No, I haven’t been taking the Kool-Aid.
If you look at the fixture list between now and the New Year (well, January 2nd to be precise) you can see that we have every reason to be optimistic.
We have 11 games between now and then, taking us conveniently to the half way stage of our campaign. Six are at home, five are away.
The home games are:
Stoke
West Brom
Fulham
Everton
Wolves
QPR
All eminently winnable and, consequently, I have us down for the maximum 18 points from them.
Away from The Emirates we face the following:
Chelsea
Norwich
Wigan
Man City
Fulham
I’m going to be pessimistic and assume only one point from the combined Chelsea and Man City games. But we should win the other three, giving us 10 points for the five away fixtures.
That would give us a total of 38 points after 19 games at close of play on January 2nd.
To get an idea of what that means, let’s look at where we were last season at around that stage: on January 4th 2011 we were sitting third with 39 points, having played a game more (20 as opposed to 19). The Chavs were two points ahead of us and the evil empire of Darth Fergie was five points ahead.
It is perfectly reasonable to believe we will be in as good a position at the start of 2012 as we were at the start of 2011, although we may be more than five points behind the leaders.
My theory is further supported by the fact that between now and the New Year, several of our main rivals have games against each other and will take points from each other.
Man City have to play United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Chelsea face Liverpool, Man City and the Spuds.
Liverpool have Chelsea and Man City.
Less beneficial is the fact that Man Utd and the Spuds have an easier time up to the end of the year, United having only the City game, while the Spuds face only Chelsea from among the ‘top’ teams.
Nevertheless, on the morning of January 3rd 2012 I expect the table to show Man Utd sitting top, with Man City second and us third. There won’t be many points between third, fourth, fifth and sixth (with Chelsea, Liverpool and the Spuds occupying the three places below us). Newcastle will have slipped down to mid table.
This Arsenal team has been substantially rebuilt and has struggled to find its feet quickly, but we are much better than our current league position indicates.
We have some very classy players who are only going to improve the more they play together and we should not underestimate the brilliant coaching ability of Arsene Wenger. It’s no coincidence that he has produced two wonderful, trophy-winning teams and one wonderful team that just fell short of winning the big prizes.
For all the recent criticism of him as a coach, he has a philosophy of football that is second to none and that has made him more successful than most of his peers.
I firmly believe that with the same resources as AW has had in recent years, not even the Purple-Nosed Gorbalian or the Special Needs One would have been able to keep a team in the Champions League every year.
The more he works with the likes of Arteta, Ramsey, Gervinho, Santos, Jenkinson, Benayoun and Oxlade-Chamberlain, the more they will find that Wengerball will become second nature to them and the more we will sweep away the opposition.
So sit back and enjoy our rapid climb up the table, starting on Sunday, when we grab our pitchforks and march against Baron von Frankenpulis’s Monster Army.
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Evonne,
Have you just stolen the Thunder from the Rockies with that announcement? 🙂
Off to read. What does the Master Postie have for us today?
great post Rocky, love the optimism.I agree i don’t see why we can’t be. Then bring in a newly freshened up sagna and young jack!
@ GiE
they’re a big bunch of oafs thats for sure, and not to sure if the towel has been banned, i searched it and couldnt find anything about it (i did find a facebook page dedicated to slagging delap and his use of the towel though haha). I loved when clichy snatched the ball off of him a couple of seasons ago.
Our opponents for the weekend:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/90/stokecityorcs.jpg/
Wow RL, I sure hope so! Perhaps if everything gels perfectly and the new battling spirit becomes a day-in day-out reference point that these players can find every single game. I can see the talent there too, but have a hard time seeing this team progressing without more hick-ups. Our midfield looks labored and attack along the wings sputters at times. Even more, our main opponents, particularly ManUre and ManCity look much improved
Hi Rocky – formidable optimism backed up by some stats that could be right. If all goes according to your cunning plan, we should have a good festive season, with some well deserved presies from Santa. And we deserve all the presents, we had been the good guys for a long time, so lets hope that your predictions are accurate and we will be showered with goodies (ie points) in the coming months.
@ CG
hopefully a few injuries there way will even up the odds.
