 days, only 2 days recuperation between each match.
That’s insane. Probably should move FA Cup to 5/1. And, if advance in League Cup, semifinal 1 on 7/1 or 8/1.
While recognizing that it’s against Chelsea, losing out at this stage of the League Cup may not be a bad thing…..
Great post Z.
As an Israeli with a Middle Eastern (or maybe even European mentality) I differ in the way I view sports when compared to my American friends, and classmates.
Just the other day I went crazy on Facebook about a discussion we had in class about Sport Finance that had the implication that nicer uniforms help with player recruitment.
I did however, move to Massachusetts when I was nine years old and as a kid crazy about sports (football with a bit of basketball at the time, Maccabi’s basketball team is one of the best in Europe, an annual contender for the Euroleague) I just looked for any televised sport events.
That led me to learn about NFL (I don’t call that football), Hockey, and Baseball, and I will be the first to say that I support my Bostonian teams with the same passion I do Maccabi and Arsenal, so you won’t hear me knocking American sports.
You will however, hear me knocking the American sports experience which to me is a bit artificial and focuses on details which are not important.
If there is one thing I truly despise about American sports is the attempt to make it into an event, a spectacle.
The Superbowl epitomizes that for me, as they took a final and made it into an event with Half-Time shows and bullshit all around as if there aren’t millions of true fans that their moods for the next week, month, years are going to be determined by the outcome of the game.
American sports is more of a show, rather than sports. And it bothers the shit out of me.
That’s why the more I get into sport management in America, the more I think to myself that I should have studied in Europe, particularly in the UK.
Just think of the final in Paris including a Half-Time show and having your friends tell you “oh I know you lost, but at least we had a great time at the bar. And the Half-Time show was great, and the commercials!”
And then comes the worst sentence of all – “at least it was a good game!!”
I guess I’m like that because I do not consider myself a sports fan. I am a Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Arsenal, and Boston sports teams fan. Everybody else can fuck off.
I don’t care if it was a good game, I care that Arsenal lost (the 2006 CL final) and the last thing I want is to hear how fun it was for people who don’t support Arsenal or Barcelona.
*prods Snir with a stick* … 🙂
Eändy. Didn’t see the video but maybe I will. 😉
As for the other articles you were talking about I hope you didn’t get pulled in by Princess Diana’s secret baby, although it being the interlull I can see why you might …
Hear hear, Snir! 🙂
What did I do today, I hear you fine Gentlemen and Ladies ask?
I fell asleep during a very boring lecture by a librarian about how to use the library, believe it or not 😆 , my head rolling all over the place, finally residing in the lap/on the knees of a girl behind me 😳 😛
Snir, like it or not, you have been Americanised.
Why else would you call a kit or strip a “uniform”? 😉
Good move Wind.
The old pretending to nod off to get some action ploy.
We’ve all been there. 😎
Time for me to try and finalize plans to come for the Soton game. Too many of you are planning on being there to miss the opportunity! 8)
Jet Set NorCal…. Ivana is very understanding!
Dr C,
Yeah. The problem is, she said I could go but yet I still feel guilty. I’m not even catholic. The force is strong in that one. 😉
Only hang up is my parents are considering coming to Cali for thanksgiving and thus it would not really work if I’m in Engerland for most that time.
Still working on it. Just can’t wait too long or I will get priced out of the market. Where have I heard that before? 😉
Oh H2H 😆
Maybe I did it subconsciously… 8)
NorCal,
Not everyone gets to break bread with Dr Feelgood.
Thanksgiving will come around again next year…..
Just saying 😉
Be swift with the decision NorCal, and let me know! 🙂
How about your mom staying with Ivana, and have dad tag along with you NorCal 😉 Girls nite out and a little freedom for you gents.
Hi everyone. The best part of guest posts here, is that I feel like I was actually experiencing the atmosphere! So hats off to Zico, Cor, Lars, LoneStar and anyone else who shared their special Arsenal memories with us. Next best thing, to being there. Steve and Delia, your ‘local’ reports stick in my memories as well. 😉 And Ollie being stuck on a train for Manu games 🙂
Wind, I believe your version. Many a time I nod off in class, having worked the nite before. 😉
Bay Jean, did you watch the PBS special on the NFL coverup? Criminal investigation should be opened. Youngest known victim, only 18 years old! NFL should switch to rugby, imho. Good report by you, btw. 🙂
Wind,
Next day or two and it should be settled.
Anyone have suggestions on area of London to stay, places to eat, things to see? Always appreciated.
Last year we stayed in Islington and Fulham. Liked both areas for different reasons.
