Tourists
Exactly this. Working at Heathrow I regularly meet people who have travelled thousands of miles for a few days in the UK built around catching two or three matches. I can't really begrudge them a half and half scarf as a souvenir.
Tourists
As someone with a huge dollop of affection for Arsenal FC I have some sympathy for the sentiment. I'd rather he politely show a banner than scream in the face of Arsene (who is still a total legend and a complete gentleman who has done more for the club than most in its history) or make an idiot of himself on Arsenal Fan TV (what is wrong with those people?! Jeez get a life. You win some and you lose some).
All that said, what dismays the majority of Gooners is the sense of deja vu. Some Albion fans may think we choke. Albion have nothing on Arsenal.
As Amy Lawrence said in the Guardian the other day...
A forlorn Wenger tried to make sense of why his team capitulated against Watford on a damp, dispiriting night but there were no easy answers. His crestfallen expression suggested his difficulty explaining this psychological foible in his team. He had warned them to be wary of Watford, to expect them to put energy and physicality into it. Don’t be casual. Don’t just go out there and expect an easy ride. (They were inexplicably casual.)
Not for the first time this season Arsenal wasted a promising opportunity. Had they defeated Watford at home, as they half-expected, it would have taken them to within six points of Chelsea before the trip to Stamford Bridge – a scenario with an interesting edge to it. Now they face a far more trepidatious journey courtesy of a nine‑point gap and punctured confidence.
It is as if they suffer from some kind of repetitive, episodic, jerky-form syndrome: Arsenal are good at getting back on the bike after a fall but once they start to gather speed and look capable of catching some competition they crash. Then they get back up again until the next crash.
This season’s evidence goes back to the aftermath of that 3-0 win against Chelsea, when they were collecting wins for fun. But as soon as they had the possibility of hitting top spot Arsenal clammed up, as if stifled by pressure. They could not flex their muscles to beat Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United, both of whom were understrength at the time. Then they returned to the win trail before the pressure stunted their progress again with back-to-back defeats at Everton and Manchester City. After clambering back on the bike they hit the skids against Watford. And so it goes on …
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/02/arsenal-chelsea-watford-arsene-wenger-pressure
Arsene Wenger has had years to find a way to overcome this cycle and yet, every season, it's the same.
Some here may think that moaning about a consistent top four finish in the Prem is moaning about what most supporters, including us, can only dream of, but a predictable routine is a predictable routine, and this cycle is more predictable than old episodes of The Sweeney or The Professionals showing up on ITV4.
It is indeed "Time to Go"
I was a tourist at a premier league game today, although it was only Watford v Burnley. A mate of mine is a Watford fan and invited me along. I must admit that it was quite an enjoyable experience, especially without the stresses of partisanship that watching Brighton usually brings.
IF we go up and IF Palace stay up will we see half and half Albion/Palace scarves?
Brighton will soon join that world and our own local plastic prem fans will be out in force
I went to Worthing against Needham Market today. Cracking afternoon involving pint in craft ale gaff, more beer at ground, no queues, political discussion with pal, feisty football, 7 goals, handbags at dawn on the pitch and a good time all round. Home 10 mins after final whistle too.
Brighton will soon join that world and our own local plastic prem fans will be out in force
As someone with a huge dollop of affection for Arsenal FC I have some sympathy for the sentiment. I'd rather he politely show a banner than scream in the face of Arsene (who is still a total legend and a complete gentleman who has done more for the club than most in its history) or make an idiot of himself on Arsenal Fan TV (what is wrong with those people?! Jeez get a life. You win some and you lose some).
All that said, what dismays the majority of Gooners is the sense of deja vu. Some Albion fans may think we choke. Albion have nothing on Arsenal.
As Amy Lawrence said in the Guardian the other day...
A forlorn Wenger tried to make sense of why his team capitulated against Watford on a damp, dispiriting night but there were no easy answers. His crestfallen expression suggested his difficulty explaining this psychological foible in his team. He had warned them to be wary of Watford, to expect them to put energy and physicality into it. Don’t be casual. Don’t just go out there and expect an easy ride. (They were inexplicably casual.)
Not for the first time this season Arsenal wasted a promising opportunity. Had they defeated Watford at home, as they half-expected, it would have taken them to within six points of Chelsea before the trip to Stamford Bridge – a scenario with an interesting edge to it. Now they face a far more trepidatious journey courtesy of a nine‑point gap and punctured confidence.
It is as if they suffer from some kind of repetitive, episodic, jerky-form syndrome: Arsenal are good at getting back on the bike after a fall but once they start to gather speed and look capable of catching some competition they crash. Then they get back up again until the next crash.
This season’s evidence goes back to the aftermath of that 3-0 win against Chelsea, when they were collecting wins for fun. But as soon as they had the possibility of hitting top spot Arsenal clammed up, as if stifled by pressure. They could not flex their muscles to beat Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United, both of whom were understrength at the time. Then they returned to the win trail before the pressure stunted their progress again with back-to-back defeats at Everton and Manchester City. After clambering back on the bike they hit the skids against Watford. And so it goes on …
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/02/arsenal-chelsea-watford-arsene-wenger-pressure
Arsene Wenger has had years to find a way to overcome this cycle and yet, every season, it's the same.
Some here may think that moaning about a consistent top four finish in the Prem is moaning about what most supporters, including us, can only dream of, but a predictable routine is a predictable routine, and this cycle is more predictable than old episodes of The Sweeney or The Professionals showing up on ITV4.
It is indeed "Time to Go"
Probably seemed like a good idea when he saw it outside the ground for a fiver......souvenir of the day, maybe his only trip of the season, could be a neutral......difficult to be too judgemental without knowing.