No jack,verm or sagna…so lets even up the odds
Take out:
Man city: aguero, kompany, and silva
Manure: Vidic, rooney, and carrick
A great and truly optimistic post Rocky, I sincerely hope your optimism does not prove to be miss-placed.
“The brilliant coaching ability of Arsene Wenger” you seem to have rekindled the flickering flame of your love affair with the French Maestro.
Oh brace up Rocky.
How wrong can a Gunner be? By Jan, it is Newcastle who will have retained their lofty position whilst That Lot are the team who will have slipped to mid-table.
Other than that, it is 100% accurate 🙂
Rocky,
The most enjoyable post i have read for a long long time. I congratulate you for having the foresight to see were the club is going and for been able to express it in a way i cannot.
if your predictions come in, i see no reason why we cant then make a late push for the title. I am not realy into analysing future fixtures in minute detail like your good self, my reasoning is simply based on the fact that come February 2012 we will be better than everybody else. So as you say, lets sit back and enjoy.
oz gunner, I definitely think those teams will have their hiccups too. Take Rooney away from ManU and they will struggle; and it always seems that an aggrieved Balotelli could come to work one day with a gun and start shooting people… so, who knows?
RL, thanks for a great post. It is all based on fact and reason, so thank you very much for leading us to the light, Sir Rocky of Toronto 🙂
Arsenal often perform a lot better at this stage of the season, if and when we have to climb up the table. It gives us focus and determination and allows our new team to gel by grinding out results. Like the (in Germany and Holland) famous Esso slogan goes: “Es gibt viel zu tun – Packen wir’s an!”. There is a lot to – let’s go for it!
It’s not impossible to achieve provided the lads keep fighting for every ball in all the matches,maintain defensive discipline.Suffice to add that Man United players are not more skillfull/talented than our boys but they fight more for ball during matches.
In Your Dreams…
California,
He he he, i now have this mental picture in my mind of Balotelli chasing Nasri round the pitch whilst taking pot shots at him. a very satisfying image.
It’s not impossible provided the lads keep fighting to win back possession like Barca & Man u players.Keep marking till 90+ mins in every match.Our boys in my opinion are even more skillful/talented than united players.
Very nice theory Rocky but a year ago we had Fabregas and Nasri. Now we don’t and Wilshire is out till February. While our defence had a good game against Marseille we returned with yet another player on the injury list and our creativity is nowhere near what it used to be. As for our coach, his record is quite remarkable but it rather ended in 2005 and since then our EPL season has usually ended in March. I would love to but I don’t see how I can share your optimism. Wenger out, Gazidis out.
i have neva seen a whole group of dreamers in my all entire life…..what planets are u guys from? mars i hope; we ar hopin for divine intervention rite now and u guys are dreaming of a third position placement by jan!! great to be optimistic but try and be realistic guys, others wont go to bed, they wil fite to keep thier places…… secretly i pray it works the way u guys are seeing it…..gooners
The Rocky Gunner.
I love your optimism, and you have made many to believ that we turn the corner. But lets call the spade by its name, having lost 4 in 8 matches and worst still to teams lying under the pit, you dont expect to win 9 games in 11 and drawn just 1. You been selfish Rocky. But anyway you have kept the Gunner burning. I love it. Gunner 4 lyf.
It was just a matter of time b4 the pessimists show up. We love our planet
Thanks for laying out the best case scenario. I felt better for a moment at least.
Great post, Rocky.
Love the references to the violet-beaked Govanite and the window-licking Portugeezer.
I’m personally dreaming of a third position placement.
Great read Rocky
Onwards and upwards.
Is that a Morocco or Tunisian weed you where smoking?
Morning all – and thanks.
I understand others’ skepticism but I prefer to err on the half full side and I really do think those results are achievable.
LG
Yes, I have rekindled the flickering flame of my AW love affair. After much thought I came to the conclusion that his real genius (apart from spotting talent) is that he is able to make good players better through the manner in which he encourages them to play. He has proved it repeatedly and despite the “6 years of failure” we all know how frustratingly close that third Wenger team came to being great. Consequently I expect good players like Arteta, Ramsey, Gerv et al to be lighting up the league in the coming months. Watch out for Chamakh’s renaissance too – it’s coming.
Chas: “violet beaked Govanite” – genius! Can I pinch it for future posts?