Cheers
Where did you stay in Fulham, NorCal?
More importantly, where did you drink?? 🙂
Dr Z,
Would be honored to break bread with all you lot. Just hope it doesn’t break the bank.
Is the famous Roxette making the trip south too?
Heh, we actually stayed not far from the bus stop. Didn’t do much drinking since it was a family vacation and Ivana had a horrible case of vertigo. She looked like she was drunk the entire trip. Did see a group if chavski’s one evening at a restaurant. Wasn’t impressed. But then I didn’t expect to be.
I like how you went from chavski to Chavscum NorCal, good going 🙂
Haha Nice piece gave me a chuckle – Went and watched the Cardinals a couple of years back and spent the whole game Hoping/Praying someone would hit a home run into the McDonald’s Section, I’ll elaborate basically there was one small section of the ground that if the ball landed every one in that section got a free Big Mac I was transfixed to how they would react if it occurred ! Alas the Charging Cards won but no free big macs were won !
To be fair really enjoyed the night and at $5 a ticket represented great value still look out for their results now 🙂
Much love Nursie @ 54 🙂
Good stuff NorCal @ 55 🙂
BJ@16: As you will know, NYC is getting and additional MLS team in 2015 in New York Citeh. Not sure if that is a positive or negative development for the game in the U.S. As for the NFL, you are right that its behaviour over the concussion question is appalling, as is ESPN’s pulling out of reporting it for risk of losing its TV rights to games. The media-sporting complex is an ugly beast.
bt8b@38: at least it isn’t TGSTEL giving the driving lessons.
SG@41: Professional sport in the U.S. is part of the media/leisure/entertainment industry. I fear it is fast going that way in Europe, too.
Wind@45: Giving sleepy head. And at your age…
NBN @ 62, Heh! 😆 You saucy so and so… 😛
Is the famous Roxette making the trip south, too?
Er, no.
I will leave her a puzzle book and a bag of maltesers.
I’m just a big romantic, at heart. 👿
Great stuff Zico.
I must say that I am very much on the British side in that soccer is just not a word. It is and always will be football. American Football is a tarts version of rugby, populated with commercials and razzmatazz. It isn’t sport, at least not as I know or understand it.
Bull. Red.
Rag next then I guess.
always football?
hmm.
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/06/the-origin-of-the-word-soccer/
SCG, You are right about soccer being a diminutive form of association and its 19th century roots. But the explanation in the link you posted misses a key dimension — class. In Britain, soccer was the game played by the upper classes, such as CW Brown, who attended the ancient universities and public (i.e private) schools. And it continued to be called that by those who inhabited such circles down through the ages. As late as the 1960s, the leading English public schools categorized themselves as soccer schools or rugby schools, using that terminology, depending on the code they favoured. Football, or footie, on the other hand, was the game played by the rest of the country, and proudly called that, not soccer, as a badge of working-class identity. So by adopting the term soccer, America has just replaced the British upper classes as the object of derision of the majority of Brits.
(And since you were about to ask, private schools in Britain are called public schools because they were originally the schools for the public as opposed to the church schools that were for the sons of the clergy.)
Eandy @ 39, I was compelled to watch that video after seeing what you said, and it was quite the eye opener… 8)
Well worth a look at this video.
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/photos-and-videos/videos/video-arsenal-cult-hero-tony-adams.html
Morning all,
I was really hoping Roxette was coming down for a game since she enjoyed the Blind Pig so much, z 😉
Great post Z — a thoroughly enjoyable read. Although I now live in Auckland, NZ, I was for many many years a resident of Rye, NY.
In my view Americans get an unfair ride from British people. I found them to be mostly a very friendly and generous aggregation of folk. I am slightly biased in that two of my three children were born in NYC and are therefore US citizens.
I used to run “soccer” camps in Westchester and was impressed by the passion and knowledge shown by many of the kids and parents when it came to the beautiful game. Even now, in NZ, football is passionately followed — one should be very careful when attempting to poke fun at countries other than the UK — some of us feel that Arsenal is the only “superior” thing to be found in England! Football as a game is growing worldwide and surely that is something to be encouraged, as it is a genuine feather in the cap of English culture.
AS luck would have it, I find myself in England for the next few weeks,and with a ticket to the home game against Norwich! I cant wait to catch up with and meet many of this bar’s patrons in The Tollie next Saturday morning, particularly you ‘Holic!
First game in seven years — I shall be in celebratory mood, and just cant wait.
What is considered a seemly hour to arrive at the pub, folks?
There’s a game on tonight !
Oh, is that all …. 🙁
Apparently, even the bloke who cleans out the England dressing room is useless. It’s time for sweeping changes at The FA. 😉
I agree.
