Thursday, 1/8 • 12:00 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside and outside.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
New year, new Arsenal
The Gunners exacted their revenge against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa for Arsenal’s last match of the year. Shifting gears in the second half, they put 4 past pantomime villain, Emi Martinez, before conceding a sloppy goal in stoppage time. Lovely to watch the lads dominating a really good Villa side in a decisive 4-1 win.
We head into 2026 with 9 matches in January alone, starting with tomorrow away at Bournemouth. Big matches against Liverpool and Chelsea fall on weekdays, so get your work excuses ready.
2026 marks our 20th year as an Arsenal supporters group. We’ll commemorate this anniversary a few times before the end of the season. Stay tuned for details.
Tomorrow’s a perfectly luxurious 9:30 am kickoff, so we look forward to having you at the pub. Regrettably, I’ve started the new year with a bad cold, so I’ll be watching from home.
COYG!
Best, Mark
Bournemouth v Arsenal
Saturday, 1/3 • 9:30 am Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside and outside.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
An end to Villainy
Arsenal’s current bogey team, Aston Villa, return to the Emirates tomorrow. The Gunners suffered one of only two losses this season away at Villa earlier this month.
Since Unai Emery’s dismissal at Arsenal and subsequent rebirth in Birmingham, the Spaniard has been a constant thorn in fellow countrymen, Mikel Arteta’s side. But it’s no fluke as he’s molded Villa into a formidable side, that Gooners everywhere are desperate to overcome.
For some of us, Aston Villa has risen through the ranks of “most loathed opposition”. City are always a threat but Spurs are 17 points behind the Gunners and remain an afterthought at best. I really need this win.
While a match every three days may not be optimum for the players, it’s a bounty of sorts for football fans. Look forward to seeing everyone at Maggie’s tomorrow.
COYG!
Best, Mark
Arsenal v Aston Villa
Tuday, 12/30 • 12:15 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside and outside.Parklet opens at 8:00 am.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
COYG!
The gift of Arsenal
Arsenal continue their arduous journey through crowded December fixtures. Following the nail biter against Wolves, the Gunners ground out a 1-nil victory at Everton and then survived penalties against Crystal Palace to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup.
We’re all dreaming of dominating matches, free flowing football and copious goals, but grinding out results and extra time equalizers are often a path to trophies. How many Manchester United teams rode to titles on the back of stoppage time wins in “Fergie Time”.
Sure, my holiday wish list includes more Gyökeres‘ goals, the return of Big Gabi, Havertz, Mosquera, and Ben White and a steady path to silverware. But maybe a hard road leads to greater appreciation of the end result. Being an Arsenal supporter has given me a lot gifts over the years, just not the ones I (and the Bay Area Gooners) truly want. So far.
Hope you’re enjoying the holidays and that I see you at Maggie’s tomorrow.
COYG!
Best, Mark
Arsenal v Brighton
Saturday, 12/27 • 7:00 am Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside.Parklet opens at 8:00 am.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Non-alcoholic beverages only until 6:00 am.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Tuesday, 12/23 • 12:00 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
The Gunners in League Cup action tomorrow!
Match on inside and outside.Parklet opens at 8:00 am.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
Come on you Gunners!
The Arsenal stress test
So that happened. Last Saturday’s match against Wolves was a forgone conclusion, according to so many people I spoke with, . Surely, Arsenal would dispatch the worst team in the Premier League with ease.
But the Gunners struggled again against another low block side which slowed the match to a molasses level. Ultimately, Arsenal had to rely on 2 Wolverhampton own goals to secure the victory, including one in stoppage time.
Saliba returned as did Trossard but then we lost Ben White for another month with a hamstring injury. Gabriel Jesus was bright in his return and did enough to force the winning goal.
Saw footage of fans leaving the Emirates, prior to our late equalizer and while a common enough occurrence at football grounds all over, not something I usually associate with our dedicated supporters.
Their frustration is understandable. Many Bay Area Gooners discovered Arsenal in the past 5-20 years and it’s not been an easy run since The Invincibles season. A couple of FA Cups and several seasons as runners up.
Then there’s how Arsenal are treated in the English press. From this side of the pond, the bias is so glaringly obvious. No club quite gets the scrutiny or negativity the Gunners do. The criticism of our supposed reliance on set pieces, labeling us “bottlers”, and even attacks on how we celebrate wins.
A homegrown fan once told me that establishment media in the UK has never quite forgiven Arsenal (largely Arsene Wenger) for fielding sides with no English players.
Apparently, there’s a perception Arsenal supporters feel they are better than everyone else, despite the lack of trophies in recent times. For my part, guilty as charged. I cannot fathom supporting City, Chelsea, United, or Liverpool and genuinely believe our club is in a class all its own.
We’ll need maximum effort from the lads Saturday against Everton, as the level of play we saw against Wolves just won’t cut it. Besides, the Gooners at Maggie’s cannot take another like that. I know I can’t. But my support of this club will never waver.
Hanukkah has begun and Christmas is right around the corner. If you need something for the Gooner in your life, we still have scarves and t-shirts available at the pub on most match days. See you Saturday!
COYG!
Best, Mark
Everton v Arsenal
Saturday, 12/20 • 12 pm Kickoff • Maggie McGarry’s (21+)
Match on inside and outside.Maggie’s is 21+, even in the parklet.Dogs in parklet only, please.Keep the banter civil and friendly.Outside food is OK.Outside drinks are NOT.
COYG!
Bay Area Gooners 