TT
An exotic weed called “optimism”.
Many haven’t heard of it.
Rocky,
I have racks of that optimist stuff drying in a shed.
The great news about your “Third Spot” by Jan thinking is it still allows the more gloomy amongst us to go Fourth Spotting in Jan, allowing for the new year assault on the summit. This is the pessimistic view 🙂
I dont think Rocky is been optimistic, hes been realistic.
Ok, so we dont make the top four this year and win nothing, so what. We will be fighting for the top prizes very soon and hopefuly this year.
Anything is possible with this mighty team:
Micky 🙂
Terry
I’ll be here on Jan 3rd to accept the apologies of the nay sayers.
(unless we’re 10th, in which case I’ll change my blog name to RL and no-one will know it’s me 🙂 )
Your optimism is too ambitious Rocky,but i hope it comes to pass.
But the issue here is that as we are winning our matches,are we going to holds all or most of the teams ahead of us from winning? Teams like Chelsea,Manshit,Manu,Liverpool etc who amongst them score average of four goal per match.
I am a pessimist unlike you,so iam expecting more hiccups from Arsenal.Therefore fifth or even sixth position by Jan 2nd is more like it.
The admiring thing about wenger is that he has set up this team to compete for the next 7-10 years. Sheznee for gk , mert-verm-kos are 3 players 25-26 years who will dominate for the next 7 years , the midfield options of wilshere-ramsey-song-coquelin-frimpong are gonna be world beaters for a long long time. Then u ve got 2 great wingers in ryo and oxo.
The only deficiency in the team now is the striker position. Apart from van persie , we don’t have any players in that position with world class potentials.
But I m sure wenger would get some 20 year old there that will be challenging persie in 2 years.
Who says wenger is finished ?
Oh, Rocky, Rocky, your ineluctable genius has once again shone thru’! 🙂
Actually, I have also to give credit to Evonne for matching your lovely Post with a great “New Post” fanfare and Chas for his coruscating accompaniment! Well done all!! 🙂
RL. Super stuff as always.
No question in my mind as to the veracity of your post ( I am sounding like RA!).
I believe top 3 by jan may be stretching it a bit because it needs to go exactly as per your plan not just for us but also for the other teams in picture. The one thing all doubters need to realize is, every team will have a dip in form and in our case usually its in feb-march;this time we have had it early and i foresee we getting better by the game and come may i expect arsenal to be in the top 4 for sure.
Great video Oz! 🙂
BR,
You sound nothing like RA, unless of course you have bells attached to your cuffs.
Rocky, Optimism? I want to smoke some of that… is it available in Europe? I’m here for work (watching games with BR), and find an entire continent in need…
Rock,
With regard to your query as to why I had not encapsulated both the theory of parallel universes with my philosophical musings about reality and perception, is unfortunately an admission of failure on my part.
I really struggled to get the point across about reality being something that is an established fact or the state of something that actually exists as fact.
Somehow perception, which is the physical or sensory cognition of something based on an individual’s experience, became interchangeable with the actualité of the meaning of reality, let alone the understanding of the derivation of opinions based on those perceptions, so all was lost! 🙂
To try and re-introduce the concept of parallel universes, which I tried feebly to broach in my Post on Footie Universes, seemed at the time to be attempting to build understanding on a base of shifting sand. 🙂
Consider this: Two women walk into a room, where a man, holding a pair of scissors, is bleeding profusely from a face wound.
Woman 1: Has the perception that he has attempted and succeeded in self mutilation. When asked her opinion, based on this perception, she says so.
Woman 2: Has the perception that the man has been the victim of violence by another person. When asked her opinion, based on this perception, she says so.
The reality? The man tried to pick his nose forgetting he was holding the scissors, and stabbed himself accidentally.
Reality and perception can be at odds, and thus multiplicity of opinions can flow, in much the same way we all can see different things in a footie match and there are many shades of great as a result!
Well, it is Friday, and the Rasper is not looking!! 🙂
RA,
You have been in touch with the Mother Ship haven’t you.
I’ve just read all the stuff you lot were posting this morning before today’s post went up. Bloody hilarious.
And we should get the Ramsey/Shawcross song going again.
Then I read Redders’ 12.59 and now I have a headache 🙂
RA.