That Greg ‘The Les’ Dyke is a cu*t.
Ollie 66 heh
Dr Z…you failed to mention the amount of Roxie’s excess baggage charge for the trip back home – all those shoes she bought at “bargain” prices. Are you still in recovery mode ( or is she in the recovery ward) ?
😉
Morning H and Holics.
Only 9 more days of tedium, posturing national coaches and the risk of injury to our players before real life resumes.
Yawn.
Now I understand the evolutionary advantage of hibernation.
Ok, so yesterday my shiny new away TR7 arsenal kit arrived and my word, that thing is even sexier when you actually see it. Best kit Nike made in years.
Trev, does he normally play for West Broom?
IF: I’d say a seemly hour to arrive at the Tollie is opening time 🙂
Morning all.
Who wants a job? ;
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/wanted-arsenal-fan-who-wants-2358240
Absolute Joke
Adrian Durham is an utterly tedious human being, but Mediawatch feels it has a duty to bring you his latest ramblings on Arsenal and how the ‘Invincibles’ of 2004 don’t deserve to be lauded.
‘This title-winning side were officially hailed as the best ever Premier League team, but that is an absolute joke. In fact, it’s an insult to those who were better,’ writes Durham in his Daily Mail column.
‘The Arsenal Invincibles – the side that went unbeaten in 2003-04 season – saw that campaign out with tedious draws at Spurs and Portsmouth and home to Birmingham to preserve the record.
‘Arsenal played for draws – not the mark of a great side.’
There is only one ‘absolute joke’ here, Adrian, and it’s the man penning a column criticising the ‘Invincibles’ purely because of the reaction he received to similar comments a week ago. Grow up.
H2H
That one got me off guard!
I think he’s not even worth calling him names.
Speechless.
Accusing Pires of diving and asking Lineker to cheat in the same book is pure hypocricy.
Disaster for England as Tom Cleverley is ruled out of the national team’s crucial upcoming World cup qualifiers. The million dollar question on the lips of pundits and England fans is, how will England cope without the title winning Manchester United star who is un-arguably the present and future of the Manchester club’s midfield?
Warn your women and hide your sheep. Looks like NorCal is coming to town.
H2H, @81, words fail me.
Nice read holic.
Fomer RBNY season ticket holder here. 5 painful years.
I remember matches at Giants stadium where 19,000 looked more like 3000 in that cavernous place. Red Bull Park (the first name and the one i think sounds better) is a massive improvement. (though, the bathroom and beer lines are just absurdly long.)
I did see Henry’s debut for the club. I think it was that frienldy against tottenham in 2010. A bunch of purported Spurs fans turned out and a lot of Arsenal supporters and many TH14 Arseanl jerseys (and a handful of FC Cheat-alona ones too). The place was Arsenal red/white – not redbull colors. A lot of singing and taunting going on. Of course, Henry scored a goal. The place went aboslutely INSANE. Sitting behind the right goal (or wrong, depending how you look at it), i recall being showered in beer as people went totally bonkers – and me not caring one bit. One of the few really good memories from that place. A buddy took my seats when I left NYC. So close to the corner flag you can nealry smell the sweat on the guys taking corners. Very cool.
Cheers all.
ABB @54 – Yes, watched the PBS special on American football concussions; a travesty — NFL is worse than big tobacco in continuing coverup attempts.
NB Ned @ 62 – expansion to a second team in NYC area is a bad idea; will dilute the product in an overly saturated sports market. And availability of every premier league match from NBC Sports will have a subtle negative effect going forward — why watch inferior MLS product when you have the quality of the premiership and other footie leagues available on cable?
NorCal @ 55 – we visit London often to see our expat son. Recently got a cheap rate at an Ibis hotel near Euston Station. Very clean and convenient to underground (one stop or not a bad walk to King’s Cross for connection on Picadilly to Holloway Road and THOF). Found two outstanding watering holes nearby Euston Road:
1) The Euston Tap: housed in a small stone building, has 8 rotating pumps and 20 keg beers and great bottle selection. Best thing about it is that it has an identical twin building across the road called the Euston Cider. That allows my management of 40+ years to enjoy a tipple (she hates beer) while I work my way thru the Tap offerings, and they let me take my pint across the road to sit with and appease management. Within staggering distance of the hotel.
2) The Bree Louise: 11 gravity ales and ciders, and rotate 6 pump ales; excellent home made pies-and-chips lunch specials. If you’re a CamRA member, 50P discount on pints and 2 pound off pies. Within even closer crawling distance of hotel.
