I don't know why you, dear reader, support the Arsenal. Frankly, I don't care. Your reasons are your own, but the important thing is that you're here and you're reading this site right now. I imagine that if you are, you are sympathetic to the cannon, you are down with the red and white. Taking that as a given, then I assume that you have some degree of interest in our Sunday fixture away to Chelsea this weekend.
If you are in the NYC area, I hope you will consider coming to the Blind Pig to watch the match.Don't get me wrong - I don't believe in having an unhealthy amount of hate for other clubs or their supporters (unless it's the West Ham lot, who I despise with all of my being barring the one or two who can function in human society). But, make no mistake...this Sunday is a confrontation between a club who has done things the right way, and a club who will be at home on the day. I would hope that, even if you can't bring yourself to come out for Stoke away, or if you are trapped in the office for mid-week fixtures (as I myself am), that you will come support the light side of the Force when it comes to this Sunday's game.
Look...at the end of the day, this Chelsea side are the remnants of what Jose Mourinho (a world-class manager and a world-class asshole at the same time) brought upon the English Premier League. While I respect and admire the talents of a Petr Cech or a Michael Essien, this is also the club of Ashley Cole, John Terry and Nicolas Anelka. This is the club that was Manchester City before they were Manchester City. This is the club that spent their way to success, this is the club that played Football Manager in real life (though the funny thing is I'm a FM addict, and I'm perhaps more loathe to spend money than Arsene is, though I do usually buy Igor Akinfeev or Hugo Lloris).
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that whether we're from Islington, from America, from Asia, from Western Europe, Eastern Europe or South America, we are the Arsenal and we are one. We believe in football played the right way, we believe in our manager, in our young players and in our methods. We believe that when the trophies finally come (and I promise you, Gooners...they will come), they will come from a team that we can be proud of playing the sort of football we can be proud of. They will come despite the best efforts of cynical outfits like Chelsea, or the nouveau riche of Manchester City, or the desperately-clinging-on-to-glory Manchester United. They will come despite the best efforts of clubs like Barcelona (more than a club my fucking hole...they're as cynical as anyone) to steal our best players. It will come despite poor decisions from referees, Sky pundits hating us, poor press, or whatever else comes our way.We are the Arsenal, and we stand as one in the face of all of that,.
We are the Arsenal, and we will come out victorious in the end. Never forget that it was Arsenal that broke Nottingham Forest's record of unbeaten games. Never forget that it was Arsenal that gave the English game such players as Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Paul Merson, Cesc Fabregas and now Jack Wilshere (who I honestly believe will take his place in this exalted company some day).
We are the Arsenal, and we are the ones who pack the Blind Pig every Saturday (and sometimes Sundays).
At the end of the day, I understand if you don't come out for Blackburn away or Bolton at home. I understand if you miss Nevada Smith's, or if you still go there because it is what is familiar. I understand if you have real-life responsibilities. But, if you believe that our support means anything at all (and I sincerely hope you do), then please, please, PLEASE come to the Blind Pig on Sunday. Lend us your voices...lend THEM your voices. I don't care if you're not thrilled about Fabianski in goal (cause I sure as hell am not), don't want to see Denilson in the squad, what have you...
WE.
ARE.
THE.
ARSENAL!
If you are too, then please join us.