You appear to be in a very different “reality” to most of us………..
I never touched nuffink or no-one nohow, M’Lud.
I wuz took and enchanted by the pixies as a mere boy, and now Polish girls tell me I’m a banana, while a man from Cornwall, clearly the King of said pixies, is abusing me vocab!!
Excellent GN5! 🙂
Your perception of reality based on your individual experience, has generated a very valid, altho’ flawed opinion!
Nice one rocky! Just wat every gunner needs at the moment- the optimism! I pray it all goes according to ur wonderful plans! Seriously- i kinda wish u were God from now till then! Keep the faith friends!
Are you Dr Spock?
HA HA, brilliant stuf RA.
I find it incredible that most physicists espouse the multi universes and dimensions theory(though they can not prove it). I have done a bit of research on the matter myself but was forced to quit once i realised it was making my transpants and eyes bolt out of my head.
The ramifications of these theorys been proved is simply mind blowing.
Thank you Essien
Sadly there are no gods on AA (with the possible exception of the Goddess Peaches) but many of us believe that Red Arse is a Time Lord.
This is my final word on perception — and stop all that cheering, I can hear you!! 🙂
The Seven Dwarfs were marching through the forest one day when suddenly they all fell into a deep, dark, dank culvert.
Snow White, who was following along behind, peered over the edge of the steep chasm and shouted down to the fallen dwarfs.
From out of the depths of the dismal, dark hole came a tremulous voice defiantly yelling “Spurs are going to win the FA Cup this year”.
Snow White sighed with relief and thought to herself,
“Thank God… at least Dopey’s survived!”
QED
Rock, 🙂
No! I lost my sodding watch last week!!
Right.
On a plane now. Catch you all later.
Or possibly earlier, in the Time Lord’s case 🙂
Too busy at the mo’ but great stuff Rocky & RA: out of this world!
If God was involved he’d have thrown a few more spokes into ‘those teams’ than Rocky envisages & we’d be top 🙂
RA,
Please keep those philosophical thoughts coming 😀 As always, you have explained the concept of subjectivity – we see different things in the ‘same’ football match – eloquently.
The bleeding man/ scissors story is a great metaphore for the necessity of Arsenal fan blogs like AA. By sharing perceptions, views and theories we shall come to the truth, the redtops live of perceptions – would it not be a far better story if the man had stabbed himself or he had been attacked by a stranger…. As long as nobody knows the truth, papers will sell and commercial blogs will get their hits. And Arsene knows and is happy to play along.
Micky – go away! you are too funny for words
Hi TA, 🙂
There is an old adage coined by the media (?) “Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story”. “Good” in that context, of course, is one that sells newspapers.
Liking it, Rocky, especially the way you all but dare the naysayers to attack the openly optimistic assessment of where we are.
Too often, predictions are based on memories of what has happened in the immediate past. So at this point last season, everyone and his/her dog/cat/goldfish was saying there was only one possible team that could win the league, and that was Chelsea.
None of us pretends to think Arsenal are likely to be battling it out for the title this season, but as TA also says, there’s a way to go yet. Look at the way City were outplayed by Villarreal’s weakest side in a long time, as well as Napoli and Bayern. Or the way that Norwich outplayed Chelsea. Or the way that United conceded three at home to Basel and almost lost. There are no foregone conclusions, even if competing for fourth is the most likely propsect for our season.
The combat with Stoke this weekend is going to be tough, we hate them and they hate us, and in recent seasons they’ve had something of a jinx on us. They’re not just the most physical side around, they’ve also got some real talent in the squad and are well organised. But we’re on the up, and I hope AW is closely looking at the vids of Stoke’s defeats to Sunderland and Swansea.
@naija soccer
Re young strikers, don’t forget Joel Campbell, our Costa Rican signing from the summer, now on loan at Lorient.
@ 26
and afobe, can’t forget him
Am afriad that’s exactly what I did Oz…..
But you’re absolutely right, Afobe’s another one to bear in mind.