Got to see the Stoke fixture at the Ems with my son; couldn’t get to any of the locals before and after the match — management orders; late breakfast and had to scurry back to Whitehall to catch end of the Tour of Britain. He also got us tickets to Upton Park the day before, as I wanted to see a match at an old park and before Hammers move out. Good one for a neutral (the Baines free kicks, and the bubble machine), but the neighborhood, jeez….Green Street and all that, though he tells me Shite Fart Lane is much worse.
Speaking of the Hammers moving out: why not move the Michael Jackson statue into the Olympic grounds next to the bubble machine? Would make a nice setting for Hammers’ supporters theme song singalong….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLOH9sibosQ
HAHAHHAHAHAHA! Brilliaaaaaaaaaaaaant!
Bayonne Jean,
Thanks for the info. Always appreciated.
Lars@78, better check with the Sweeper.
BJ@88, you may be right, but NYC manages to sustain two teams in all the other pro sports and MLS games ko at a different hour to EPL ones.
NorCal, if you are coming to a game you must come to the Tollie before and after to meet the Holics. It will add immeasurably to your experience! I might even buy you a drink if Lars has his wallet with him!
Bath,
It’s an absolute. One of my bargaining chips with the management was that there was going to be so many Holics present. I am looking forward to putting a few more faces to names.
Cheers all.
Heh, Excellent, NorCal.
On lots of levels.
Bendtner scores for Denmark.
Looks like Giroud just scored a beauty for France.
Lurky, good news that!
Giroud twice on scoresheet already, here is his lob over the keeper..beautiful http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPTwnwjFr_M
Make that two for Giroud!
Ping
Nicky B, formerly known as TGSTEL. Goal vs Italy. White man can jump.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/nicklas-bendtner-denmark-1-1-v-italy/
Make that two for Bendtner as well – Denmark 2 Italy 1
wow! Good news everywhere.
Good on Nikki. We may yet need a few goals from him. If he gets back in shape he can actually be useful.
Italy got the equaliser, unfortunately for Nick.
Haven’t seen the game. Internationals don’t interest me all that much.
OZIL! Calmly done! Another one in the bag 🙂
I got some peters here when I said Townsend was the most difficult winger we encountered last season. Gibbs played him beautifully this season but he was good tonight.
Having said that Gerrard was awful. Will he ever turn up in an important match for England?
Sorry pelters!
Re H2H earlier on I think the only thing to do with the nerd Durham is to ignore him. He would not be employed in a proper radio station or by a proper newspaper.
As they say what is the difference between Adrian Durham and a catfish? One is a foul,bottom- dwelling scum sucker ….and the other is a fish!
Nick’s two here – both headers – dreadful defending but well done NB
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/double-header-nicklas-bendtner-scores-brilliant-oh-so-nealry-winning-brace-v-italy/
Then he took his shirt off to celebrate and got booked. Some of the old TGSTEL still there…
NBN,
as long as he does this silly stuff for national team I do not care, also, I can imagine how euphoric you have to be after you just scored your second goal against Italy and after 6 months ban.
So I can give him that, also especially the second goal was really nice, he rose so damn high. Never thought that I would say it but if he gets his head straight and gets fit soon, he might prove to be really valuable asset for us this season.
He is very similar type of striker like Giroud and system our team is playing now is very dependent of having his type of striker in the line up. So I think it might be easier for Bendtner to be influential when he comes on now than, say two seasons ago when team setup was tailor-made for van Pigsty as season progressed.
Speaking of HFB, cannot get enough of his first goal tonight, that lob was Bergkampesque.
Spot on, Eandy, on all counts.
When I saw that Giroud goal on Youtube first thing I thought was ‘DB10 would be proud of that’.
Must say he did look pretty fit in this ..
https://twitter.com/MailOnlineSport/status/388787674011533312/photo/1
Anyone remember when I talked about leaving home and my part of the country to start my one year post-Uni service to my country about a year ago? Well, I completed said service this past thursday(that’s the reason I had the passing out party)and I’m back home in the midst of family and friends now.
It wasn’t an easy experience due to factors like language barrier, conflicting cultures and religions, poor infrastructure and social amenities e.t.c. But You, patrons of this wonderful bar, all played a part in making it a success for me by way of direct and indirect words of encouragement as well as talking about Arsenal or even life in general when I had no one there to discuss with in the flesh and in so many other ways you may or may not have known.
Thank you all, Ladies and Gents, for been real friends to me in this virtual bar.