“Nothing in the world can one imagine beforehand, not the least thing. Everything is made up of so many unique particulars that cannot be foreseen”
Rainer Maria Rilke
26, you are right: making predictions based on memories of what has happened in the immediate past is a very natural thing to do, but wrong nevertheless. That’s why I like it so much when Wenger says: ‘I am not interested in the past’. A negative immediate past can easily lead to a self-fullfilling prophecy – and Rocky’s post does the absolute opposite by focussing on the future and picturing it bright and rosy for us. We’ve got to love him for that 😛
Great post, and about fucking time this clubs fans became positive. We have had a bad start for the first time in 15 years, so what! I remember Man U lingering near the Relegation zone a few years back after about 10 games, but did they call for SAF to be sacked? No. They finished in the top 3 as always and may have even won the league (too busy ranting to be arsed checking out the stats!).
I’m sick of this club being drowned in depressive shite, and it’s the fans who are to blame. Did we go 49 games unbeaten by thinking we were gunna lose the next game? We are 5 wins from 6 so we should be thinking we can make it 10 from 12, and 15 from 18. Not thinking about how we are gunna lose to Stoke because it’s happened in the past. Positive thinking breeds positive results. About time us fans (me included) started thinking positive.
FGG,
100% on the button. COME ON YOU RIP ROARING GUNNERS.
RA,
Had to look up coruscating. Should have known it was from the Latin coruscare, meaning to flash (presumably not involving a long Mackintosh and a cheeky grin).
Rocky,
Use away. I was trying to come up with something alliterative like claret conked Caledonian but gave up. That reminds me, has Chary been taken over by the dark side and is sitting at home watching interminable re-runs of the A team?
Perception is a dynamic conflict between the attempts of an outer world to impose an actuality on us and our efforts to transform this actuality into a self-centered perspective. Perception is a confrontation between an inward directed vector of external reality compelling awareness and an outward-directed vector of physiological, cultural, and psychological transformation. Where these vectors clash, where they balance each other, is what we perceive. This in sum is my view of perception
– altho’ flawed.
Poor Chary has found himself ensconced in a workplace which has dis-enabled his AA connection.
Words eh! In my line of work we talked of narratives as opposed to perceptions.
CG. Pub or my place for the game?
CG. Just checked …. it will have to be the pub because DK TV is showing the MU game
G5,
My perception is that what you have just written/wrote is a load of bollocks!!!!! Lol
Only joking!
That view is far too perceptive for my liking. My view is that Arsenal have had a bad start, fans are still pissed off with last year and the years before that which has spilled over into the
current campaign, and our pre season has only just finished due to the lateness of our transfer dealings. We are, and will continue to see improvement as players get to understand our system, fellow players and tactics. Also with certain world class players coming back from injury we will continue to improve.
I would take our defence over every other team in the league apart from Man U n Chelsea. We have the 4th best squad in the league when fit and if we have luck with injuries and others don’t then we can easily finish top 4. The quality of teams these days is separated by only injuries and luck. At the moment we have all the injuries and no luck but that can easily change
Cheerful, cherubic Chas, wrote wryly but wittily about the claret, conked caledonian, who is the evil epitome of asinine, acerbic and acid tongued attacks on wonderful, witty Wenger! 🙂
FatG, 🙂
I am drawn to you – in a very manly way – by your effervescent and infectious enthusiasm, and wish I was more like you.
I think you and TerryM are twin beacons of light in a somewhat dismal blogworld. AA is your natural home! 🙂
Oh, I keep missing all of the fun, going to work definitely gets in the way of blogging 😦
I’m very happy to join the ‘we might be 3rd by January’ club although as someone else pointed out an awful lot of things need to go in our favour but hey I’m a glass half-full kinda gal.
If we can put together a bit of a run even without TV and Jack then this team can hit those highs can’t it?
On a completely different subject I bought a new warm going to football coat yesterday only to find that Sunday will be 19 degrees!!!!
Don’t wear anything under it then, Peaches. Obviously!
Did anyone notice my plea for a post earlier, we have nothing for tomorrow ……………. 😦
I’m not that kind of a girl Micky – not to football anyway 😳
I love this site, Rocky has joined the Assylum. Make him comfortable TMHT and RA. 😆
Time to get your priorities in order then girl.
Peaches,
If you have nothing by the end of the day, then I’ll do something. Chances of it having a serious footballing message are exceedingly slim.
Am about to zoom off to some bleedin client event (on a Friday night, I ask you….), but just wanted to say: Fatgingergooner’s 3.37pm is a masterpiece! FGG for President!
Evening all, cracking read Rocky, glad FGG has mentioned 5 from 6 that can so easily turn I’m to 10 from 12.
26 has mentioned that they hate us, and I’ve had some fun with Stokies onTwitter today…the one who said Ramsey is a cry baby incurred some wrath, and then another had a pop at me for stealing “their” song for the Ramsey/Shawcross ditty. I said irony was too much for troglodytes and got called a sh*thead in return. 🙂
All good stuff that puts fire in my belly for Sundays visit.
God I hate them and their a*hole manager.
I AM DRUNK………!!!!! Hahahahahahahahahaha
FGG – I’ve already got one of your drunk ones in drafts 😉
Micky,
I mentioned to one of my hard working acolytes, the content of your message exchange with the Peacher, because it amused me.
She fell about laughing and said that he must think the Peacher was all fur coat and no knickers, (I got the last bit) but is that another incomprehensible British expression (to Yanks anyway) or am I the victim of a female set up?
My ‘colleague’ is still chuckling, and won’t enlighten me, so you will have to help me out Micky! 🙂
FGG,
That probably explains why my Sky Box is hiccoughing (hiccupping?) and saying ” I loves you – you is lovely”
Peaches,
Surprisingly I actually remember writing that one!!! Lol though it is pretty poor! Did u ever get my Arsene/Fabregas piece? I was very proud of that but it hasn’t been used, suppose it’s not really relevant now but still, I liked it!!!!! Ha!
😳 your colleague is correct Redders – fur coat and no knickers works for me normally but not to football 🙂
FGG – I don’t remember getting that one, we usually use them up pretty quickly, did I acknowledge that I had it? I’m sorry, you must think I’m really mean asking for posts when you’ve written one 😦
Peaches, sweetheart, I am none the wiser as to what it means. Best it remains that way I suppose!! 🙂
That Micky, who done did it, is always getting me into trouble! 😦
RA,
Standard issue in some circles. You chose to inhabit this Island, live with it 🙂
Watching and listening to Fans forum on Arsenal player, one of the guys is called Aidrian Clarke, a former player coming up underneath.
Someone please enlighten me as I`ve never heard of him.
Okedoke, I’m on duty tonight.
Peaches,
Send me a signal if you have no post. I’ll be around early as usual.
Nite all. Great dreams to be had if you know where to look!
GLIC and the rest – he was a midfielder in the early nineties, played 7 times for us and re-trained as a journalist when he retired from football in 2004
A signal? What sort of signal would you like Micky? This evening or early in the morning?
How about a peek inside that coat of yours Peaches! Lol sounds like a good signal to me!!!
Will resend that post in case u didn’t receive it. Don’t worry if u don’t wanna use it, they can’t all be winners afterall!
Thanks peaches, just found it, 7 apearances between 93 and 97.
Cant understand how I dont know him ?.
I know, they only got newspapers ,tv and radio in Cornwall in “98”. 🙂
Adrian Clarke has been completely erased from my memory, too.
He made his debut when this happened. No wonder no-one remembered it.
Hi all, it’s been awhile since I’ve been on here, but really our form’s been so poor over the last 12 months or so it’s only been depressing going on the blogs too much.
Anyway, my wife and I are going to London late next week and I’m going to get to see us take on Marseille and WBA on the 1st and 5th of November. I’ll likely round up the tickets when I’m there as I don’t have them yet, but really was hoping to get some good suggestions on restaurants, particularly the best gastropubs in London. Guessing there are some discerning Londoners residing here, yes? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
What kind of signal?
A quick flash.
That just needed to be tapped in from two yards out.
AC
26 is the man for this but question one is always going to be where abouts are you staying?
Staying on St. John St. London, EC1v4UA (whatever that means) in Clerkenwell?
Very good post, Rocky better times do indeed lie ahead. My wife is out of hospital and in a fair amount of pain but thanks to you all for your kind wishes.
Arse Chicago. Depends what you want but the best French restuarant in London along with a great wine bar, It is called the Bleeding |Heart and can be found in the bleeding heart yard which is situated just of the Road rhat connects Farringdon Station and Hatton Garden its worth a visit just for a glass of wine if you havnt been there before. See below
http://www.bleedingheart.co.uk/restaurant/history.html
AC,
The EC1 4UA is a Post Code just like a Zip Code.