Don’t disagree with any of what you said at 111, Eandy. The hangtime, as they say, on the second goal was remarkable. He could certainly put in some telling shifts for us, though he is less the ‘plank’ that Ollie G is and more the hammer on the final nail. He always had the talent, though he didn’t show it to best effect when he was undergoing his compulsory period of Wenger education on the right wing.
Hey, Cent, many of us in this bar can’t remember this morning anymore let alone a year ago, but those are touching and generous words. And work with purpose should always be honoured. So well done.
And I’ve already got Lars’ wallet open and one on the bar for you….
Agree about Townsend, ttg. In fact I thought he had a very good game against us last month, and said so in the drinks following. A much more controlled player than Lennon and a real threat to Theo for his England spot, imo.
Öskar
As I said five days ago in the last drinks (#18) “I was impressed by Berahino and hope we are watching him.” Now apparently we are … http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/transfer-news-west-brom-striker-saido-berahino-attracting-interest-from-arsenal-manager-arsene-wenger-8874635.html
So AW does listen to me… 😉
Öskar
Good work Cent. Saw the pics on Twitter. Great stuff.
What the man with a tiger in his tank said. Great stuff cent.
Congratulations on completing your national service, Cent. I wondered about your passing-out party, thought maybe you were at an officer training centre, or the like. Pleased to hear you have emerged from military cocoon and returned to society. Best of luck with everything.
Cent, congratulations on passing out.
#wordsyoudonthearRoxettesay
Many congratulations Cent.
Heh zico @123.
Good news Cent. Congratulations.
Grats Cent:)
Because of the lack of proper footy this fortnight, I succumbed and yet again forked out some money for new sequel of FIFA..and let me tell you, Arsene is going to have proper headache once all of our players are fit.
I had no idea what starting 11 to field went with midfield of Aaron, Arteta, Santi, Mesut and Feo in the end as starters but it felt bad to leave LJW, Tomas and Flamini out, not talking about Poldi and Ox..nice problem to have 😀
Yep Eandy…he’s going to have sleepless night trying to perm a midfield from all his options and keep them all happy.
Congratulations, Cent.
Half a lull gone then.
Wonder what the next Jack Wilshere phew-roar-eeh! will be about.
Very surprised to hear that Andy Townsend played for England last night!
Isn’t he quite old now ? And a bit too Irish – even for Jack Wilshere. 😉
Arsenal’s midfielders will be like the seven dwarves.
Six out of seven of them will not be happy. 😉
The Arsenal Gentleman’s Review over on Arseblog today is rather spiffing, chaps.
Almost in tears here at the ‘Southend’ reference. 🙂
😀
Have to agree with Trev there. Brilliant work from the Gent.
Cent @ 114, great work man 🙂 I saw some of the pictures you posted on Twitter and felt quite proud 😉
Congratulations Cent! good luck post the military!
Thanks, all.
Heh @123.
Just to be a bit clearer.
The one year service is not military service, it’s paramilitary. At the start you go to a three week camp where you are given basic military training to ascertain and help improve your fitness level as well as your sense of personal security, then you’re posted to a community where you spend the rest of the year teaching in a Primary/secondary school or tertiary institution, working in hospital(s)(depending on your educational qualifications) and doing other forms of community development services.
well done, cent. very impressive!
Well done Cent…putting something back into the community is never a bad thing.
Cent: well done, mate! I hope you get the opportunity to make it over to London at some point in the near (or far, for that matter 🙂 ) future, you definitely deserve it!
No Match of the Day tonight.
No nasty,sniping Lineker
No bland,stupid Shearer
No biased ,miserable Hansen
No moronic,pointless Savage
I’m quite disappointed !!
If Bendtner takes off his shirt again whilst in the Arsenal camp I’m afraid it’s 3 more years out on loan. Keep your shirt on and your mind focused, son. 😉
Train Tickets booked for the weekend of the So’ton Game! Oh, what? Yeah, visiting family and friends also… 8)
Just kidding, of course I’m looking forward to seeing my family and friends! 😀 The last time I was away this long was when me and my family visited Nigeria on holiday back in 2010 😛
Can’t wait to be back in London again, but more importantly, back in the Home of Football 🙂 My heart pines for seeing Arsenal when I’m away, just the task of securing a ticket for the game on the 23rd of October at 11:30am to navigate now *sets calendar date on Blackberry*
Even if I’m unsuccessful in that matter against the odds, I know the Maestro or one of you excellent Tollie Warriors would hook me up, no worries here 🙂
NorCal, when you see this, drop me an e-mail, we have ‘matters’ to discuss… 😉
Thanks, Gents.
Lars, my Emirates debut is definitely on my mind, hopefully I will get a job soon and start working towards it.
Good stuff, Wind, have fun.
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