Is the full address St John Street, Islington? That’s not too far to the Emirates Stadium.
I am not too familiar with that area, but if you Google St john Street, EC1 V it will give you a guide with some decent eating places etc.
There is plenty of public transport in london, Bus, Tube etc which is cheap so make use of it.
Again if you Google “London Tubes”, you can print off a map and get timetables etc.
Go for it dude. 🙂
Hi Dandan,
Glad your wife is back home and hope she gets better soon!
Think we’re staying close to the Farringdon stop. Last time I was there I was by myself in Notting Hill, so ended up eating kababs every meal. Sad, yes. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
AC,
Eating nothing but kebabs? —- Yeuk!!
You should also Google “London Gastro pubs”. The Albion in Islington is brilliant, but there are others!
Good luck man. 🙂
AC
You’re staying relatively close to Dandan’s suggestion of the Bleeding Heart, which I can second as an excellent place.
For gastro pubs I would suggest The Eagle in Farringdon Rd – again, quite close to you.
Dandan
Glad to hear about the missus. Do wish her well.
ArseChicago.. Have a fantastic time in London and lets hope you bring the Gunners good luck.
I ha ent been to the Bleeding Heart for years, wasa regular haunt in my City days for Friday night drinks.
Never knew it had a good restaurant but then in those days it was kebab on the walk back from the station after alighting the last train home.
But you don’t want to venture too close to Hatton Garden your wife might get sidetracked by all the diamonds in shop windows.
26 recommended me a Spanish/Moroccan joint nearby Clerkenwell which whilst we didn’t visit looked real good on the website http://www.moro.co.uk/moro/restaurant/default.asp
Well, I’m 2 and 0 the two matches at the Emirates I’ve been to so we’ll see.
As for food, we’ve already made reservations at St. John’s and Nopi (downstairs) per the recommendations of the food writer at my wife’s magazine (she actually works for TimeOut Chicago). These all look like terrific recs so thank you again!
@ DanDan
glad all is well
@ Micky
god your banter with peaches is priceless
Very funny reading the younger players tweets, seems most have been off to see Paranormal Activity Three tonight.
Afobe said OxboChamb had to hold his hand 😀
And also to whoever mentioned Wojcech versus feature on Arsenal Player yesterday thank you. It was very funny and shows his humourous side. Maybe if people get his irony his comments about wanting to go to Barca will be seen for what they were ….. a joke! (and probably a little dig at the ex skipper).
Really seems to be a more united attitude team/squad growing within the dressing room. Which is good to see and can only help matters on the pitch.
Looking forwArd to seeing Under 18s play on Sunday after the Stoke game, anyone sticking around? No point queueing for Picadilly line it’s going to be bedlam.
Ozyou call it banter,26 calls it harassment and a chance of “No Win No Fee” legal case 😉
Micky – you are the man! Please can you write a small entertaining post when you get up. Thanks xx
Milwall skipper is a Gooner!
http://www.millwallfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10367~2489258,00.html?
GiE @12:01 🙂
Morning all,
Kettle on, post to write.
Who is Taverning tomorrow?
Incidently, just seen there is no Victoria Line this weekend.
I hate The Arsenal Box Office. I cannot use Exchange as game still on general. The best seats it is offering me are Block 120!! No thanks. At least you can choose on the Exchange.
morning micky, and whatever AA’ers are out there.goodluck with the post
Peaches,
Job done. Relax.
Morning all,
Micky – are you going tomorrow?
OMG, I missed all the fun last night 😦
Naked Peaches, Ginga on fire and GiE under fire from the Stoke fans.
But in all of these Ginga (before he got pissed and silly) wrote something profound:
“The quality of teams these days is separated by only injuries and luck. At the moment we have all the injuries and no luck but that can easily change” – excellent!
I still have some tickets available for tomorrow, Micky and Evonne. Free to good home.
Chas/Evonne.
I am on for it. One for me please Chas. Evonne?
Can’t use my Red Member Card on Exchange and don’t want to go to General Sale.
Back in an hour or so.
Chas and Micky – OF COURSE!!!! I am ready!!! Thank you!!!
They are block 106 upper tier row 1 seats 419 and 420, North bank end above the other corner to the red action corner. So you can even sit together.
I’m out all day from 9am. I will be at the Tavern from 12 all being well traffic wise. ( it didn’t open until 12 last Sunday).
If you get Peaches to give you my email we can swap mobile numbers etc.
Chas – you are a star! See you at the Tavern tomorrow noon 🙂
Morning all
Right, admin to sort.
Evonne and Micky and chas I’ll pass all the email addresses around.
Blimey, if Mickys coming I’d better dust off the fur coat – don’t tell LB 😳 or Rasp cos he’s going to work tomorrow 😦
I shall be at The Tavern – GiE’s gonna be there at 11.30 eeeeek
peaches,
At least you don’t have to iron your thong!
chas 🙂
peaches,
I’ve sent my mobile number to arsenalnuts.
Gotta go, be back on later this evening.
Morning all.
I’m driving to Cockfosters, and having a rendezvous with 26’s Dad at Wood Green to pick up ticket. Who I’ve never met, having a female accomplice to make me easier to spot maybe helpful…Evonne?
I have said I’ll be there at 11, but I have his number so could make it a bit later. We aren’t getting out, just handing over at the barriers.
GiE – I’d love to! Drive to Oakwood and park here, it is just one stop from Cockfosters
She’d better wear the fur coat then – easier to spot 😉
Also she’ll want you to park in her drive – fast becoming the in-place to meet pre-match so I’ll send you her postcode.
See 😆
Chicago
Well done for choosing to stay in Clerkenwell, excellent part of town to be staying in. I used to work there and still miss the easy access to all its bars and restaurants. Probably good for my liver and waistline that I’m not there though.
Others have already mentioned some of the best restaurants in the area (The Eagle, Moro, and the Bleeding Heart). Moro is one of my faves, and for gastro pubs, I’m not sure you’ll do better than The Eagle, but there is The Compass on Chapel Market, near Angel. I like the Lord Palmerston in Tufnell Park too, and the St John’s Tavern in Archway is great. The Peasant at the top end of St John Street is pretty good too (but make sure the upstairs is open, they don’t always open it for lunch and eating downstairs is pretty rubbish).
And re other restaurants around Clerkenwell, assuming you’re not a veggie or squeamish, the unique St John is fantastic. The Zetter Town House (round the corner from excellent Belgian bar, The Dovetail) is a recent discovery, liked that one. And Le Cafe du Marche is good too.
But honestly, you’ll have loads of options round there. Would be great if you made it to the very ungastro Tavern before one of the matches! But in any event, hope you have a fun visit.
Ha ha ha 🙂 I love you guys 🙂
Yes, anybody going to the game can park in my driveway, no problemo, cup of tea before you catch the tube on the house
I’ve sent chas’ mobile no to both of you – Micky and evonne
I feel pre-match hysteria is with us already and Rasp’s not even up yet. Have to draw some steps for a client, see ya later
evonne – post scheduled for 9.30. I hope Red Arse isn’t watching I promised him the next fanfare ……………. 😳
Other than Fabianski saying he may need to move club, is there anything more predictable than Wenger’s protest at the effect next summer of there being both Euro Champs and Olympics? And he’s right of course, massive risk of burnout for players being called up for both.
I reckon Arse players could feature heavily in the GB side, it being for under 23s plus three overage players. Without thinking about the overagers, I could see the outfield players being something like:
RB: Kyle Walker
CBs: Smalling, Jones
LB: Gibbs
RM: Albrighton
CM: Wilshere, Ramsey, Rodwell
LM: Bale
FW: Sturridge
And Oxlade-Chamberlain or Walcott could easily be called up too. The likes of McEachran, Carroll, Henderson, Welbeck, Ranger and Cleverly could yet save us from too many of our players being played.
Can’t see much scope for Scottish or Northern Irish under 23 players, but I guess Giggs or Charlie Adam might be brought in – I’d love to see Giggs leading out a side at an international tournament.
Good morning all you gorgeous Gunners!
We have a :
New post, new post, new post !! !! !!
26. Very interesting. I had not thought of both tournaments being int the summer break
The squad you name has some excellent players and would be serious contenders for a podium position.
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